Account Director in London

At Real Chemistry, making the world a healthier place isn’t just an aspiration—it’s our everyday reality. Our drive to transform healthcare is informed by our blend of deep scientific expertise, human-centred creativity, and AI-driven insights, fostering a unique environment where innovation thrives and our people are impact-obsessed. As a global agency, we provide a full suite of services across healthcare communications and marketing to our clients, including top players in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Our #LifeatRealChem culture is rooted in our people—we believe we are best together and are committed to excellence for both our clients and colleagues.

Job Summary: Real Chemistry is looking for an Account Director to join our growing team! As an Account Director, you will be responsible for excellence in delivery across the entire programme of work for your client accounts. As a client account lead you will provide strategic counsel to clients, autonomously lead a cross-functional internal team and proactively seek opportunities to grow the account.

What you’ll do:

• Client delivery
• Go-to for clients, managing relationships and setting their expectations of the agency
• Accountable for the delivery of the entire programme of client work on at least two medium-to-large client accounts, with sponsor support
• Ensure work is delivered to the highest standard and within agreed timeframes and budgets
• Coach others to build/maintain positive client relationships and challenge your junior team to provide solutions to client challenges before you offer input
• Support your junior team to manage challenging client conversations as required
• Challenge clients as needed – ensuring only the best work is delivered
• Maintain knowledge of clients' business and external factors impacting it, providing counsel and shifting programme direction as needed
• Confidently formulate objectives and strategies for new client work, ensuring that programme strategy is pulled through
• Facilitate client meetings/workshops and manage challenging client conversations when required
• Be fearless and flexible in your approach – leading and executing a project, regardless of prior experience (or lack of)
• Business development
• Identify areas for organic growth within existing accounts (evolving existing programmes and/or additional tactics) and confidently sell new ideas to clients
• Identify new business opportunities outside of existing accounts, with the support of the internal cross-functional team
• Support the ongoing new business process, leading in the production of 1-2 credentials and/or RFP responses per year
• Lead development of content for the annual internal account planning process
• Team management
• Develop your own authentic leadership style, instilling professional values and good working habits in your teams
• Inspire, motivate, and empower your team on a daily basis, leading by example and setting the standard for junior accounts team members
• Protect and promote our team culture, ensuring it is lived at every level through the Medical Communications team
• Facilitate and encourage cross-learning and sharing of best practices between team members
• Promote clear and free-flowing communication lines between accounts, MW, PM, creative, strategists and any other business functions active within your client accounts; support troubleshooting where issues arise, along with account Sponsors as required
• Provide coaching and mentoring to junior team members and manage their performance
• Support interviewing for new AAs – SAMs
• Line manage at least one accounts team member AA – SAM, providing day-to-day support and longer-term career development guidance
• Financial management
• Take responsibility for financial management of your client business and participate actively in the monthly financial process
• Develop accurate budgets for clients and track resource use against available budget throughout the month
• Accurately forecast and proactively alert senior leadership to any changes/potential slowing down of business
• Ensure the profitability of your accounts, addressing any problems such as over-service or scope creep
• Agency environment
• Participate in internal initiatives which contribute to the culture or development of the Medical Communications team, or Real Chemistry more broadly (e.g., compliance/socials/inspiration)
• Keep abreast of award-winning work and insights from other industries, sharing as appropriate
• Regular involvement in new business opportunities

This position is a perfect fit for you if:

• Our Company values – Best Together, Impact-Obsessed, Excellence Expected, Evolve Always and Accountability with an “I” – really speak to you.
• You are adaptable, resilient, and OK with adjusting your scope, responsibilities, and focus as we grow.
• You are proactive, driven, and resourceful with strong prioritization skills and a desire to dive into the data.
• You are highly organized self-starter, able to work independently and under tight deadlines.

What you should have:

• Must have minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a high science subject
• Excellent business communication skills, including informal/formal presentation and writing skills
• Ability to work within and lead cross-functional teams internally (confidently liaise with and guide tech, creative and account teams) to deliver outstanding client work
• Skilled in data communication and able to develop final documents and presentations
• Able to develop solutions to client needs and problems, with a strong work ethic and a track record of high-quality deliverables on schedule and on budget
• Leadership skills, with experience and capability to lead and develop junior staff (formal line management experience expected)
• Ability to support and drive new business operations alone and as part of bigger team
• High energy, able to effectively operate in a fast-paced, growing and evolving environment
• Supervisory skills, with ability to manage and cultivate junior staff and effectively collaborate with subcontractors
• Demonstrated growth and experience in management roles
• Project management experience, demonstrated ability to meet deadlines, prioritize and manage detailed budgets
• Professional presence, performs with a sense of urgency and with a client service orientation

The position requires some international travel for client meetings and conferences (20 - 30 percent).

Real Chemistry is proud to be Great Place to Work® certified; check out what our people shared about our culture and workplace on our Great Places to Work Profile here. We believe we can do our best when feeling our best, which is why we’ve put together a benefits program designed to give you the support you and your family need at every stage of life. Real Chemistry offers a comprehensive benefit program and perks, tailored to your region.

Working with Real HART: Since the pandemic, we have adapted to how our people told us they want to work. We have office locations in cities in the US, UK, and Europe with many employees and clients that serve as hubs where and when they need us. For employees who are within an hour of one of our offices, we expect attendance in the office two days per week, either at a Real Chemistry office or onsite with clients.

Real Chemistry believes we are best together – and our workplace strategy fosters connection and collaboration in person – but also supports flexibility for our people. Real Chemistry is an Equal Opportunity employer. We continually strive to build and sustain an inclusive and equitable work environment where our employees feel empowered to leverage all they bring from their personal lived experience and professional expertise, to make our team the best in the industry.