Senior Account Director

Ogilvy, part of WPP, has been creating impact for brands through iconic, culture-changing, value-driving ideas since the company was founded by David Ogilvy 75 years ago. It builds on that rich legacy through Borderless Creativity – innovating at the intersections of its advertising, public relations, relationship design, consulting, and health capabilities with experts collaborating seamlessly across over 120 offices in nearly 90 countries. Ogilvy currently ranks as the #1 global agency network for creative excellence and effectiveness by WARC, signifying its ability to deliver creative solutions that drive unreasonable impact for clients and communities. Ogilvy is a WPP company (NYSE: WPP). For more information, visit Ogilvy.com, and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook.

WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company – powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. For more information, visit WPP.com.

Ogilvy Health is one of the largest global networks in healthcare communications, providing strategic, integrated solutions for many of the biggest names in the pharmaceutical, healthcare, and medical device industries. In the UK, we are a powerhouse of over 170 healthcare communication specialists spanning medical education, advertising, digital, public relations, and market access.

In our Medical Education division, our approach is founded on expertise that combines biomedical science, learning theory, and behaviour change to create truly impactful medical and professional education. We pride ourselves on being ‘Scientifically Grounded, Creatively Driven.’

• An Inspiring Culture: An exciting, supportive, and highly creative working environment with committed colleagues, where new thinking is openly encouraged at all levels.
• Multidisciplinary Exposure: The unique opportunity to work across multiple disciplines beyond medical education, including promotional, digital, and market access.
• Unrivalled Growth: Exceptional training and personal/professional development opportunities, powered by the immense depth of expertise within Ogilvy Health and the wider global WPP network.

Senior Account Director - 12 month FTC 

As a Senior Account Director, your primary focus will be leading client relationships, directing strategic programming, managing and mentoring your team, and driving account profitability and organic growth.

Your key responsibilities will span several core areas:

• Shape the long-term strategic direction of your accounts, ensuring activities and budgets align with future opportunities.
• Maintain a high-level strategic overview of accounts, proactively advising clients on external market changes and leading strategic planning meetings.
• Oversee account profitability, negotiate financial arrangements with clients, and maintain a constant grasp of the financial status of your accounts.
• Champion quality control, ensuring all team output meets Ogilvy’s exceptionally high standards.

• Establish yourself as a trusted senior consultant and strategic adviser to clients (often partnering at Marketing Director level).
• Actively participate in the development of the client’s marketing strategy and maintain strong, positive client relationships.
• Build and maintain key relationships with clinical, industry, and NHS opinion leaders to identify new opportunities and monitor market intelligence.

• Identify, develop, and execute opportunities to organically grow business within your existing client pool.
• Take an active, responsible role in developing and presenting new business pitches.

• Lead, motivate, and inspire your team to reach their full potential and take ownership of their projects.
• Manage resourcing across your accounts, ensuring staffing levels are appropriate and sustainable.
• Conduct appraisals, set clear development objectives, and identify training opportunities to support your team’s ongoing career progression.
• Participate in recruiting, interviewing, and welcoming new talent to the agency.

To be successful in this role, you will be a seasoned Medical Education / Medical Comms agency professional who thrives on combining scientific strategy with creative execution. You should bring:

• Proven Agency Experience: Significant experience directing accounts within a Medical Education or Medical Communications agency environment.
• Strategic & Financial Acumen: A strong track record of managing account profitability, budgeting, and driving organic growth, as well as contributing to new business pitches.
• Client Relationship Skills: Experience acting as a senior-level adviser to healthcare and pharmaceutical clients, with the ability to navigate complex environments and guide marketing strategy.
• People Leadership: Proven ability to lead, mentor, and resource a team, with a genuine passion for developing junior talent and managing staff welfare.
• Industry & Scientific Curiosity: A solid understanding of the healthcare landscape, pharmaceutical guidelines, and opinion leader networks, with a passion for delivering "Scientifically Grounded, Creatively Driven" work.