Senior Director, Brand Strategy - Pharma Agency Market Access

Senior Director, Strategy – Access Marketing

United by one profound purpose: to reach EVERY PATIENT POSSIBLE. At Avalere Health, we ensure every patient is identified, treated, supported, and cared for. Equally. Our Advisory, Medical, and Marketing teams come together – powerfully and intentionally – to forge unconventional connections, building a future where healthcare is not a barrier and no patient is left behind.

Achieving our mission starts with providing enriching, purpose-driven careers for our team that empower them to make a tangible impact on patient lives. We are committed to creating a culture where our employees are empowered to bring their whole selves to work and tap into the power of diverse backgrounds and skillsets to play a part in making a difference for every patient, everywhere.

Our flexible approach to working allows our global teams to decide where they want to work, whether in-office or at home based on team and client need. Major city hubs in London, Manchester, Washington, D.C., and New York, and smaller offices globally, serve as collaboration hubs allowing our teams to come together when it matters. Homeworkers are equally supported, with dedicated social opportunities and resources.

Our inclusive culture is at the heart of everything we do. We proudly support our employees in bringing their whole selves to work with our six Employee Network Groups – Diverse Ability, Family, Gender, LGBTQ+, Mental Health, and Race/Ethnicity. These groups provide opportunities to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion and to connect, learn, and socialise through regular meetings and programs of activity. We are an accredited Fertility Friendly employer with our Fertility Policy, enhanced parental leave, and culture of flexibility ensuring every employee feels supported across their family planning journey and can work in a way that suits their family's needs.

We are deeply invested in supporting professional growth for our employees through day-to-day career experiences, access to thousands of on-demand training sessions, regular career conversations, and the opportunity for global, cross-capability career moves.

We take pride in being part of the Disability Confident Scheme. This helps make sure you can be interviewed fairly if you have a disability, long term health condition, or are neurodiverse. If you'd like to apply and need adjustments made, you can let us know in your application.

About the role

As Senior Director, Strategy – Access Marketing, you are critical in leading and supporting our strategy partnerships with our access marketing clients as well as helping to grow our internal strategy team. As a key member of our cross-discipline Access Marketing offer, this role seeks an experienced strategist who is deeply hands-on, balancing the macro picture with the micro details. Strategy team, you are responsible for:

• Supporting our strategy partnerships with our existing Access Marketing clients
• Supporting strategy development for our new business development and growth initiatives for our target Access Marketing clients
• Supporting the development of our thought leadership footprint with existing clients and in the market
• Liaising and partnering in lockstep with strategy counterparts in other areas of our organization, while supporting the growth of Access Marketing's strategy team

What you'll do

• Direct, develop, and execute comprehensive access strategy to support pipeline and inline assets in maximizing and communicating brand value, and in doing so, establish and reinforce client confidence in our strategic value
• Conduct and support the analysis of qualitative and quantitative research relating to market access stakeholders and derive meaningful insights
• Analyze market research, market landscape, and analytics reports as well as track relevant market access congresses/media to identify key audience insights, behaviors and trends that provide critical access engagement opportunities
• Conduct and support the development of market access stakeholder personas/archetypes, strategy maps, integration into brand plans, positioning, brand identity strategy, creative briefs, and messaging strategy among other critical strategic elements
• Conduct and support the ideation and execution of access marketing solutions, tactics, and activations that amplify brand/access performance
• Design and facilitate workshops, training meetings, launch meetings, and other key events on behalf of Access Marketing clients
• Provide an advanced strategic voice in internal and client meetings, including consistent and visible advisement to clients on emerging access-related trends
• Leads strategic planning responsibilities on multiple brands and integrated accounts with advanced autonomy and proficiency
• Contributes to the development of actionable project briefs through translation of insights and strategy execution in partnership with team
• Contribute to the growth of the Access Marketing offer by helping to define the strategy for RFPs/capabilities and identify organic growth within businesses managed, and, proactively sourcing new business development opportunities as appropriate
• Staying ahead and informed of the leading market access platforms, trends, and innovations for market access customers, including but not limited to payers, health systems, employers, and others
• Keeping pulse on key access trends, drafting expert pieces/POVs, contributing to podcasts/webinars, and leveraging thought leadership into attracting new Access Marketing clients
• Integrate seamlessly and maintain fluency between Advisory and Marketing disciplines within a matrixed organization, including establishing a productive, coordinated, and seamless partnership with other strategy counterparts
• Lead collaboratively with account, medical, and creative partners on the delivery of Access Marketing strategy, including ensuring that access strategy aligns to broader business objectives and audience needs
• Build and grow an external network of strategic partners for collaboration and consultation as needed
• Supervise direct reports (if applicable) including managing performance and progressive growth
• Mentor, coach, and counsel strategy team members to facilitate their growth and development
• Be flexible with travel up to 20-30% of time as needed

About you

• Loves a challenge, especially as the Access Marketing team is in a building phase; relentlessly pursues excellence; little fear of adversity and headwinds; self-starter mentality that takes direction but doesn't wait for it; challenges current practices and standards; open to different ways of thinking/creating; innovative; embraces change; curious; enjoys learning with an appetite for curiosity
• Bachelor's degree required; graduate degree preferred (e.g., PharmD, PhD, MPH, etc.)
• 7-10 years in market access strategy or related experience (e.g., payer, health system, pharma direct, etc.), with 3-5 years in agency required
• Management experience a plus
• Market Access/Access Strategy Qualifications
• Market access agency and/or industry experience required
• Advanced understanding of market access marketing, strategies, and trends
• Advanced working knowledge in market access-related research tools, agency offerings, services, products, and solutions
• Proven success building and launching market access strategies and tactical plans that leverage market research, customer insights, clinical data, and market trends and dynamics
• Seamless ability to translate Advisory subject matter expertise into Marketing brand/access strategy
• Proficient at persuasive storytelling and paving the path from compelling strategy to brilliant creative
• Highly skilled as an interdisciplinary thinker, strategic problem-solver, and focused business leader
• Curious strategist who keeps abreast of everchanging healthcare landscape and encourages clients to challenge the status quo
• Crisp and persuasive communications skills, both written and verbal
• Comfortable with public speaking and demonstrates strong presentation skills
• Ability to use AI platforms to enhance, but not replace, brand strategic needs
• Competent in software specific to client/agency processes, including Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial, and cross-discipline environment as a working strategy team member with a proactive mindset
• Ability to inspire collaboration and lead conversations across multiple stakeholders (both internal and external)
• Creative and constructive problem solver who can work both independently and within a team environment
• Good listener who can quickly interpret data, ask thoughtful questions, and provide a strategic point-of-view
• Quick learner with a natural drive and curiosity for continual learning
• Comfortable leading and working under pressure with tight deadlines, across both inline client work and pipeline new business development work
• Proven track record in inspiring teams as well as upholding the organization's culture with integrity
• Exceptional and reliable organizational skills

$120,000 - $190,000 a year

What we can offer