Account Director, Healthcare Public Affairs & Policy

Brussels, Belgium

Published

03/10/2025

POSITION: Account Director, Healthcare Public Affairs & Policy

PRACTICE: HEALTH

LOCATION: BRUSSELS

A little bit about us in Health

It’s never been a more challenging and exciting time to work in health communications. Artificial intelligence, data-driven insights and tangible tech solutions are all being used to communicate with a public – including patients, healthcare professionals and media – who are more engaged than ever before. At Weber Shandwick, we’ve always been on the front foot when it comes to innovation within the industry. We delve deeper to deliver genuine impact, empowering audiences to manage their own health whilst meeting business objectives for our clients.

It’s no surprise that big changes call for bold approaches. While Health is a serious business, campaigns can still be engaging and inspiring! Our diverse team is known for bringing science to life through digital innovation and multi-platform creative work. We handpick the best talent in the industry to include not only science communicators, but also specialists in strategy and planning, health analytics & digital experts, award-winning creatives, media experts & corporate & public affairs specialists to name but a few, to help our clients seamlessly navigate the ever-changing landscape. At Weber Shandwick, we push boundaries in health to deliver meaningful and industry leading inclusion offerings such as the Weber Shandwick Women’s Health and Health Equity initiatives.

Role Summary

We are looking for a Account Director candidate with solid experience in healthcare public affairs & policy, to join our impressive Health team in Brussels. Reporting to the Head of Health, you will support in leading a team of EU & Global health communications and policy specialists whilst also building on the success of WS in corporate healthcare; to expand and propel the business forward. As part of this, we are looking for a candidate who can bring fresh thinking, new business opportunities and prospects in pharma and health and a proven track record in securing organic growth

Your primary responsibility is to support in leading and managing the client portfolio, including large pharmaceutical and biotech companies, patient advocacy groups and medical societies. You will be the senior point of contact for clients, understanding their needs, and translating them into effective integrated communications and advocacy strategies. As a senior member of the team, you are responsible for maintaining client satisfaction, managing client relationships, and ensuring that projects are executed in alignment with the clients’ expectations & goals.

The SVP Lead will also support on resource allocation for their clients, taking into account the budgets & the required skill sets working in close collaboration with the expertise members across The Weber Shandwick Collective. This involves understanding the expertise required for each project and communicating these needs to the appropriate expertise leads.

CLIENT AND WORK:

Leads client and inter-agency relationships, including all aspects of a client relationship and integrated account team
Develops fully integrated plans, from the big idea through to media strategy by leveraging agency expertise and corralling integrated teams
Demonstrates a thorough understanding of how to design and implement public affairs, advocacy and issues management campaigns on behalf of pharma and biotech companies, medical associations and patient groups
Supports business development, strategic program planning, and the development of creative concepts
Acts as effective, two-way translator between clients and integrated teams, actively counseling development of work in best interest of all parties

LEADERSHIP AND TALENT DEVELOPMENT:

Reports to the Head of Health and mentors account leads & portfolio team members. You will also partner closely with our teams across the broader EMEA health & corporate business as well as developing close relationships with health & corporate leads in both Brussels and across other EMEA offices to navigate additional business opportunities and help drive new business into Brussels.

Mentors, coaches and develops direct reports to deliver high performance while supporting personal and professional development goals

Actively participates in the hiring and onboarding of talent; Supports and develops processes to enhance inclusive hiring practices for team

GROWTH AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: .

Identifies new areas of growth with existing clients and introduces specialists to expand assignments; Actively participates in new business pitches

What we’re looking for

6 – 8 year’s proven experience working on EU & Global Public Affairs & Policy campaigns for the healthcare sector, particularly pharma & biotech.
Ideally experience of working in an agency environment, having reached Account Director level
EU Citizen and currently living in Brussels
Strong communicator combined with strong project management and people management skills.
Fluent in English

What do we offer?

Weber Shandwick Brussels offers invaluable opportunities for enthusiastic and driven individuals to grow as Public Affairs professionals. We offer a competitive salary with excellent benefits (mobile phone, group insurance, hospitalization & extra medical costs insurance, a representation allowance, lunch vouchers), 20 days annual leave + 10 days extra legal holidays, and flexible working (including up to 6 weeks working from abroad).

We are a global company so we offer the advantages of a big firm, including leading-edge AI and analytics tools and the resources to invest in your personal and professional growth. But, at our heart, we still have the spirit of the small company we used to be: entrepreneurial, ambitious, fun. We are known for our imaginative and powerful campaigns that drive policy change, great client relations, collaboration, and teamwork – and our success is down to our amazing people. We look for original thinkers, who are passionate about policy and politics, and have a point of view, those who are constantly curious, commercially-driven, deliver to a high standard, and are keen to contribute to our success.

About us

Weber Shandwick is a leading global communications network that delivers next-generation solutions to brands, businesses, and organizations in major markets around the world. Led by world-class strategic and creative thinkers and activators, we have won some of the most prestigious awards in the industry. The Weber Shandwick Collective is part of the wider Interpublic Group.

With over 15 different nationalities in the office, Weber Shandwick Brussels truly represents the heart of Europe. We’re lucky to attract some of the best minds in PA, PR & Comms. At Weber Shandwick, you can be yourself and own your impact. We encourage an inclusive work environment where being authentic, caring for each other, and being entrepreneurial is part of our core values. We foster a culture of growth and collaboration, we celebrate the hard work we do, and we care for each other’s wellbeing while doing it. Come work with us and be a part of shaping culture.

Note from the Talent Acquisition Team

Weber Shandwick is an Equal Opportunities Employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin or disability status. We make our careers website accessible to all users, if you need accommodation to participate in the application process, please let your Recruiter know. We got you!

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We make our careers website accessible to any and all users. If you need an accommodation to participate in the application process, please contact us at JobAppAccommodation@ipgdxtra.com. This email address is not for general employment inquiries or vendors; rather it is strictly for applicants who require special assistance accessing our employment website. Due to volume, messages sent to this email address that are not related to an accommodation cannot be answered.

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