National AI Awards 2025Discover AI's trailblazers! Join us to celebrate innovation and nominate industry leaders.

Nominate & Attend

Senior Account Director, Pharma PR (up to £70K DOE)

Virgo Health
London
3 weeks ago
Applications closed

Related Jobs

View all jobs

Senior Account Manager

Research Manager

Strategic Science Director

Principal Medical Writer

Principal Medical Writer

Expert Medical Writer

About us:

Virgo Health is a specialist health communications agency, part of the GOLIN group and the wider IPG network of companies with more than 200 offices around the world as well as hubs in London, New York and Chicago.
We are passionate about helping people to make better decisions around health and wellbeing. Whether it’s clinicians selecting the best treatment, patients understanding their disease better or empowering consumers to self-treat, we always make sure that the human aspect is at the heart of what we do. We work with pharmaceutical, diagnostic and consumer health companies, industry bodies, public and private health providers as well as patient organisations.
When we choose to work in healthcare, we choose to work in an industry with people at its heart; we celebrate our differences and how we complement each other. But at Virgo, ‘Being Human’ is what unites us, and it’s fundamental to our culture. We show empathy and support for each other to grow our skills. embracing inclusive and flexible ways of working and rejecting outdated workplace culture. We have a brilliant team that works well together to deliver effective content and to celebrate our successes.

What is the role?

As a Senior Account Director, you will be a key overseer of the account, providing oversight, strategy and guidance, while still getting stuck in with content development and review. You will be involved in strategic planning and issues management, providing solid guidance to the team and to clients. You will coordinate actions, managing both up and down, to ensure we are delivering high standards of work to deadlines, ensuring strategy and insight are embedded throughout, and having a solid understanding of the broader environment and implications for the team and account

Key Responsibilities

Financial management, including capacity planning and forecasting, review of finance trackers and control of overspend, investment and potential overservicing
Oversight of all account projects, ensuring they are kept to time and flagging potential future issues or barriers with up and down delegation as needed
Draft high-level client and competitor materials, including Q&As, with rapid and accurate turnaround, including full and accurate scientific referencing
Review of first drafts of materials from junior team members, including briefing and training
Drive strategic plans with a strong understanding of SWOT, which includes annual congress/data planning
Attend congresses and client events (virtual/in-person, based on needs), write up scientific sessions, and manage issues, booths, and events live, while gaining competitor intelligence
Play a key role in client communications strategy to ensure clients view Virgo as a strategic advisor, constructively negotiating where appropriate to ensure our programme is as effective as possible
Recognise and seek out opportunities to build relationships with the wider client team and generate organic growth opportunities
Clearly articulate ideas and plans to inspire the team and enlist their support to achieve company and division goals
Line manage and contribute to broader company training, e.g. running expertise/specialist skill sessions

Skills/requirements:

Several years’ experience in pharmaceutical PR with an understanding of data and regulatory communications
Good experience working in an agency and with global accounts
Good organisational skills and the ability to delegate effectively both up and down
Excellent people-management and leadership skills
Ability to gain client trust along with the confidence to lead client management as the lead day-to-day person
Good financial oversight to build and manage client budgets, owning the financial management of an account
Excellent negotiating and influencing skills
Experience in building and growing businesses as a management team member
Experience delivering new business pitches

What do we offer?

Competitive salary and benefits
Hybrid working, 2 days/week in the office
6 weeks annual leave
Monthly well-being allowance
A fantastic office space in Shoreditch
Industry-leading gender neutral family friendly policies
Clear career progression and excellent training programmes developed by our L&D Director

  • many other perks!

    At IPG we are proud to be a

    Disability Confident Employer . We are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.
National AI Awards 2025

Subscribe to Future Tech Insights for the latest jobs & insights, direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.

Industry Insights

Discover insightful articles, industry insights, expert tips, and curated resources.

10 Biotechnology Recruitment Agencies in the UK You Should Know (2025 Job‑Seeker Guide)

The UK’s biotech boom—fueled by the £650 million Life Sciences Vision Fund and rapid mRNA, cell & gene‑therapy adoption—continues to outpace talent supply. Lightcast reported +45 % year‑on‑year growth in UK adverts mentioning “CRISPR”, “GMP bioprocess” or “cell therapy” during Q1 2025. Yet only about 25,000 specialised biotech professionals work nationwide, while monthly live vacancies average 1,800–2,100. All data verified 22 July 2025; re‑audit quarterly for freshness.. Specialist recruiters remain critical for tapping stealth roles, benchmarking salaries and streamlining the lab‑tour interview gauntlet. We reviewed 60 + consultancies and kept only agencies with: A registered UK head office (Companies House). A dedicated Biotechnology / Life‑Sciences practice. At least five UK biotech roles advertised between March and June 2025. Below you’ll find a hiring‑landscape snapshot, a quick directory of 10 vetted agencies, salary medians, in‑demand skills, interview expectations, FAQs and next steps—mirroring our AI and quantum guides.

Biotech Jobs Skills Radar 2026: Emerging Tools, Platforms & Technologies to Learn Now

The UK biotechnology sector is entering a new era—fuelled by AI integration, synthetic biology, and next-gen diagnostics. With biotech investment breaking records and a surge in demand for skilled talent across R&D, biomanufacturing, and regulatory fields, it’s vital for job seekers to future-proof their skillsets. Welcome to the Biotech Jobs Skills Radar 2026—a forward-looking guide to the emerging tools, lab techniques, platforms, and digital skills driving hiring in the UK's biotechnology industry. This radar is updated annually to help students, researchers, and transitioning professionals stay competitive in a fast-changing landscape.

How to Find Hidden Biotechnology Jobs in the UK Using Professional Bodies like the RSB, BIA, BioIndustry Association & More

The UK biotechnology sector is thriving. From cutting-edge gene therapies and synthetic biology to bio-manufacturing and agricultural innovation, the demand for skilled biotech professionals continues to grow. Yet many of the best opportunities—particularly in early-stage companies, startups, and research-intensive roles—are never listed on conventional job boards. So where do these hidden biotech jobs live? Often, they’re shared through word-of-mouth, member networks, or professional communities—especially those associated with leading biotech institutions and associations. Whether you’re a graduate looking for your first role, a research scientist ready to move into industry, or a regulatory professional seeking your next challenge, joining the right professional bodies can give you exclusive access to job leads, collaborations, and insider opportunities. In this article, we’ll show you how to strategically leverage UK-based organisations such as the Royal Society of Biology (RSB), BioIndustry Association (BIA), and Biotech and Life Sciences Networks to uncover hidden jobs and build a long-term, sustainable career in biotechnology.