Account Director

The Opportunity: Our client is seeking an experienced Account Director to lead and grow key client relationships within a fast-paced medical communications agency. This role is ideal for a strategically minded and commercially astute client services professional with a strong background in medical communications. You will act as a trusted partner to clients, providing strategic counsel and overseeing the successful delivery of a broad range of programmes and deliverables. You will take ownership of client relationships, account performance, financial management, organic growth, and team development, while working closely with scientific, creative, and operational teams to deliver high-quality work. A strong people leader, you will lead by example, provide clear direction, and support the development of a high-performing account team.

Key Responsibilities: Client Leadership & Strategic Partnership:

• Build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders, becoming a valued strategic partner and primary point of contact.
• Develop a deep understanding of each client's business, strategic priorities, therapeutic areas, brands, and broader market environment.
• Lead strategic conversations and provide proactive counsel that helps clients navigate challenges and identify new opportunities.
• Partner closely with scientific and senior agency leads to shape and implement effective communications, brand, franchise, medical, or publication strategies.
• Translate client objectives into clear, actionable plans and ensure internal teams are aligned around the right priorities.
• Anticipate potential challenges before they arise and provide practical, commercially sound solutions.
• Ensure clients have access to the appropriate scientific, strategic, creative, digital, and operational expertise across their programmes.
• Maintain awareness of competitor activity, industry developments, and changes within the pharmaceutical and healthcare landscape.
• Drive consistently high levels of client satisfaction and identify opportunities to strengthen and expand relationships.
• Account & Programme Leadership:
• Provide senior oversight across multiple accounts, programmes, and workstreams, ensuring work is delivered on time, within scope, and to the highest quality standards.
• Lead account teams with clear direction, ensuring priorities, responsibilities, and expectations are understood.
• Work closely with scientific, creative, and project management teams to develop practical and effective delivery plans.
• Maintain visibility across programmes, identifying risks, dependencies, and potential roadblocks early and taking appropriate action.
• Ensure internal teams are appropriately briefed and equipped with the information they need to deliver successful outcomes.
• Provide senior input and quality oversight across client work, partnering with scientific leads where appropriate.
• Take a hands-on approach when required, supporting teams through complex projects and high-pressure situations.
• Champion efficient ways of working and contribute to the continued improvement of internal processes and account management best practices.
• Financial & Commercial Leadership:
• Take ownership of the commercial performance and financial health of assigned accounts.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, revenue planning, WIP management, and invoicing activities with accuracy and accountability.
• Monitor account profitability and proactively address potential financial risks or challenges.
• Ensure project scope, budgets, timelines, and deliverables are clearly defined and effectively managed throughout the lifecycle of each programme.
• Identify and manage scope changes, ensuring additional work is appropriately communicated, budgeted, and recovered.
• Maintain open and transparent conversations with clients around budgets, investment, and programme requirements.
• Partner with senior leadership, finance, and operations teams to ensure accounts are appropriately resourced and commercially sustainable.
• Promote strong financial discipline across the wider account team.
• Organic Growth & Business Development:
• Take an active role in identifying opportunities to deepen and grow existing client relationships.
• Develop a strong understanding of client needs and proactively introduce new ideas, capabilities, and solutions.
• Lead or contribute to annual account planning and longer-term growth strategies.
• Develop proposals, scopes of work, and strategic recommendations in response to new client opportunities.
• Lead smaller pitches and support senior leadership on larger new business opportunities.
• Contribute confidently to pitch development and client presentations.
• Encourage commercial thinking across the account team and create an environment where new opportunities are actively identified and pursued.
• Team Leadership & Development:
• Lead and develop direct reports, providing clear direction, meaningful feedback, and ongoing support.
• Create a collaborative, accountable, and high-performing team environment.
• Coach and mentor junior and mid-level team members, supporting their development and progression.
• Delegate effectively, balancing empowerment with the appropriate level of oversight.
• Provide constructive feedback in real time and support team members in building their confidence and capabilities.
• Help establish and embed best practices across the client services function.
• Foster strong collaboration between client services, scientific, creative, digital, and operational teams.
• Lead by example, demonstrating sound judgement, professionalism, resilience, and a solutions-focused approach.

Experience & Qualifications: Significant experience working within a medical communications agency. Proven experience in a senior client services or account management position, ideally at Account Director level or equivalent. A strong track record of leading complex client accounts and managing multiple programmes simultaneously. Broad experience across a range of medical communications deliverables, clients, and therapeutic areas. Strong scientific and pharmaceutical industry understanding, with the ability to engage confidently with complex medical subject matter. Demonstrated experience providing strategic counsel and building trusted relationships with senior-level clients. Strong commercial acumen, including experience managing budgets, forecasting, revenue, WIP, invoicing, and account profitability. A proven ability to identify and convert opportunities for organic account growth. Previous experience managing, mentoring, and developing client services professionals. Excellent project management and organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced agency environment. Strong communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills. A thorough understanding of the pharmaceutical industry, regulatory requirements, and medical communications best practices. Experience working effectively within multidisciplinary teams. A degree in a scientific, medical, healthcare, or related discipline is preferred.