Communications Manager Jobs in Illinois

About AbbVie

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

***This is a hybrid role and must be able to work onsite Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursdays.

AbbVie Oncology Capabilities and Operations’ (C&O) mission is to define and drive excellence in AbbVie US Oncology through innovative capabilities, operational expertise, and fostering critical partnerships to remove barriers that impact the acceleration of our business, unlocking what’s next in Oncology through the power of our collective experience.

Lead the strategy, governance, execution, and continuous evolution of executive and internal communications across AbbVie Oncology and C&O. This role builds a more connected, informed, and purpose-driven organization by helping employees understand business priorities, connect to Oncology’s culture and ambition, and receive clear, timely, and actionable communications.

The Senior Manager serves as the business owner for internal communications, overseeing strategy, messaging alignment, content creation, channels, governance, measurement, and stakeholder coordination. This role partners closely with senior executives, Chiefs of Staff, Corporate Affairs, Medical Affairs, and business leaders to deliver a unified communication experience across the Oncology Business Unit. The individual must operate as both a communications strategist and executor, translating business priorities into compelling communications while developing and delivering high-quality content and employee experiences.

Core Accountabilities

1) Internal Communications Strategy & Governance

• Lead the development and execution of Oncology’s internal communications strategy.
• Define audience segmentation strategies, channel approaches, and communication pathways for headquarters and field-based employee populations.
• Build and maintain annual communications plan, calendar, and messaging roadmaps aligned to business priorities.
• Establish governance, standards, and operating models that improve consistency, streamline intake, and reduce reactive communication requests.
• Create communication frameworks, tools, and templates that enable scalable and sustainable communications across the business unit.

2) Executive Communications & Leadership Messaging

• Serve as a trusted communications advisor to senior leaders and executives.
• Develop executive communication strategies for organizational priorities, business updates, transformations, and key announcements.
• Curate messages and storytelling approaches that help leaders and executives communicate with clarity, authenticity, and impact.
• Develop executive-ready talking points, presentations, scripts, key messages, and leadership toolkits that help leaders and executives communicate priorities with clarity and consistency.
• Align messaging across franchise leadership teams to support a cohesive Oncology business unit narrative.

3) Content Creation & Communication Delivery

• Individually develop and execute high-quality communications across multiple channels and formats.
• Create written, digital, and live communication deliverables including: emails, newsletters, intranet portal content, executive presentations, town hall and live and virtual event presentations, live and virtual event communications, video scripts, communication campaigns, change communication materials
• Serve as final quality owner for communications products delivered internally or through agency partners.
• Ensure communications are clear, engaging, audience-centered, and aligned to business objectives.

4) Communication Channels & Employee Experience

• Own Oncology communication channels and associated stakeholder engagement and governance processes.
• Manage intranet portals, content strategy, editorial calendars, distribution lists, and communication technology platforms such as Staffbase.
• Ensure channel strategies support employee needs and business priorities.
• Continuously optimize communication formats and channel effectiveness based on employee preferences and engagement data.

5) Messaging Alignment & Stakeholder Orchestration

• Establish trusted partnerships across a broad network of communicators, business stakeholders, and business leaders.
• Coordinate communication planning and execution across Oncology stakeholders to ensure employee subgroups receive aligned, relevant, and timely messages.
• Partner closely with Corporate Affairs, Medical Affairs, Chiefs of Staff, administrative teams, Human Resources, and franchise communications stakeholders.
• Drive communication cascades and coordinated messaging plans for major business milestones.
• Influence senior stakeholders without direct authority to ensure communications are aligned, timely, and effective.

6) Communication Operations, Planning & Measurement

• Manage multiple communication initiatives simultaneously, balancing strategic planning with flawless execution.
• Develop communication plans aligned to the business planning cycle, organizational milestones, and employee engagement priorities.
• Establish communication metrics and reporting frameworks to measure effectiveness, engagement, channel performance, and business impact.
• Leverage AI-enabled tools and emerging technologies to enhance communication planning, content development, audience insights, and operational efficiency, enabling more agile, data-informed, and scalable communications across the Oncology Business Unit.
• Utilize insights, feedback, and analytics to continuously improve communications strategies and channels.
• Lead agency and vendor partners to deliver communications services, ensuring quality, budget stewardship, and strong performance.

Key Stakeholders

• Commercial Oncology Business Unit President and Leadership Team
• Commercial Oncology Franchise Leadership Teams, Chiefs of Staff, and Administrative Assistants
• Capabilities & Operations (C&O) Leadership Team
• Oncology Commercial, Medical, Market Access, and Patient Advocacy subject matter experts
• Corporate Affairs, Public Affairs, and Corporate Communications
• Human Resources and Employee Experience partners
• AbbVie Enterprise and Therapeutic Area Communications teams
• Internal and external communications agencies and vendors
• Communication channel and technology platform partners
• AbbVie Oncology employee population (headquarters and field)

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 8-12 years of experience in internal communications, corporate communications, executive communications, employee engagement, or related communications roles.
• Communications experience within life sciences, healthcare, biotechnology, or pharmaceutical organizations preferred.
• Experience supporting both headquarters and field-based employee audiences preferred.
• Demonstrated experience building and executing communication strategies in complex, matrixed organizations.
• Experience supporting organizational growth, transformation, and change initiatives.
• Strong executive presence with demonstrated success counseling senior leaders.
• Exceptional writing, storytelling, and content development capabilities.
• Experience creating communications across multiple formats including written, digital, video, and live events.
• Demonstrated ability to influence stakeholders without direct authority.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and communication initiatives concurrently.
• Experience working with and managing external agencies or communication vendors.
• Strong program planning, organizational, and communications operations skills.
• Excellent judgment, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to operate with a high degree of autonomy in a dynamic environment.
• Demonstrated ability to use AI-enabled tools to strengthen communications strategy, streamline content creation, surface insights, and adapt messaging quickly in response to evolving business needs.
• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite and SharePoint required.
• Experience with Staffbase and Smartsheet preferred.
• Ability to travel 10% of the time.

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:

• The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
• This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs.

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.

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