Senior Director, Global Consumer Science Communications

100 Eli Lilly and Company; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Eli Lilly and Company seeks a Senior Director, Global Consumer Science Communications to shape consumer-facing science storytelling across platforms and events. You will land Lilly's scientific leadership with patients, caregivers, HCPs, and the public, translating complex science into relatable narratives that reinforce our Bold Science identity.

The role requires leading and developing teams, coordinating with Enterprise Communications and Brand, and guiding content that supports investor

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in a relevant field.
• 8+ years of communications experience in consumer health/science/healthcare.
• Authorized to work in the United States full-time; no visa sponsorship provided.

Responsibilities

• Own the consumer-facing science communications strategy, linking Lilly's R&D to patients, caregivers, HCPs, and the public.
• Lead Lilly's science communications presence at high-profile external forums and drive who tells our stories.
• Develop executive briefings, event strategies, and follow-through plans to enhance narrative impact.

Skills

Consumer health comms

Team leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic storytelling

Executive visibility

Social media strategy

Education

Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, science, marketing, or related field

Job description

At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life-changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve. This is hard, urgent, selfless work—but it’s work worth doing. If you’re driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us. The Senior Director, Global Consumer Science Communications owns consumer-facing science storytelling for Lilly, landing the company's scientific leadership at the cultural moments, digital platforms, and public forums that build trust and reach with patients, healthcare professionals, and the broader public. Reporting to the AVP, Scientific Innovation Communications with a dotted line reporting structure to the AVP, Enterprise Storytelling Communicaitons, this leader is responsible for how Lilly’s science shows up in consumer-facing platforms and events, tells our Bold Science and other scientific narratives, relevant masterbrand integration, clinical communications, and the scientific data narratives supporting Investor Relations and quarterly earnings milestones. This is where Lilly's science meets culture. The Senior Director will build the strategies and content that make complex science understandable, relatable, and unmistakably Lilly, reaching audiences that traditional pharma communications have historically missed. The role requires a leader who sees scientific storytelling not as a downstream output but as a strategic tool that builds reputation, drives trust, and supports business priorities.

Key Objectives / Deliverables

• CONSUMER SCIENCE STORYTELLING STRATEGY: Own the consumer-facing science communications strategy for Lilly. Develop narratives that connect Lilly's R&D pipeline and scientific leadership to the topics, cultural moments, and platforms that resonate with patients, caregivers, HCPs, and the general public. Ensure consumer science storytelling reinforces the enterprise corporate narrative and masterbrand.
• TENTPOLE SCIENTIFIC CONSUMER STRATEGY: Lead Lilly's science communications presence at high-profile external forums, while also driving who tells our stories and how through pull-through of our Bold Science and Prevention narratives. Develop executive briefings, event strategies, and follow-through content plans that improve narrative impact.
• SOCIAL-FIRST SCIENTIFIC NARRATIVE: Develop and implement social media strategies that bring Lilly's science to life for digital-native audiences. Build content frameworks that translate pipeline landmarks, R&D advances, and scientific leadership into formats designed for social platforms.
• CLINICAL COMMUNICATIONS: Oversee clinical communications through the Associate Director, Clinical Comms, ensuring patient-facing science content, clinical trial awareness, and HCP engagement are strategically aligned with the broader science narrative.
• MASTERBRAND PULL-THROUGH: Ensure all consumer science storytelling reinforces Lilly's enterprise brand positioning. Coordinate with Enterprise Communications and Brand to maintain consistency of voice, visual identity, and message architecture.
• TEAM LEADERSHIP: Lead and develop the Associate Director, Clinical Communications. Set operating standards and creative ambition for consumer science content. Manage agency partners and external resources.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, science, marketing, or related field
• Minimum 8 years of communications experience, with significant experience in consumer health, science, or healthcare communications
• Qualified applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Lilly will not provide support for or sponsor work authorization or visas for this role, including but not limited to F-1 CPT, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, J-1, H-1B, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, or L-1.

Additional Skills / Preferences

• Demonstrated experience developing consumer-facing content strategies that translate complex topics for broad audiences
• Proven experience leading communications for high-profile events, executive visibility, or brand storytelling
• Experience managing teams and cross-functional partnerships
• Ability to translate complex scientific and clinical data into stories that resonate with non-expert audiences, including patients, caregivers, and the general public
• Strong instinct for cultural moments, emerging platforms, and the intersection of science and consumer interest
• Experience with social media strategy, particularly science and health content designed for digital-native audiences
• Familiarity with investor communications and the ability to develop scientific narratives that support financial storytelling
• Creative mindset with a track record of innovative formats, channels, or approaches to science communications