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Sr. Director, Marketing Communications

Chicago, IL

About Us 

Kardigan is a heart health company working to make cardiovascular disease preventable, curable and no longer the leading cause of death in the world.

It is Kardigan’s mission to develop multiple targeted treatments in parallel that bring people with cardiovascular diseases to the cures they deserve.
 
Led by Tassos Giannakakos, Jay Edelberg, M.D., Ph.D., and Bob McDowell, Ph.D., Kardigan’s co-founders have reunited after leading MyoKardia to discover and develop mavacamten, the first cardiac myosin inhibitor, resulting in an acquisition by Bristol Myers Squibb in 2020.
 
We have a cutting-edge discovery and translational research platform, a pipeline of late-stage candidates, and an industry-leading team that is driven to improve the lives of patients.
 
At Kardigan, we are motivated by our values which guide how we work, interact, and achieve our goals. Driven by patients and their families, we are deeply committed to improving the lives of patients and prioritizing their needs above all else. We believe in being authentic—leading with truth to bring out the best in others by creating an environment where every person knows they will be fully accepted. With an eagerness to learn, we encourage the highest levels of curiosity and are open to changing our minds. We are committed to winning as a team with urgency, excellence, and intention, and support each other no matter what role we play or where we sit. Lastly, we strive to enable the impossible because patients are counting on us. We are not afraid to take risks to unlock innovation and advance scientific discoveries.
 
These values are the foundation of our work, empowering us to make a real difference, every day.

This position is based in Chicago and dedicated to supporting Prolaio, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kardigan. 

Prolaio is a patient-centered clinical intelligence company dedicated to advancing today’s cardiology research and care with real-world patient data and insights. The company was created by cardiologists and cardiovascular scientists specifically to address the world’s number one cause of death, cardiovascular disease. Its FDA-cleared software integrates real-world clinical data and proprietary algorithms to deliver outcome-driven insights to empower patients, researchers, physicians, and product leaders. By combining scientific rigor with cutting-edge technology, Prolaio aims to expedite clinical trials and improve patient outcomes across cardiology therapeutic areas. 

Job Overview 

The Prolaio Senior Director, Marketing Communications will build and lead communications for a fast-growing business at the intersection of healthcare and technology. This role is responsible for shaping and executing an integrated communications strategy that increases awareness of Kardigan’s Prolaio platform, supports business growth, and brings clarity to how we tell our story - externally and internally - as we scale.

This leader will own external communications, including proactive media relations that drive accurate, credible coverage, and internal communications that engage, connect, and “re-recruit” employees during a period of rapid growth and change. With a deep understanding of Prolaio’s platform technology, business strategy, and the MedTech ecosystem, the Senior Director will partner closely with cross-functional leaders, influence decisions beyond communications, and help define how Prolaio shows up in the market. 

Based in our Chicago office, this role reports to Kardigan’s Chief Communications Officer with a dotted line to the Prolaio General Manager. The Senior Director will work hands-on with Prolaio’s marketing, engineering, and product teams, and across Kardigan’s communications organization, to deliver clear, consistent, and compelling messaging across all channels and stakeholders. 

Core Responsibilities 

  • Portfolio Strategy & Roadmap 
    • Lead future product/platform launch communications strategy, developing and executing an integrated plan that leverages PR/earned media, scientific publications, conferences/congress programming, and thought leadership to extend the reach and impact of the product story
    • Translate product roadmap + clinical evidence into clear, credible storylines and external “moments” that support adoption and partnership growth.
    • Create and maintain an always-current portfolio messaging architecture (claims, proof, use cases, differentiation, FAQs) in coordination with product/clinical. 
  • Scientific Communications & Congress Strategy
    • Lead communications planning to amplify clinical presentations, data publications and conference presence (pre-briefs, press angles, onsite events, speaker preparation, booth/partner support, post-congress follow-through, embargo coordination where applicable)
    • Create a Prolaio communications roadmap grounded in landscape analysis to define where the company should be visible, what it should be saying, which audiences to target, and how best to reach them. 
  • Business Development Enablement
    • Enhance BD enablement efforts with the creation of durable communications tools (partner decks, one-pagers, proof-point summaries, case studies, “why Prolaio” narratives).
    • Partner with Marketing and Prolaio General Manager/Business Development to support priority partner motions (joint announcements, co-marketing plans, partner comms toolkits). 
  • Earned Media / PR
    • Manage external agency (H+C), ensuring strategy, timelines, and deliverables align to portfolio priorities (vs. broad comms outputs).
    • Drive proactive earned media aligned to evo2/portfolio milestones (data releases, partnerships, platform advances).
    • Maintain media targets across clinical research, digital health/MedTech, and business press—with clear POVs and proof points. 
  • Internal Communications
    • Define and execute internal communications cadence for Prolaio: leadership updates, company meetings change comms, culture engagement, and “re-recruitment”.
    • Build internal narratives that reinforce priorities and reduce confusion during rapid shifts. \
  • Measurement & Operating Rhythm
    • Establish KPI framework tied to communications roadmap outcomes (share of voice in target outlets, congress outputs, publication amplification, BD asset adoption, partner enablement velocity).
  • Cross-Functional Partnership
    • Partner closely with product, engineering, marketing, and business teams to gather inputs, align messaging, and ensure technical accuracy.
    • Serve as a trusted communications advisor to senior leadership to support change communications, company milestones, and business updates.
    • Influence cross-functional peers and provide communications counsel on decisions beyond the function.
    • Support Kardigan Investor Relations with Prolaio-specific business updates and content, as needed.
    • Contribute to broader Kardigan corporate communications initiatives and enterprise-level storytelling. 
  • Leadership & Operations 
    • Manage external agencies and vendors to extend team capacity and execution. 
    • Build processes, playbooks, and measurement frameworks to scale communications effectively.
    • Hire and develop team members as the business and communications need grow. 
    • Consistently model Kardigan leadership, culture and core values. 

Qualifications and Preferred Skills 

  • 10-15 years of experience in corporate communications, PR, or strategic communications, ideally in healthcare, MedTech, digital health, or high-growth tech. 
  • Proven track record building and scaling communications programs in fast-moving, ambiguous environments. 
  • Demonstrated experience supporting B2B growth and business development enablement (partner decks, proof-point narratives, co-marketing/partner announcements). 
  • Strong media relations expertise, with experience managing complex, technical, or data-driven narratives. 
  • Ability to translate sophisticated technology and strategy into clear, compelling stories. 
  • Experience leading internal communications through growth and change, with a focus on engagement and culture. 
  • Highly collaborative operator with experience partnering across product, engineering, marketing, and business teams. 
  • Strategic thinker with hands-on execution skills - you can set the direction and do the work - and sound executive judgment. 
  • Experience managing agencies; people leadership experience is a plus. 
  • Bachelor’s degree required; specific to public relations, journalism, communications a plus.

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