Director, Patient Marketing

About the position

The Director, Patient Marketing will report to the Senior Director, HCP Marketing Lead and will lead the development and execution of Vera's patient marketing strategy for atacicept in IgA nephropathy (IgAN). This role is responsible for shaping and delivering a compelling patient experience, with a strong emphasis on digital innovation, engagement, and activation. The Director will work cross-functionally to ensure the brand is well-positioned to meet the needs of patients and caregivers, while aligning closely with advocacy partners and access teams to support education, empowerment, and sustained treatment adoption.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive U.S. patient marketing strategy across the product lifecycle, including unbranded disease awareness and branded campaigns
• Design and implement an integrated digital ecosystem (e.g., websites, search, social, CRM, digital media) that supports education, activation, onboarding, and adherence
• Develop patient-specific materials, especially for distribution through field teams (e.g., branded patient brochures, treatment initiation kits, and doctor discussion tools)
• Establish foundational metrics/KPIs for patient engagement pre- and post-launch monitor performance and optimize in real-time
• Lead patient segmentation and journey mapping efforts to inform content strategy and audience targeting across channels
• Collaborate with the patient advocacy team to ensure materials reflect patient needs, voices, and lived experiences
• Partner with market access and HUB teams to build messaging and support tools that address affordability, reimbursement, and treatment continuity
• Consult and collaborate on development of patient support programs and lead creation of resources that enhance engagement and outcomes
• Manage agency partners across creative, digital, media, and research functions; ensure timely, high-quality, and compliant execution
• Align with cross-functional stakeholders, including HCP marketing, medical affairs, commercial operations, and legal/regulatory, to ensure consistency and compliance
• Monitor performance and optimize campaigns based on analytics, KPIs, and ongoing market insights

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred
• 8+ years of progressive pharmaceutical or biotech marketing experience, with at least 2 years in patient, consumer, or digital-focused roles
• Proven success in digital-first patient marketing, including web, social, SEO/SEM, CRM, and paid media strategy
• Launch experience is strongly preferred; experience in nephrology, rare disease, or specialty biologics is highly preferred
• Deep understanding of the patient journey, health literacy, and emotional drivers of behavior in chronic or rare disease populations
• Experience collaborating with advocacy organizations and market access teams to develop aligned messaging and support tools
• Strong strategic thinking, project management, and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Demonstrated ability to lead external agencies and manage multiple complex initiatives in a fast-paced environment
• Familiarity with FDA regulations for patient-facing materials and experience working with legal/regulatory/medical review teams
• Experience with an accelerated approval launch is valued but not required

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401k match
• Flexible time off
• Paid holidays
• Annual performance incentive bonus
• New hire equity
• Ongoing performance-based equity