Who we are looking for:

VML Health is seeking a VP, Account Director. As a Vice President, Account Director you will lead 1-2 small account teams for several clients/brands. You will have overall accountability for the day-to-day management of the accounts and all aspects of the finished products and will report to a Senior Vice President, Account Director. You will be responsible for the development and management of your account team(s). In this position, you must ensure your team delivers quality projects that are on-time and within budget.

What you'll be doing:

Management/Leadership

• Drive the day-to-day activities through strong account leadership, motivation, and supervision of team members
• Engage in forward thinking and planning for accounts to ensure the team is "one step ahead" in planning and deliverables
• Act as mentor to the individuals in the account group and identify opportunities for individual growth and experiences by setting goals and coaching, when appropriate
• Keep team motivated and celebrate brand achievements
• Identify and help resolve people/departmental conflicts with practical solutions
• Keep management informed of client activity/issues/opportunities
• Understand client forecast/budget issues and find solutions
• Ensure team is adhering to internal processes (ie, server filing, client communication documents, time sheet submission and signoff) and find way to improve your teams' standard operating procedures
• Assist in recruitment of new team members when necessary
• Be a steward of company culture and environment
• Be a team player and step in to help when necessary
• Participate in new business pitches
• Network and work in partnership across VML Health and WPP, when appropriate
• Foster and maintain a wide network of valuable relationships in the medical education communications and pharma business sectors (ie, follow clients to new company, keep relationships ongoing with key opinion leaders)

Marketing Savvy/Strategic/Scientific Thinking

• Be the brand champion by ensuring all agency efforts and projects are in the best interest of the brand and meet the overall strategic imperatives, positioning, and long-term vision
• Possess an intimate knowledge of the therapeutic markets to which the brands belong and stay abreast of market trends and new product entries
• Work with your SVP, Account Director to develop annual strategic and tactical plans and secure the project list
• Provide clients with strategic insights, using current market research data, publications, internal discussions, etc.

Client Relationships

• Develop and maintain harmonious relationships with all levels of client team
• Take responsibility for client satisfaction and identify new ways/solutions to strengthen relationships
• Identify and resolves client conflicts quickly and efficiently; keep senior management abreast of any client issues
• Provide proactive written recommendations to client on a regular basis
• Share best practices regularly and modify account processes to enhance the client experience
• Demonstrate a knowledge of the therapeutic market and share timely information about changes to the market
• Identify and lead organic growth within current business by developing and executing account growth plans

Creative

• Participate in the development of breakthrough creative and innovative programs
• Ensure high-quality agency output, reflective of consistently superior creative and innovative product and constructively reject materials that do not meet this standard
• Identify new talent we can work with to support the creative needs for brands

Financial Acumen

• Develop, with finance team, realistic forecasts for client businesses
• Understand the impact of underperforming accounts
• Routinely monitor the financial performance to maximize income generation and trouble shoot when a healthy financial outlook for account is in jeopardy
• Ensure all team members are accurately booking hours to projects and engage in discussions about the need to run a financially healthy account.

What You'll Need:

• Bachelor's degree (biology or communications major is preferred but not necessary). Advanced degrees in business administration and/or science are welcome
• 6 years of experience in the medical area with at least 3 to 4 years in medical education as a senior group account manager
• Demonstrated history of management of a variety of medical education programs with a working knowledge of promotional and CME activities, as well as experience with products in all phases of the lifecycle preferred
• Leadership skills
• Passionate about the medical education/communication business
• Strong industry knowledge and medical communications acumen
• Effective written and oral communications skills
• Excellent supervisory skills
• Excellent interpersonal and listening skills
• Exercises sound judgment
• Manages time effectively and good multi-tasker
• Strong professional work ethic
• Active role in agency recruitment
• Willingness to work overtime, travel, and attend off-hour events, etc.

VML is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, age, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, military/veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, or other protected group status. We believe in creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity and inclusion and strives to recruit a diverse slate of candidates to help us achieve that goal.