The Opportunity

At insitro, we are combining human biology at scale and machine learning to make medicines differently. The core of our approach is the convergence of in-house generated multi-modal cellular data and high-content phenotypic human cohort data at scale. We use these data to develop ML models that expand our data tensor via imputation, uncover underlying biologic state, and elucidate high-impact genetic modulators of disease. These insights allow us to tackle multiple therapeutic areas, ultimately creating a high-quality pipeline to benefit patients.

This strategy requires a seamless, robust, and effective operation enabled by deep collaboration between cell and molecular biologists, drug hunters, software and data engineers and machine learners. We are all deeply committed to our mission of bringing better drugs faster the patients who can benefit most, through machine learning and data at scale.

We are seeking an experienced VP of Communications / External Affairs to build a communications strategy that highlights insitro’s ground breaking science and how computational approaches can make a profound impact on drug discovery and development of new medicines for patients in need. You will continue to fuel insitro’s differentiated brand and play a critical role in telling our story and engaging deeply across channels. These will include leadership of our work in media/PR, corporate branding, executive visibility and thought leadership, scientific communications, patient advocacy, public affairs with strong collaboration on investor relations as well as government and public affairs over time. You will also partner closely with insitro’s world-class People team to support communications strategy internally to unite our team of insitrocytes in a way that allows for flawless execution of our bold ambition to transform drug discovery with machine learning and data at scale. You will report directly to the CFO/CBO and will be onsite in South San Francisco at the insitro headquarters.

Responsibilities

In your first year, you can expect the following areas of leadership and collaboration:

Leadership of External Communications across channels:

• Deliver and own a cohesive and impactful multi-year external communications strategy across a growing set of channels
• Drive the corporate communications calendar across channels to bolster and evolve a cadence of communication in support of insitro as a pioneer in biology discovery, drug discovery & development and machine learning, by highlighting our science, milestones, and the insitro team
• Continue to advance insitro’s brand (including owning the visual execution) anchored on our differentiated science, strategy, founding story, leadership, and ongoing platform and pipeline progress at the convergence of biology, technology and medicine
• Establish best-in-class approach to scientific communications and publications calendar with robust execution to support the corporate narrative and milestone communications, while balancing benefit and risk from external disclosure
• Support leadership visibility and thought leadership for insitro’s C-suite and other scientific leadership
• Work with our CEO and other senior executives to strengthen our knowledge leader posture across the ecosystem anchored on differentiated demonstrated expertise
• Collaborate with cross-functional team members on externally-facing scientific materials for research meetings and presentations
• Manage our external media/PR and communications partners on the overall content calendar; partner with this excellent team to:
• Support content creation, in partnership with Corporate Development, Strategy and IR colleagues, which includes drafting/updating of corporate communications materials including press releases, Management Q&As, social media content, fact sheets, interview briefs, and talking points
• Maintain insitro’s corporate communication vehicles, including ongoing maintenance and accuracy of the corporate website and corporate presentation
• Create and execute on social media channels, as well as monitoring metric analyses
• Manage a standing agile team of external consultants including design, digital, scientific communications, branding and others
• Push the boundaries on how stories are told to different audiences who are coming in with different experiences and perspectives while being deeply anchored on our differentiated platform and emerging pipeline

Deep cross-functional collaboration to support critical and emerging communications work:

• Partner with CFO and investor relations to manage messaging and communciations to the investor and partner community
• Create consistent corporate messaging in preparation for company milestones, medical conferences, investor conferences, and other events
• Monitor industry and competitor developments and prepare proactive and reactive plans as needed
• In consultation with the People team to support an effective employee communications strategy that strengthens employer branding, recruitment, employee engagement, and company culture
• Support communications of our mission, vision, values, strategy and annual goals (OKRs), and milestones for ongoing engagement with our curious team of insitrocytes in a way that is maximally resonant, impactful and inspiring
• Help to streamline and bring consistency to all internal communications channels including execution and delivery of brand and style guidelines
• Support executive communications internally
• Partner with medical and scientific leaders to establish insitro’s Patient Advocacy engagement model and strategy over time, as we progress to the clinic. Bring to life insitro’s deep commitment to patients and our view of the patient as central to all of our work at insitro, both to our team and external communities
• We are building the future of drug discovery and development and advancing understanding, collaboration, and alignment through Public and Government Affairs will be critical to our success. Over time, you will help craft and action this strategy in close collaboration with external experts, Legal, Medical, Scientific Regulatory, and the senior leadership team.

About You

• Education and background experience
• At least 10+ years of communications experience in a healthcare/biotechnology company, including experience leading communications functions within a publicly traded company, including disclosure rules and regulations; experience in computational and/or emerging technology is highly desired
• MA in communications or related discipline or graduate degree (e.g., MA/MS/PhD) in a discipline of science or technology aligned to our work at insitro
• Proven ability to credibly speak the language of a drug discovery and biotechnology company and ability to simplify and ably communicate complex scientific concepts to external audiences while deeply understanding the science
• Understanding of FDA and other regulations impacting communications for private and public clinical stage healthcare comapnies
• Significant brand management experience
• Ways of working
• Exceptional interpersonal skills with proven ability to build and maintain relationships across the external sphere with critical stakeholders including media, patient advocacy groups, foundations, industry groups
• Ability to develop high-quality communications materials that are aligned with company goals and messages, including press releases, fact sheets, talking points, and Q&A documents and continue to build and foster the company brand
• Flexibility, adaptability, and demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced environment -- including independently with a "roll up your sleeves" attitude aligned to our value of Get **it Done.
• Effective resource management to determine reliance on internal vs. external resources and demonstrated ability to build effective communications capabilities with a small team (of consultants at the outset)
• Collabration track record
• Experience working in collaboration with the People team to drive internal communication and change management best practices
• Experience in working closely with investor relations (ideally in the public company setting) to nimbly respond to changes and provide robust real time updates on company developments as needed
• Experience in scientific communications aligned closely to Legal/IP matters to ensure appropriate balance of benefit and risk from external disclosure
• Demonstrated commitment to our value of Create Together
• Intagibles
• An insatiable thirst for learning new things and challenge preconceptions while bringing a deep, experience-based view on "what good looks like"
• General optimism and passion for the potential of a better future for patients enabled by bleeding edge technology
• A strong ethical perspective on leveraging communications in a responsible and transparent way to do good.
• A passion and commitment to our mission at insitro.

Compensation & Benefits at insitro

Our target starting salary for successful US-based applicants for this role is $270,000 - $300,000. To determine starting pay, we consider multiple job-related factors including a candidate’s skills, education and experience, market demand, business needs, and internal parity. We may also adjust this range in the future based on market data.

This role is eligible for participation in our Annual Performance Bonus Plan (based on company targets by role level and annual company performance) and our Equity Incentive Plan, subject to the terms of those plans and associated policies.

In addition, insitro also provides our employees:

• 401(k) plan with employer matching for contributions
• Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage (insitro pays 100% of premiums for employees on our base plans), as well as mental health and well-being support
• Open, flexible vacation policy
• Paid parental leave
• Quarterly budget for books and online courses for self-development
• Support to occasionally attend professional conferences that are meaningful to your career growth and development
• New hire stipend for home office setup
• Monthly cell phone & internet stipend
• Access to free onsite baristas and cafe with daily lunch and breakfast
• Access to free onsite fitness center
• Commuter benefits

insitro is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

We believe diversity, equity, and inclusion need to be at the foundation of our culture. We work hard to bring together diverse teams–grounded in a wide range of expertise and life experiences–and work even harder to ensure those teams thrive in inclusive, growth-oriented environments supported by equitable company and team practices. All candidates can expect equitable treatment, respect, and fairness throughout the interview process.