Senior Director, Global Consumer Science Communications

Eli Lilly and Company; Indianapolis (IN); Hybrid; USD 167,000 - 244,000; Full time

Job summary

Eli Lilly and Company in Indianapolis, IN, seeks a Senior Director, Global Consumer Science Communications to own Lilly's consumer-facing science storytelling across platforms, aligning with Bold Science and the enterprise brand.

Reporting to the AVP, Scientific Innovation Communications, this leader builds narratives that translate complex science for patients, caregivers, HCPs, and the public, shaping reputation, trust, and business priorities through strategic content and leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, science, marketing, or related field.
• 8+ years of communications experience in consumer health or healthcare.
• Authorized to work in the United States full-time; Lilly will not sponsor visas for this role.

Responsibilities

• Own the consumer-facing science storytelling strategy for Lilly across topics, moments, and platforms.
• Lead tentpole scientific consumer strategy and determine who tells our stories.
• Develop social-first narratives translating pipeline milestones for social platforms.
• Oversee clinical communications ensuring patient-facing content aligns with the science narrative.
• Coordinate masterbrand pull-through with Enterprise Communications and Brand teams.
• Lead and develop the Associate Director, Clinical Communications; manage agency partners.

Skills

Consumer health comms

Executive visibility

Team leadership

Social media strategy

Science storytelling

Investor communications

Regulatory awareness

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
• Strong executive presence and comfort preparing senior leaders for high-profile public engagements
• Experience working at the intersection of communications, brand, and marketing functions
• Understanding of pharmaceutical regulatory constraints on public communications

Additional Information

• Location: Indianapolis, IN preferred. Remote candidates will be considered for the right experience. Hybrid work schedule for Indianapolis-based candidates. Domestic travel expected (20-30%).

Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form ( https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation ) for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.

Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and are open to all employees. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia (AMECA), Black Employees at Lilly (BE@Lilly), Chinese Culture Network (CCN), EnAble, Evolve, Lilly Indian Network (LIN), Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), Pride (LGBTQ+ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN) and Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL).

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is $166,500 - $244,200.

Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); pension; vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities).

Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees.

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