Account Director
Brief Description
The Account Director (AD) is a high-level professional responsible for leading medical communications projects while providing strategic insights and proactive solutions for assigned pharmaceutical clients. The position requires strong project management, budgeting, and team management skills. The Account Director possesses a proficient understanding of medical communications agency work and requires minimal oversight from senior leadership to manage assigned accounts, projects, and teams. A leader within the Client Services department and Brightly organization, the Account Director contributes to employee development and retention, developing and implementing company goals, and advancing the growth and health of the company.
Essential Functions
Client Service:
- Develop and deliver scientific communications solutions
- Develop and deliver project strategy with internal team and client team
- Foster relationships and build strong partnerships with clients
- Provide project management and oversight, including:
- Strategic planning and implementation with clients and internal stakeholders
- Provide oversight and mentorship to internal team members
- Conduct status meetings with client and partner with Project Management on internal status(s)
- Manage timelines and project execution from inception to close
- Lead internal communications in collaboration with Project Management
- Review all deliverables to ensure quality and alignment
- Optimise timelines and use reports to maximize profit, monitor team capacity, and monitor account health
- Support team growth and development
- May directly or indirectly manage a team of direct reports
- Provide mentorship and regular actionable and clear feedback to team members
- Communicate clearly across all departments, including senior management
- Inform senior management of support needs
- Oversee or directly execute live and virtual meetings, including:
- Oversee all stages of the meeting planning process, from kickoff to onsite support
- Oversee all stages of the meeting planning process, from kickoff to onsite support
- Oversee all stages of the meeting planning process, from kickoff to onsite support
- Oversee all stages of the meeting planning process, from kickoff to onsite support
- Oversee all stages of the meeting planning process, from kickoff to onsite support
- Oversee all stages of the meeting planning process, from kickoff to onsite support
Finance and Compliance
Develop project estimates and statements of work for new and existing clients
Manage client budgets including tracking of accruals and accounting status reports
Work with Accounting to manage client invoicing and closeout
Develop and review compliance documentation including consultant agreements and HCP aggregate spend reports
Understand the connection between accurate project- and client-specific financial records and the overall health of the organization
Business Development
Continue client partnerships through organic business growth
Attend client meetings and new business pitches when appropriate
Participate in brainstorming sessions for development of unique programming
Onboard new clients to Brightly and ensures positive first project experience
Requirements
Additional responsibilities may be assigned as needed.
Competencies
Ability to develop and articulate strategic recommendations to client and team
Skilled at handling direct client contact and providing client counsel
Skilled at conceptualizing and producing medical communications solutions
Able to operate with a high degree of independence but keeps senior management informed and understands when to seek supervisor advice
Demonstrates proficiency in managing agency and client resources
Highly organized and proactive account manager, able to manage multiple accounts/teams and competing priorities
Is a highly motivated, deadline-driven, and accountable team player
Excellent verbal and written communication skills with a high attention to detail
Strong presentation skills with the ability to influence and negotiate
Effectively collaborate with different people and work styles
Models Brightly values and identifies gaps and opportunities to improve values
Works effectively in a remote environment
Education and Experience
Bachelor’s degree (BA or BS) required
6-7 years’ experience in medical education, corporate or brand communications, pharmaceuticals, or a combination of all
Oncology / Hematology experience a plus
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and ability to adapt to other online resources important for conducting remote-based business (Skype, Zoom)
Supervisory Responsibility
This position may supervise employee(s) at the Account Coordinator, Associate Account Executive, Account Executive and/or Senior Account Executive levels and is responsible for the hiring, onboarding, training and development, performance management and firing in accordance with Brightly policies, procedures and practices.
Work Environment
This job operates in a professional home office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as laptop computers, phones, e-fax, printers, copiers, and scanners.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to see, talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to sit for prolonged periods of time at a computer, stand, walk, use hands to handle or feel, reach with hands and arms, and lift up to 25 pounds.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work
This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (ET). However, additional hours outside normal working hours may be required to meet company, team and client deadlines.
Travel
Up to 20% travel may be required. Required travel can often occur Friday-Sunday.
Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
About Petauri
Certified as a 2026 Great Place to Work®, Petauri takes pride in having a culture rooted in trust, collaboration, and a strong sense of community. We seek to attract individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to join us in our mission of improving patient outcomes by accelerating access to life-changing healthcare innovations. A global healthcare consulting and solutions organization, Petauri brings together decades of experience across market access, evidence generation, medical communications, commercialization strategy, and policy to help life sciences organizations navigate complex healthcare challenges with clarity, integrity, and impact. About Petauri Advance Petauri Advance is the organization's collective of medical and scientific communication platforms (Bluprint Oncolog, Verascity, Cogency, Drive, Propel, and Momentum—All Powered by Petauri). Grounded in scientific expertise, the teams deliver innovative medical communication strategies that transform evidence into understanding, which in turn empowers informed decisions and advances patient care.