Director, Global Media and Strategic Response, Innovative Medicine

Location: New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States of America

At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at jnj.com

As guided by Our Credo, Johnson & Johnson is responsible to our employees who work with us throughout the world. We provide an inclusive work environment where each person is considered as an individual. At Johnson & Johnson, we respect the diversity and dignity of our employees and recognize their merit.

Job Function

Communications & Corporate/External Affairs

Job Sub Function

Product Communications

Job Category

Professional

All Job Posting Locations

New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States of America

We are searching for the best talent to join our team as the Director, Global Media and Strategic Response. This is a hybrid, in-person role that will be located in New Brunswick, NJ.

Purpose

The Director will lead our efforts to strengthen and protect the reputation of Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J) Innovative Medicine (IM) business and serve as a senior advisor and strategist, building and coordinating a proactive earned media strategy on priority topics for the Innovative Medicine business and shaping our response to issues impacting across our global reputation.

As part of the IM Communications and Public Affairs HUB, the Director will be tasked with establishing a global earned media and issues capability for IM CPA and partnering closely with enterprise and IM teams to shape a sector level engagement strategy on the topics IM should be known for. They will also lead and coordinate our response to manage complex, high-stakes issues impacting the reputation of IM, on topics including litigation, product and regulatory developments, data privacy and other reputational risks.

Leading a team of 2-3 people, this high-visibility role will shape and scale sector-level guidance on how, when, and whether J&J engages externally on high-profile and/or matters with reputational risk—ensuring our external communications are strategically aligned, high-impact and compliant, and serve to strengthen the reputation of J&J across global markets.

Key Responsibilities

Global media strategy

• Ensure consistent excellence and drive proactive and reactive media engagement with trade media for Innovative Medicine topics in coordination with TA communications leaders.
• Shape a proactive media strategy for IM leadership and subject matter experts; partnering closely with the Global Corporate Media Relations team on top-tier media strategy and execution.
• Develop and maintain media materials (executive messaging, statements, FAQs and briefings) on priority topics IM should be known for across the globe.
• Identify and help prepare leaders and subject-matter experts for interviews and media opportunities.
• Monitor the media landscape to identify emerging risks and opportunities; elevate insights and recommendations.
• Build constructive working relationships with key trade media and internal partners across communications and business partners to enable timely responses and coordinated outreach.
• Develop systems and tools to scale efficient management of trade media relationships, pitches, and engagement plans to enable effective media engagement across IM CPA.

Strategic response

• Partner with J&J Enterprise colleagues to strengthen strategic frameworks and standard operating procedures for responding to scenarios that impact our business & reputation.
• Collaborate across Global Corporate Affairs, Regulatory, and the Global Legal Organization to ensure we are prepared for pending issues and emerging trends and to protect the reputation of the sector and enterprise.
• Develop reactive messaging, talking points, message maps, and strategic communication strategies for sensitive situations, ensuring legal and reputational considerations are appropriately balanced.
• Monitor media and stakeholder activity related to identified risks and advise leadership on response, positioning, timing, and critical issues to senior management.
• Draft, review, edit, and approve reactive media statements, Q&A for external partners, and other communications around the world.
• Provide real-time counsel to regional communications teams on priority media requests, approval flows, and executive alignment during fast-moving situations.
• Ensure consistency of messaging across markets while allowing for appropriate local nuance, particularly on sensitive or legally complex topics.
• Create playbooks and other guidance to enhance the skills of IM CPA colleagues related to media and issues standards and governance/guidance.
• Manage budget, vendors and technology that enables the Company to monitor the external environment and prepare before issues emerge.

Drive, enact and embed key J&J external engagement capabilities and policies

• Serve as a capability leader for external engagement across the sector.
• Embed approved processes for securing, assessing, routing and approving external engagements in line with J&J policies.
• Contribute to the shaping, development, refinement, and rollout of enterprise communications policies and guidance, including partnering closely with Global Corporate Media Relations on media engagement procedures, press release standards, and other reputation-enhancing policies.
• Embed and operationalize new engagement protocols, workflows, and governance structures across global teams.

Executive advisory and cross-functional leadership

• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders and Legal partners on external trade media engagement opportunities and sensitive reputational matters.
• Coordinate closely with Global Corporate Affairs leadership to determine when issues warrant executive-level review or enterprise escalation.
• Facilitate alignment across global, regional, and functional teams to ensure cohesive and timely decision-making under pressure.
• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, or a related field
• 10+ years of progressive experience in executive, corporate or business communications, with a proven track record of strategic leadership in a complex, global organization.
• Demonstrated ability to lead strategically through ambiguity. Expertise in strategic planning, engagement, and crisis communications.
• An effective communicator who can present plans and concepts to executives and serve as a spokesperson with trade media for the company where needed.
• Proven experience partnering with C-suite executives and senior leadership teams.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and verbal communication skills; ability to translate complex concepts into clear, compelling messages for diverse audiences.
• Strong leadership and team development capabilities, with a dedication to fostering an inclusive and high-performing culture.
• Track record of successfully managing communications.
• Proficiency in digital communication platforms and analytics tools.
• High degree of integrity, discretion, composure and good judgment.
• Natural collaborator with the ability to work efficiently and effectively across global teams.

Johnson & Johnson is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local law. We actively seek qualified candidates who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities as defined under VEVRAA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Johnson & Johnson is committed to providing an interview process that is inclusive of our applicants’ needs. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation, external applicants please contact us via https://www.jnj.com/contact-us/careers and internal employees contact AskGS to be directed to your accommodation resource.

Required Skills

Corporate Communications Strategy, Leadership, Stakeholder Management

Preferred Skills

Agility Jumps, Brand Identity, Brand Recognition, Communications Measurement, Competitive Landscape Analysis, Corporate Management, Cultural Competence, Customer Experience Management, External Communication, Product Knowledge, Relationship Building, Tactical Planning, Technical Credibility

The anticipated base pay range for this position is

$150,000.00 - $258,750.00

Additional Description for Pay Transparency

• Subject to the terms of their respective plans, employees are eligible to participate in the Company’s consolidated retirement plan (pension) and savings plan (401(k)).
• This position is eligible to participate in the Company’s long-term incentive program.
• Subject to the terms of their respective policies and date of hire, employees are eligible for the following time off benefits:
• Vacation –120 hours per calendar year
• Sick time - 40 hours per calendar year; for employees who reside in the State of Colorado –48 hours per calendar year; for employees who reside in the State of Washington –56 hours per calendar year
• Holiday pay, including Floating Holidays –13 days per calendar year
• Work, Personal and Family Time - up to 40 hours per calendar year
• Parental Leave – 480 hours within one year of the birth/adoption/foster care of a child
• Bereavement Leave – 240 hours for an immediate family member: 40 hours for an extended family member per calendar year
• Caregiver Leave – 80 hours in a 52-week rolling period10 days
• Volunteer Leave – 32 hours per calendar year
• Military Spouse Time-Off – 80 hours per calendar year