Vice President, Group Account Director
: Job Details :

Description

The VP Group Account Director leads client engagement for multiple complex brands, driving agency growth. As a strategic thought partner, they leverage their marketing and healthcare expertise to help the team deliver smart, client-focused solutions from across the Syneos network.

A player-coach with a growth mindset, they foster a collaborative culture between the agency and clients, empowering junior talent and providing them with tailored career plans. They are skilled storytellers, able to develop and present compelling POVs. They confidently engage all levels of (internal and external) stakeholders and appropriately handle difficult conversations to resolve conflicts.

This role is expected to work with a high degree of autonomy and skillfully balance priorities across teams. It involves managing matrixed teams, optimizing staffing, and ensuring high-quality, profitable work that aligns with client objectives and GSW standards.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Client Engagement:

• Build and sustain senior client relationships; proactively address concerns and consult on broader business opportunities (advertising and beyond)
• Actively participate in strategic client meetings, market research, and industry events, sharing insights with both clients and internal teams to drive strategic direction
• Apply a deep understanding of client culture, brand challenges, and strategic objectives to elevate work product
• Identify and pursue growth opportunities within existing and prospective client relationships

Team Leadership & Development:

• Build a strong culture between internal teams and clients, where success is celebrated, conflicts are addressed constructively, and clear team priorities are established
• Lead biannual agency/client evaluations and development plans, holding regular discussions to optimize outcomes. Keep senior management informed of key client concerns and opportunities
• Lead and mentor junior members of the team, fostering an empowered, high-performance culture that drives client satisfaction and business results
• Develop Account Partnership staff by providing clear guidance, growth opportunities, and organizational visibility in preparation for future roles

Collaboration & Innovation:

• Stay current with industry trends, competitive landscapes, and emerging technologies to drive innovation and new business opportunities
• Lead planning with cross-functional teams to develop innovative, disruptive solutions that elevate the client's business
• Leverage Syneos Health's full suite of services to expand client relationships and achieve revenue growth through integrated solutions
• Guide clients to provide an environment that allows for maximum strategic and creative impact

Finances & Profitability:

• Ensure the health and transparency of client finances, including scope development, forecasting, budget compliance, fee negotiations, and financial reporting
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to optimize staffing and workflows, ensuring quality, efficiency, profitability, and achievement of monthly forecasts
• Co-lead quarterly business reviews of account performance to executive leadership, identifying opportunities to improve margins, drive growth, and bring proactive solutions to clients
• Lead new business pitches, collaborating with cross-functional teams to develop compelling proposals and secure new clients

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or advanced degree a plus.
• 15+ years of experience in pharmaceutical or healthcare marketing, with agency-side experience required.
• Proven track record of autonomously managing most facets of client relationships and leading high-performing teams with minimal supervision.
• Demonstrated success in new business development, financial management, and account leadership.
• Strong negotiation skills, with the ability to secure favorable outcomes while maintaining client trust.
• Experience in leading cross-functional teams and delivering creative, strategic solutions that drive business growth.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, including digital and regulatory environments.

The annual base salary for this position ranges from $180K to $210K. The base salary range represents the anticipated low and high of the Syneos Health range for this position. Actual salary will vary based on various factors such as the candidate's qualifications, skills, competencies, and proficiency for the role. In addition, some positions may include eligibility to earn commissions/bonus based on company and / or individual performance.

At GSW, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace. If your past experience doesn't align perfectly, we encourage you to apply anyway. At times, we will consider transferable skills from previous roles. We also encourage you to join our Talent Network to stay connected to additional career opportunities.

GSW is a full-service healthcare communications agency that goes beyond advertising to create personalized brand experiences that involve, inspire, educate and activate people through ongoing brand journeys. As one of the world's ten most-awarded healthcare advertising agencies, GSW is hell-bent not to replace the same old with the same old. This is achieved through a provocative premise - if other brands communicated the way healthcare brands do, how many customers would they have? GSW turns against this premise through discovery of beneath-the-surface customer insights that we impact with stories, simplicity and authenticity.

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Syneos Health companies are affirmative action/equal opportunity employers (Minorities/Females/Veterans/Disabled)

Syneos Health has a voluntary COVID-19 vaccination policy. We strongly encourage all employees to be fully vaccinated. Additionally, certain local governments or Syneos Health customers may have vaccine requirements that apply to some of our employees. These employees are required to submit proof of vaccination to Syneos Health and maintain compliance with these requirements. At Syneos Health, we believe in providing an environment and culture in which Our People can thrive, develop and advance. We reward and recognize our people by providing valuable benefits and a quality-of-life balance. The benefits for this position will include a competitive compensation package, Health benefits to include Medical, Dental and Vision, Company match 401k, flexible paid time off (PTO) and sick time. Because certain states and municipalities have regulated paid sick time requirements, eligibility for paid sick time may vary depending on where you work. Syneos Health complies with all applicable federal, state, and municipal paid sick time requirements.