Associate Director, Media & Influence

About the role

The Associate Director, Media & Influence will serve as a key member of the Media & Influence team supporting external communications across the Eli Lilly business. We are looking for a modern media practitioner with an audience- and data-first approach who can build credibility for Lilly across both established outlets and emerging platforms.

Responsibilities

• Execute day-to-day media relations and influence activity across traditional and emerging platforms, managing pitches, inbound inquiries, and ongoing reporter relationships.
• Contribute to the enterprise media and influence strategy, taking an audience- and data-first approach to identify where Lilly's key audiences form trust, how they consume information, and which platforms, voices, and formats will move perception and business outcomes.
• Create modern media strategies for milestones, product launches, and media events, that reflect an audience-first approach.
• Map and build the modern media ecosystem — traditional journalists, independent creators, community moderators, podcasters, newsletter writers, substack and reddit authors, and influencers — and cultivate a deep, current rolodex of relationships across new verticals and platforms, not just legacy media. Become our in-house media guru.
• Develop and pitch proactive stories that connect Lilly's pipeline, business performance, and corporate initiatives to patient impact and innovation leadership, supporting senior team members on narrative, targeting, and pitch approach.
• Support planning and execution of product announcements and high-stakes media events, including drafting media plans and materials, coordinating spokesperson preparation, and managing post-event follow-up.
• Help prepare executives and subject matter experts to represent Lilly across media platforms — legacy and emerging — by drafting briefing materials, talking points, and Q&As, and supporting strategic placements including interviews, bylines, podcasts, and speaking opportunities.
• Partner with global communications counterparts across therapeutic areas, business development, investor communications and other external communications functions to ensure upleveled storytelling that resonates with the stakeholders who shape Lilly's reputation.
• Track coverage, sentiment, share of voice, and message pull-through across the full ecosystem, and use data and audience insights to demonstrate media's impact on perception and business outcomes.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Marketing, or a related field.
• 6+ years of experience in communications, media relations, or public relations.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience building and implementing media and influence strategies across both traditional outlets and emerging platforms (podcasts, newsletters, creator networks, social platforms).
• Previous experience in communications, media relations, or influence at a Fortune 500 company, large pharmaceutical or healthcare organization, or major newsroom (in-house or agency side).
• Proven ability to build and energize a modern media rolodex — including independent creators, podcasters, newsletter writers, community moderators, and influencers — across new verticals and platforms, not just legacy outlets.
• Proficient in using audience data, social listening, and media analytics to shape strategy, measure impact, and demonstrate business value.
• Prior work translating complex topics — financial performance, scientific innovation, corporate strategy — into narratives that resonate with varied audiences.
• Experience in product communications within healthcare or medicine preferred, but not required.
• Proven ability – with examples – to proactively storytell outside landmarks, product launches, etc.
• Experience navigating matrixed global organizations, building trust and influence across functional boundaries while maintaining strategic alignment.
• Deep understanding of the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare landscape, with the credibility to engage on regulatory, scientific, policy, and patient topics.
• Stays current with communications trends and tools, including AI-enabled platforms; brings fresh thinking beyond traditional pharmaceutical communications and demonstrates sound judgment in high-stakes and crisis situations.