Vice President, Health Public Relations

Ogilvy; New York (NY); On-site; USD 100,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive benefits package

Autonomy to innovate

Job summary

Ogilvy Health in New York is seeking a Vice President, Media Relations to lead earned-media strategy for major healthcare accounts, shaping campaigns that build reputation and deliver measurable impact.

You’ll guide senior executives, cultivate journalist relationships across health, business, consumer and trade outlets, and collaborate with agency teams to create compelling story platforms and proactive media programs.

Qualifications

• 8–10 years in public relations and media relations, healthcare-focused
• Proven record of high-impact earned media campaigns across corporate, brand, disease-awareness, executive visibility or issues communications
• Deep understanding of the regulated healthcare marketplace and its impact on media strategy
• Strong relationships with journalists across healthcare, business, consumer and trade media
• Excellent written and verbal communication and the ability to simplify complex information

Responsibilities

• Lead earned-media strategy for major healthcare accounts, translating objectives into newsworthy programs
• Provide strategic earned media counsel to clients and teams on narrative, timing, spokesperson strategy and channel selection
• Develop story platforms, angles, messaging and pitches grounded in audience insight and market dynamics
• Build strong relationships with health, business, consumer and trade media and match stories to outlets
• Oversee proactive and reactive media engagement including announcements and executive visibility
• Prepare executives and experts for interviews with messaging and media training
• Identify growth opportunities and contribute strategy, insights and storytelling to pitches and proposals

Skills

Public relations

Media relations

Healthcare comms

Leadership

Strategic storytelling

News judgment

Executive coaching

Digital fluency

Written communication

Project management

Job description

About Ogilvy

Ogilvy has been creating impact for brands through iconic, culture-changing, value-driving ideas since the company was founded by David Ogilvy more than 75 years ago. It builds on that rich legacy through Borderless Creativity—innovating at the intersection of intelligence, imagination and influence, with experts across advertising, sports & entertainment, PR & social, consulting, and health collaborating seamlessly across more than 120 offices spanning 90 countries. Ogilvy was named Network of the Year at the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and ranks as the #1 global agency network for creative excellence and effectiveness by WARC for the fourth consecutive year, signifying its ability to deliver creative solutions that drive unreasonable impact for clients and communities. Ogilvy is part of WPP, the trusted growth partner for the world's leading brands. Powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform WPP Open, WPP unites cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, creativity, production, enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel. For more information, visit Ogilvy.com, and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook.

About WPP

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.

About Ogilvy Health

OGILVY HEALTH: WE INSPIRE PEOPLE AND BRANDS TO IMPACT THE WORLD

Guided by this vision, Ogilvy Health, part of WPP, combines borderless creativity, scientific precision and cultural fluency to build healthcare’s most influential movements. We drive measurable impact and category-defining growth for brands ready to shape what’s next. Our approach is powered by fearless creativity that dares to be different, sparks emotional connections, and inspires action, ensuring cultural resonance. Scientific precision translates complex data into stories that resonate, while our impact-obsessed mindset focuses on delivering real-world outcomes.

For more information on us, visit OgilvyHealth.com, or follow Ogilvy Health on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X, and Threads.

About the Role

Our Vice Presidents, Media Relations serve as senior communications advisors and media strategists responsible for shaping earned media strategies that build reputation, create cultural relevance and deliver measurable impact for healthcare clients. They should have demonstrated record of developing and executing successful earned media campaigns, cultivating trusted relationships with influential journalists and guiding clients through complex, high-stakes communications. The ideal candidate combines deep knowledge of the regulated healthcare landscape with sharp editorial judgment, an entrepreneurial mindset and the ability to turn scientific, corporate and brand stories into compelling media opportunities. They champion creative excellence, strengthen integrated programs and foster a positive, high-performing team culture.

What You’ll Do

• Lead earned-media strategy for major healthcare accounts, translating business, brand and communications objectives into distinctive, newsworthy programs.
• Provide strategic earned media counsel to clients and agency teams, providing clear recommendations on narrative, timing, spokesperson strategy, channel selection and reputational considerations.
• Develop compelling story platforms, media angles, messaging and pitch strategies grounded in audience insight, the news cycle and the competitive landscape.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with health, business, consumer, trade and other influential media, matching stories and spokespeople to the outlets that can create the greatest impact.
• Oversee proactive and reactive media engagement, including announcements, thought leadership, executive visibility, issues management and rapid-response opportunities.
• Prepare executives and subject-matter experts for interviews through message development, briefing materials, media training and real-time counsel.
• Identify organic growth and new business opportunities, contributing media strategy, insights and storytelling to pitches and proposals.

What You’ll Need

• 8-10 years of relevant public relations and media relations, including healthcare communications experience and 5+ years supervisory experience
• A demonstrated record of securing high-impact earned media and leading successful programs across corporate, brand, disease-awareness, executive visibility or issues-oriented communications.
• Deep understanding of the regulated healthcare marketplace and the implications for media strategy, scientific storytelling and external communications.
• Strong relationships with journalists and editors across healthcare, business, consumer and trade media, along with the judgment to identify the right outlet and reporter for each story.
• Exceptional news judgment and the ability to simplify complex scientific, clinical and business information without losing accuracy or credibility.
• Experience counseling senior executives and preparing spokespeople for media interviews, high-visibility moments and challenging questions.
• Digital fluency and a strong understanding of today’s fragmented media ecosystem, including how earned media works alongside social, influencer, paid and owned channels.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong project management, counseling, programming people management and business development skills

How We’ll Support You

Ogilvy celebrates its people. Fully. Enthusiastically. Unhesitatingly. We’ll empower you with the tools you’ll need to succeed. We’ll give you the autonomy to seek out new paths and better ways of doing things. We’ll support you with colleagues who are experts in their disciplines, drawn from across the Ogilvy network. And we’ll provide opportunities for you to do work of which you’ll be proud, with people you’ll be proud to call your teammates.

Pay Range

$100,000 — $230,000 USD

The base salary range for this position at the time of this posting is indicated below. Individual compensation varies based on job-related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications. We offer a competitive benefits package, click here for more details.

At Ogilvy, our people are at the heart of what we do: a creative agency that sparks game-changing ideas across culture and business through collaboration, integrity, and a celebration of self-expression.

We believe in building powerful teams with purpose - and we relentlessly curate transformative initiatives that make our commitment to fairness, and equity a reality.

Our ultimate mission is to leave a positive impact on the world, creating a better future for all, while supporting and uplifting the global communities we serve. This is central to our mantra of Borderless Creativity.

Ogilvy is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

If you need any assistance seeking a job opportunity, or if you need reasonable accommodation with the application process, please contact us at [e-mail]. Please note that this contact is only for candidates who are requesting accommodation. Emails for other purposes, including application status requests, will not receive a response.