Position Description 2015
Title:
Communications Advisor
Role:
Flexible : Part time (0.5 FTE) to Full time (1.0 FTE)
Reports to:
General Manager
Purpose:
 To deliver on the Medicines New Zealand communications, stakeholder engagement and
marketing programs and assist with event management in line with the objectives of the
annual strategic plan.
 To provide, and effectively distribute, well targeted and well researched communications
to all relevant stakeholders on a proactive and reactive basis.
 To raise the awareness of the value that medicines provide within the health system and
to the people who need them.
ACCOUNTABILITIES
Key Result
Areas
Key Tasks
Performance Indicators
Public
relations
management
 To improve the public
perception of the
pharmaceutical industry
and to communicate key
messages about the value
of the industry.
 Regularly and proactively identify
opportunities to enhance the public’s
understanding of the value that medicines
offer within the health system and wider
society.
 Respond to media queries about medicine
and industry related issues in a timely and
high quality manner.
Media
Relations
 To develop strong links
with a broad range of
media contacts.
 Frequent interaction with media contacts
leading to successful opportunities to publish
Medicines New Zealand material in widely
read media.
 To become recognised as the go-to person
for media who are covering any medicine or
pharmaceutical industry issue.
 Through these relationships generate media
queries on health topics related to
medicines.
 Manage emerging media
issues.
 To ensure that the organisation is able to
respond within short deadlines to
unanticipated media queries while providing
high quality, credible commentary.
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ACCOUNTABILITIES
Key Result
Areas
Key Tasks
Performance Indicators
 Proactively monitor the media for risk and
relevant commentary; research and prepare
high quality statements and responses, in
collaboration with the General Manager, the
Board and relevant internal and external
stakeholders. Ensure rapid turnaround of
media responses where necessary to keep
up with the news cycle.
 Manage relationships with third party media
monitoring companies, journalists and
editorial staff.
Stakeholder
engagement
 Publish regular newsletters,  High quality, timely newsletters distributed
appropriately targeted at
to organisation members and stakeholders
both internal and external
with relevant, informative content on a
audiences
regular basis (i.e. monthly for members, and
six-weekly for stakeholders).
Events
Management
 Assist Secretariat at all
Medicines New Zealand
events via development
and delivery of relevant
marketing and
communications packages.
 Dissemination of pre-event marketing
collateral and communications, high quality
supporting marketing material and PR
activities at, and around, event that ensure
well attended event and attainment of good
media-profile.
Digital
Marketing
 Embed the operational
aspects of the
organisation’s new digital
marketing strategy with a
focus on the key strategic
priority areas
 Deliver a high quality, web site in
conjunction with 3rd party digital agency.
 Establish a robust social media platform that
engages with a board range of stakeholders.
 Monitor all feedback and formulate
response in conjunction with Secretariat on
an “as needed” basis.
Platform
QUALIFICATIONS
Essential:
 Graduate in marketing, communications, public relations, journalism (or similar)
 High quality writing capability; including composition, grammar, spelling and technical
terminology
 Business-associated social media or digital marketing experience.
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Desirable
 Understanding of New Zealand health system and pharmaceutical Industry
 Project management
 Advanced information technology skills (including PowerPoint; Website maintenance ;
Microsoft Word and Excel)
 Communication & influencing skills
EXPERIENCE
 3 years + experience in a communications or public relations role
COMPETENCIES
 Event management
 Written and verbal communication
 News/content judgement and editing skills
 Thrives in a high pressure environment
 Proactive approach to growing media outreach
 Development and delivery of written and verbal presentations
 Stakeholder management
 Existing expertise using social media within communication campaigns
 Time management
 Database management
 Flexible approach to accommodate the variable and dynamic needs of the role
Relationships - Internal
 Member companies
 Regulatory, Compliance and Market Access Manager
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Relationships - External
 Government agencies: PHARMAC (PTAC), Medsafe, Ministry of Health
 District Health Boards (DHBs)
 Associations: Medical Colleges and associations
 Consumer advocacy groups (therapeutically and/ or culturally based)
 Related industries and potential partners
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