Vice President, Healthcare, Ruder Finn

Ruder Finn•Chicago, IL

12d•$120,000 - $145,000

About The Position

Ruder Finn is seeking a Vice President, Healthcare, to lead a major pharmaceutical account in the diabetes space. This individual will oversee an integrated program spanning earned media, influencer programming, patient and stakeholder engagement, events, and other communications initiatives. The Vice President will set the communications strategy, provide senior client counsel, and lead high-impact programs that advance business objectives and strengthen the brand’s reputation. This individual will serve as a day-to-day leader for a multidisciplinary account team, ensuring excellence in client service, strategic thinking and program execution. The ideal candidate is a strong communications strategist with deep pharmaceutical industry experience, an extensive understanding of the media landscape and a proven track record of delivering integrated communications programs that drive meaningful business results. As a Vice President, you will be responsible for managing account performance, fostering strong client relationships, identifying growth opportunities, and mentoring team members while helping to shape the future of one of the agency's most important client partnerships.

Requirements

8-10 years of experience in public relations, strategic communications or corporate affairs, with significant pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or healthcare communications experience.
Demonstrated success leading large, complex client relationships and integrated communications programs.
Deep expertise in earned media strategy and corporate reputation management.
Experience managing conferences, events, stakeholder engagements and high-profile communications initiatives.
Exceptional written, verbal, presentation, and client counseling skills.
Proven ability to manage multiple priorities, lead teams and drive projects from strategy through execution.
Experience managing budgets, account profitability and resource planning.
Strong leadership skills with a demonstrated commitment to mentoring and developing talent.
Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing or a related field.

Responsibilities

Serve as a senior day-to-day client lead and trusted strategic advisor for a flagship pharmaceutical account, providing counsel on corporate communications, media relations, community engagement initiatives, announcements, and reputation-building initiatives.
Develop and oversee comprehensive and innovative integrated communications strategies, programs, campaign recommendations, and budgets that align with client business objectives and support key corporate and brand priorities.
Oversee multiple projects and workstreams from planning through execution, anticipating challenges, troubleshooting issues, proposing solutions, and ensuring deadlines are met and budgets are effectively managed.
Lead and evolve proactive earned media programs, including patient and community storytelling, local media outreach surrounding events, and strategic announcements.
Oversee the planning and execution of high-profile community events, stakeholder and patient advocacy group engagements, and targeted healthcare professional forums, ensuring alignment with broader communications and business objectives.
Provide thoughtful client counsel and recommendations that reflect an understanding of client priorities, the healthcare landscape, and communications best practices.
Demonstrate strong knowledge of the client’s business, including competitors, product landscapes, public opinion and market trends, influencers, media dynamics, policy developments, and other factors that may affect communications strategy.
Apply innovative thinking to generate new approaches, alternative strategies, and creative program ideas.
Identify potential issues early, elevate challenges with recommended solutions, and know when to seek additional senior counsel.
Ensure strong quality control across client materials, reviewing for accuracy, strategic alignment, clarity, and polish, while ensuring high-quality, error-free work is delivered on time.
Maintain a high level of responsiveness and communicate with clients, supervisors, and account teams in a clear, timely, and solutions-oriented manner.
Manage, mentor, and develop junior and mid-level talent, aligning roles with individual strengths and development needs and promoting collaboration across digital, creative, analytics, and account management.
Serve as a role model for junior team members and delegate effectively by setting clear expectations, deadlines, context, and measures of success.
Build and maintain strong relationships with client stakeholders and external partners while serving as a senior representative of the agency.
Manage overall account performance and financials, including budgets, staffing, forecasting, profitability, and client service.
Identify opportunities to grow existing business and contribute to new business development efforts across the practice.
Stay ahead of healthcare, pharmaceutical, policy, and media landscape trends to help guide client strategy and uncover emerging opportunities.