Senior Vice President, Healthcare Media Relations, North America

Burson is the global communications leader built to create value for clients through reputation. With highly specialized teams, industry-leading technologies and breakthrough creative, we help brands and businesses redefine reputation as a competitive advantage so they can lead today and into the future. Burson operates under WPP (NYSE: WPP), the creative transformation company. Learn more at www.bursonglobal.com.  

Our practice and specialty areas include: Healthcare, Brand Marketing, Reputation and Advocacy, Issues and Crisis, Purpose/ESG, Financial Communications, Public Affairs, DE&I, Polycultural and Influencer Advocacy.

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced healthcare media relations leader to join our team as Senior Vice President, Earned Media Health & Wellness, North America. This individual will play a pivotal role in shaping and executing impactful media strategies for our health & wellness clients, providing senior-level counsel, and leading a team of talented media relations professionals.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership & Team Management:

• Lead, manage, coach, mentor, and inspire a high-performing North American Health & Wellness earned media team, fostering a culture of excellence and professional growth.
• Oversee the strategic planning process for both individual client accounts and the broader media team.
• Serve as a trusted advisor and mentor to team members, providing guidance, support, and professional development opportunities.
• Champion diversity, equity, and inclusion within the team and actively participate in agency-wide DE&I initiatives.

Client & Media Relations:

• Develop and maintain strong, trusted advisor relationships with clients, providing strategic counsel and demonstrating a deep understanding of their business objectives.
• Cultivate and leverage strong relationships with key health reporters and influencers across national and trade media, including broadcast, print, digital, and social platforms.
• Lead media training sessions for senior-level clients, equipping them with the skills and confidence to effectively engage with the media.
• Stay abreast of the evolving health landscape, including industry trends, regulatory changes, and emerging media platforms.

Strategic Planning & Execution:

• Develop and execute innovative, results-oriented earned media strategies for national and local media programs that align with client objectives and resonate with target audiences.
• Oversee the development and execution of multi-pronged earned media campaigns designed to raise public awareness, shape perceptions, and drive meaningful impact.
• Collaborate closely with paid, digital, and influencer teams within the North American Healthcare practice and across other agency practices to ensure integrated and impactful campaign execution.
• Track and analyze media coverage, providing regular reporting and insights to clients and internal stakeholders.

Business Development & Growth:

• Contribute to the ongoing development and expansion of our North American Health & Wellness offering, identifying new opportunities for growth and innovation.
• Collaborate with other North American Earned Media leaders to enhance and expand our Earned Media Center of Excellence.
• Participate in new business pitches and presentations, showcasing our expertise and capabilities to potential clients.

Desired Skills and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, or a related field.
• Minimum of 15 years of experience in earned media, with a focus in health & Wellness, specifically with consumer facing campaigns both branded and unbranded, experience with celebrity  spokespeople,  with a strong preference for agency experience.
• Proven track record of successfully leading and managing high-performing health media relations teams.
• Extensive experience leading earned media for complex, large-scale pharmaceutical accounts, ideally with team members in multiple U.S. locations.
• Deep understanding of the pharmaceutical industry landscape, including products, key players, and relevant media outlets.
• Exceptional storytelling abilities and a strong network of media contacts across top-tier print, broadcast, and digital platforms.
• Demonstrated success in developing and executing integrated communications campaigns that deliver measurable results.
• Passion for healthcare communications, a strong work ethic, and a commitment to excellence.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
• Strong leadership qualities