Account Director – Health | Life Sciences | Public Affairs
Company Information and Introduction
PLMR Healthcomms a leading UK healthcare public affairs and communications consultancy. We help organisations get health innovation moving. Working across pharmaceuticals, medical technology, diagnostics, digital health and the wider NHS, we help clients navigate complex policy and NHS structures to turn innovation into real-world impact.
As the NHS continues to evolve, organisations need advisers who understand how decisions are made across government, Parliament and the NHS. Our team combines expertise in health policy, public affairs, strategic communications and stakeholder engagement to help clients shape policy, build trust and accelerate adoption.
As part of the wider PLMR Group, we bring together specialists in communications, digital, political intelligence and AI-enabled insight to deliver integrated campaigns that influence policy, change perceptions and create measurable impact.
We judge our success by the difference we make for our clients – whether that’s influencing policy, strengthening partnerships, changing conversations or helping innovative products and services reach patients more quickly.
Key Responsibilities and Duties
We’re looking for an experienced and ambitious Account Director to help lead the next stage of PLMR Healthcomms’ growth.
This is an opportunity to work at the heart of some of the most important challenges facing healthcare today. You will be supporting organisations to navigate NHS reform, shape policy, build stakeholder confidence and ultimately improve patient access to medicines, technologies and services.
You will act as a trusted adviser to clients across pharmaceuticals, medical technology, diagnostics and digital health, helping them move from ambition to action.
Alongside leading strategic client programmes, you will play an important role in developing our growing healthcare practice, supporting new business, mentoring colleagues and helping strengthen PLMR Healthcomms’ reputation as the consultancy that gets health innovation moving.
The ideal candidate will bring:
- A passion for improving healthcare through policy, communications and stakeholder engagement.
- Significant experience advising pharmaceutical, life sciences or health technology organisations, ideally with agency experience.
- An excellent understanding of the NHS, Government, Parliament and the wider healthcare policy landscape.
- Confidence advising senior clients through complex policy, political and reputational challenges.
- A commercial mindset and enthusiasm for helping grow both clients and the wider business.
- A collaborative approach and a desire to develop colleagues while contributing to a supportive, ambitious team.
- Lead integrated programmes that help clients influence policy, build trust and accelerate NHS adoption.
- Act as a strategic adviser to senior clients, identifying barriers to progress and developing practical solutions.
- Understand clients’ commercial, policy and organisational objectives, ensuring communications deliver measurable impact.
- Build trusted long-term relationships founded on insight, collaboration and results.
- Ensure programmes are delivered to the highest standard while maintaining profitability and team wellbeing.
- Support and coach colleagues to deliver consistently excellent client work.
- Monitor and interpret developments across Government, Parliament, NHS England, Integrated Care Boards and the wider health system.
- Translate complex policy and NHS change into clear strategic advice for clients.
- Develop compelling narratives that position medicines, technologies and services within NHS priorities.
- Produce high-quality policy briefings, thought leadership, consultation responses and stakeholder engagement strategies.
- Ensure all written outputs demonstrate clarity, strategic thinking and measurable value.
Project & Campaign Management
- Lead integrated communications and public affairs programmes from strategy through to delivery.
- Manage campaigns that influence policy, engage stakeholders and deliver tangible outcomes.
- Coordinate multidisciplinary teams across public affairs, communications and digital marketing.
- Ensure projects are delivered efficiently, on time and against agreed objectives.
- Evaluate success based on impact and outcomes not simply outputs.
Business Development
- Identify opportunities to help organisations overcome healthcare policy and NHS adoption challenges.
- Develop compelling proposals and pitch presentations centred around PLMR Healthcomms’ proposition of helping clients get health innovation moving.
- Support proactive business development, thought leadership and sector engagement.
- Contribute to the continued growth of our pharmaceutical and health technology practice.
- Build long-term relationships that generate sustainable opportunities.
Stakeholder Engagement
- Build relationships with senior leaders across Government, Parliament, NHS England, Integrated Care Boards, patient organisations, trade associations and industry.
- Represent PLMR Healthcomms at conferences, policy events and sector forums.
- Identify opportunities to bring together policymakers, clinicians, industry and patient voices to create momentum around shared challenges.
Key Skills and Competencies
- Significant experience in healthcare public affairs, integrated communications or healthcare consultancy.
- A strong understanding of the political and NHS landscape and how healthcare decisions are made.
- Experience advising pharmaceutical, medtech or life sciences organisations.
- A track record of leading strategic client relationships and delivering measurable outcomes.
- Excellent commercial awareness and experience contributing to business growth.
- Outstanding communication, leadership and mentoring skills.
- Curiosity, ambition and a desire to help shape the future of healthcare.
Please note that due to the expected high volume of applicants, if you do not hear from us then it is likely that you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.
At PLMR we are committed to reflecting and representing the diversity of the UK and to equal opportunities in employment. The policies and practices of the agency aim to promote an environment that is free from all forms of unlawful or unfair discrimination and values the diversity and inclusion of all people. At the heart of our policy, we seek to treat people fairly and with dignity and respect. We therefore encourage and welcome applications from people with a diverse variety of backgrounds; age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality, social background, religion and/or belief.
If you require any reasonable adjustments during the application process, please let us know
Please note, PLMR is unable to offer sponsorshipat this time.
Job Title: Account Director – Health | Life Sciences | Public Affairs
#J-18808-Ljbffr…