Our Mission & Strategy

Aurinia exists to make a difference in transforming people’s lives by delivering innovative treatments to patients living with serious, rare autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. From the earliest days of the company, we’ve applied an inventive, thoughtful, and responsible approach to developing therapies for people in need. Through our dedication, we relentlessly preserve and execute with integrity to reach our main objective, to improve patients’ health.

In addition to driving adoption of our approved therapy, LUPKYNIS™, for appropriate people with lupus nephritis, we are also actively pursuing a broader portfolio of innovative drugs for autoimmune disease.

Our strategy leverages the skills and knowledge of our incredible team and our deep experience in principled drug development and commercialization. Aurinia provides a working environment where individuals can thrive in a professional, creative, and inspirational atmosphere. Together, we are driven to make an impact for our patient communities as advocates and partners in innovation.

The VP of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations will be responsible for strategic and operational leadership of all company communications. They will lead our external investor strategies as well as manage our external and internal communications ensuring consistent messaging across all platforms to all stakeholders, both internal and external. Reporting to the CFO, this position will lead the development, implementation, and management of a comprehensive, investor relations and corporate communications strategy and manage relationships with the investment community, including investors and sell-side analysts. This individual will also be responsible for all corporate communications, including corporate visibility, media and public relations, alignment with corporate strategy and public affairs. This person will contribute to company branding, employer branding and internal messaging strategy and execution, collaborating with internal Functional Leads and Human Resources. The VP works closely and collaboratively with the Executive Team.

Primary Responsibilities

Leads the development, management, and maintenance of strategic corporate, IR and PR communication materials in collaboration with other key players. Creates press releases, earnings releases, presentation decks, scripts, Q&A’s, reports, web content, announcements, and other communication materials in support of investor and analyst events, roadshows, conferences, achievement of corporate milestones and other noteworthy accomplishments.

• Works collaboratively with the CEO, CFO and other executives to lead and manage the company’s participation in annual and quarterly meetings/calls, analyst events, road shows, and other critical events in order to successfully achieve investor relations strategies and plans.
• Serves as the company’s primary point of contact with investors, analysts and the investment community, developing compelling, authentic and consistent messaging related to the company’s strategies, initiatives and performance. Ensures that all communications comply with pertinent CSA and SEC rules and FD regulations.
• Oversees the flow of internal and external communications between the corporation and external groups, including public relations, community relations, shareholders and the financial investing community.
• Provides strategic leadership, development, direction, and management of all external and internal communications initiatives, including media and key stakeholder relations.
• Works with the Commercial Operations Team to ds the develop the company's external communications strategy including media relations, digital and social media campaigns.
• Works with the external agencies to create and articulate a clear vision and integrated, global strategy for the communications function within Aurinia . Contributes to company branding and internal messaging strategy and execution, collaborating with internal Functional Leads and Human Resources.
• Provides strategic analysis of issues and determines appropriate proactive and reactive messaging to enhance and improve the reputation of the organization and support the vision and direction.
• Oversees corporate projects ensuring appropriate messaging and organizational branding and acts as corporate spokesperson with media, as required.
• Oversees all community engagement functions regarding lupus nephritis, other Proteinuric Kidney Diseases and our expanding pipeline.
• Liaises with government, media, and other external agencies and works with other health authorities, regional boards and partner agencies regarding common issues and announcements.
• Leads Aurinia’s efforts to engage our 300+ employees and growing population, accountable for writing executive communications and managing other communications channels to ensure our value proposition is shared with key stakeholders while enhancing and protecting the company’s reputation.
• Determines the communications strategy and manages the creation of, including writing as needed, a variety of communications materials, such as videos, internal communications, executive speeches and internet/intranet materials that support the company’s strategic objectives.
• Ensures communications are consistent and builds continuity of look and feel across all mediums. Cultivates a healthy partnership between cross functional teams.
• Understands and applies knowledge about major issues in the pharmaceutical industry and works with the team to anticipate and plan for potential issues to protect the corporate reputation.
• Oversees management of existing corporate websites to ensure a best-in-class, mobile-first user experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 15+ years of experience working in Corporate Communications and Public Relations in a biotech/pharmaceutical company and/or in an agency setting.
• Demonstrated track record of conducting successful, proactive global communications programs that employ creativity and use of a variety of tools, forums, media and metrics.
• Retains a robust knowledge of up-to-date compliance, legal, regulatory and other issues that impact communications and can apply them accordingly.
• Experience and confidence in providing strategic advice and counsel to senior leadership team, including executives and our CEO, related to communications strategy, crisis and reputation management and investor relations. Trusted for flawless execution of reactive and proactive initiatives.
• Perceived by others as an expert in communications with a strong working knowledge of the science and pipeline.
• Able to communicate technical information for understanding across a variety of audiences and channels.
• Maintains excellent personal relationships with healthcare reporters & industry media.
• Deep knowledge of capital markets and strong relationships with investment community including sell side analysts.
• Superb written, verbal, interpersonal and public speaking skills. Able to craft and promote a coherent strategic vision while managing the nuances of communication within a large, publicly traded company.
• Deep experience leading and driving end-to-end communication from conception through implementation.
• Digital expertise with social media and video & digital channels.
• Connects to a patient first organization and Aurinia’s We Care approach.
• Ability to travel for planned events (medical congresses, brand meetings, etc.) in North America and Europe.

All candidate information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.