Executive Director, Account Strategy

Shoptalk; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

People Inc. is seeking an Executive Director of Account Strategy to lead our Health vertical and guide a team of Account Strategists. This senior role focuses on client strategy, campaign management, and driving revenue retention and growth through operational excellence.

The position is hybrid in NYC with in-office expectations and remote work up to 2 days per week, reporting to Health leadership. Strong leadership and pharma advertising experience are required.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in digital media, advertising, publishing, or an advertising agency; healthcare experience preferred.
• 4+ years of experience managing and developing high-performing teams, including managers and senior contributors.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives with multiple stakeholders.
• Strong executive communication and relationship-building skills with senior internal stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Account Strategy function to drive client success, revenue retention and growth, and operational excellence.
• Develop deep expertise across Health portfolio including DTC and HCP advertising solutions and measurement offerings.
• Identify opportunities to improve workflows, processes, and scalability as the Health business grows.
• Build strong partnerships across sales support teams and cross-functional partners.
• Oversee performance reporting and translate data into actionable client insights.

Skills

Executive leadership

Client strategy

Analytics

Programmatic media

Education

Bachelor's degree preferred

Job description

Job Title

Executive Director, Account Strategy

Job Description

About Your Role

People Inc. is looking for an Executive Director of Account Strategy to lead our Health vertical. This is a critical leadership role responsible for overseeing a team of Account Strategists supporting our pharmaceutical and healthcare advertising business and driving revenue retention and growth through best-in-class client strategy, campaign management, and operational excellence.

With a focus on solutions, critical thinking, and analytical rigor, you are a proven leader who can successfully navigate the complexities of the health and pharmaceutical advertising landscape. You will serve as a senior strategic partner across Sales, Marketing, Ad Operations, Campaign Analytics, Research & Measurement, Product, Data, and other key functions, ensuring our programs are positioned for success from pre-sale strategy through execution, optimization, measurement, and renewal.

You understand that strong Account Strategy goes beyond campaign execution. You will help your team identify opportunities to improve performance, deepen client partnerships, grow revenue, and evolve our Health advertising capabilities. You are a growth-oriented, positive self-starter who proactively identifies ways to improve processes, increase efficiency, solve complex business challenges, and continually raise the standard of client service across the Health organization.

Hybrid 3x a week- (NYC, NY)

In-office Expectations: This position is hybrid in-office, with the ability to work remotely for up to 2 days per week.

About The Team | The Team and/or Brand.

The Health vertical partners with leading healthcare and pharmaceutical clients to develop and execute advertising solutions that reach both consumers (DTC) and healthcare professionals (HCPs). The business operates within a highly dynamic and regulated industry, requiring a strong understanding of evolving health and pharma trends, client priorities, audience behaviors, and regulatory and compliance requirements that impact healthcare advertising. The team must stay closely connected to changes across the marketplace to anticipate client needs, identify emerging opportunities, and ensure our solutions continue to meet the unique needs and standards of healthcare and pharma marketers.

About Your Contributions:

Weight % Accountabilities, Actions and Expected Measurable Results

70%

Business & Client Leadership — Lead the Account Strategy function to drive client success, revenue retention and growth, and operational excellence. Partner with Sales and cross‑functional leaders to address business needs, identify growth opportunities, and build scalable processes that improve performance and efficiency.

30%

People & Organizational Leadership — Lead, develop and inspire a high‑performing Account Strategy organization, creating clear expectations, accountability and opportunities for growth. Coach and develop managers and individual contributors, proactively assess talent and organizational needs, and build structures that support the evolving needs of the business

• Lead and develop the Health Account Strategy team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, strategic thinking, client service, and deep expertise across the pharmaceutical and healthcare business.

• Serve as a senior strategic partner to Health Sales leadership, helping drive revenue retention, renewals, incremental opportunities, and long‑term account growth across key clients and agency partners.

• Develop deep expertise across the Health portfolio, including DTC and HCP advertising solutions, branded and unbranded programs, custom content, audience targeting, programmatic activation, and measurement offerings.

• Ensure the team understands the unique requirements and complexities of pharmaceutical advertising and can confidently navigate client, agency, regulatory, operational, and measurement considerations.

• Identify opportunities to improve workflows, processes, systems, and work products, creating greater efficiency and scalability as the Health business grows.

• Provide strategic recommendations that help evolve our advertising product suite, measurement capabilities, client deliverables, and overall Health offering.

• Build strong partnerships across the sales support teams.

• Lead regular team meetings, training, and development opportunities to ensure the Account Strategy organization maintains strong expertise across Health products, systems, processes, measurement solutions, and industry trends.

• Own the Performance Center of Excellence including campaign reporting and measurement, ensuring the team can confidently analyze first‑ and third‑party data, identify meaningful trends, develop actionable insights, and translate performance into compelling client stories.

• Ensure the team consistently connects campaign performance back to client objectives and broader business outcomes, moving beyond reporting metrics to delivering meaningful strategic recommendations.

• Proactively communicate business, campaign, and client needs to senior management and cross‑functional partners, identifying risks early and driving solutions before they impact the client or revenue.

• Partner with Health leadership to identify broader trends across clients and campaigns and translate those learnings into new products, capabilities, processes, and commercial opportunities.

• Represent Account Strategy as a senior leader within the Health organization, helping shape how People Inc. continues to evolve and grow its pharmaceutical and healthcare advertising business.

The Role’s Minimum Qualifications and Job Requirements:

Education:

Bachelor's Degree preferred and/or equivalent experience.

Experience:

• 8+ years of experience within digital media, advertising, publishing, or an advertising agency; pharmaceutical, healthcare, or health media experience strongly preferred.

• 4+ years of experience managing and developing high‑performing teams, including experience managing managers and/or senior‑level individual contributors.

Specific Knowledge, Skills, Certifications and Abilities:

• Demonstrated experience supporting complex, high‑value advertising partnerships. Relationships with clients, agencies, sales teams, and internal stakeholders.

• Strong understanding of the pharmaceutical advertising ecosystem, including DTC and/or HCP media, audience targeting, campaign measurement, data partnerships, and the operational complexities associated with healthcare advertising.

• Working knowledge of programmatic media buying and execution across display, video, CTV, and other digital channels.

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to identify larger trends across campaign and business data and translate them into actionable recommendations.

• Demonstrated ability to lead cross‑functional initiatives and navigate complex organizations with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.

• A solutions‑oriented leader who proactively identifies challenges, develops recommendations, and drives issues through resolution.

• Strong executive communication and relationship‑building skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with senior internal stakeholders, clients, agencies, and external partners.

• Demonstrated commercial mindset with an understanding of how strong client service, campaign performance, and strategic partnership contribute to retention and revenue growth.

• Driven to make things happen while consistently acting with integrity, professionalism, and respect for others.

% Travel Required (Approximate): 20%

It is the policy of People Inc. to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, the Company will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. Accommodation requests can be made by emailing [e-mail]. The Company participates in the federal E‑Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees. For further information about the E‑Verify program, please click here: https://www.e-verify.gov/employees.

Pay Range

Salary: New York: $150,000.00 - $175,000.00

In addition, People Inc. provides to employees (and their eligible family members) a variety of benefits, including medical, dental, vision, prescription drug coverage, unlimited paid time off (PTO), adoption or surrogate assistance, donation matching, tuition reimbursement, basic life insurance, basic accidental death & dismemberment, supplemental life insurance, supplemental accident insurance, commuter benefits, short term and long term disability, health savings and flexible spending accounts, family care benefits, a generous 401K savings plan with a company match program, 10‑12 paid holidays annually, and generous paid parental leave (birthing and non‑birthing parents), all of which may vary depending on the specific nature of your employment with People Inc. and your work location.

• medical
• dental
• vision
• prescription drug coverage
• unlimited paid time off (PTO)
• adoption or surrogate assistance
• donation matching
• tuition reimbursement
• basic life insurance
• basic accidental death & dismemberment
• supplemental life insurance
• supplemental accident insurance
• commuter benefits
• short term disability
• long term disability
• health savings and flexible spending accounts
• family care benefits
• a generous 401K savings plan with a company match program
• 10‑12 paid holidays annually
• generous paid parental leave (birthing and non‑birthing parents)

We also offer voluntary benefits such as pet insurance, accident, critical and hospital indemnity health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance.

• pet insurance
• accident
• critical and hospital indemnity health insurance coverage
• life and disability insurance