Group Business Director

We are an entrepreneurial business, not a traditional “ad agency.” That means we value resourcefulness and tenacity just as much as we value creativity and intelligence. We’re unapologetically ambitious!

We are looking for a Group Business Director to help lead our growing Eli Lilly partnership, shaping culturally relevant creative work for brands that impact people’s health.

Position Summary

As a Group Business Director, you will own the health, growth, and performance of a portfolio of Eli Lilly brands and workstreams. You will serve as a senior strategic partner to VP- and SVP-level marketing stakeholders, connecting brand priorities, patient needs, and cultural opportunities into a clear vision for the business.

You will make portfolio-level decisions with minimal executive oversight, lead and develop Business Directors and Business Supervisors, and co-own financial performance with Program Management. You will balance creative ambition with the rigor of a regulated category, bringing clear judgment to complex decisions and engaging executive leadership when significant risks or investments require alignment.

What You Will Do

Lead Portfolio Strategy and Growth

• Partner with the Executive Director to drive portfolio performance and strengthen client relationships, setting priorities across assigned brands and workstreams and proactively addressing risks to the partnership.
• Develop and drive growth plans that connect unmet client needs with Translation’s capabilities, expanding relationships and agency impact.
• Build a deep understanding of Lilly’s business, patient audiences, and competitive dynamics; identify opportunities across brands and connect them into a broader business vision.

Build Senior Client Partnerships

• Build trusted relationships with senior marketing leaders, shaping client agendas and influencing decisions through clear, proactive counsel.
• Navigate complex stakeholder needs, constructively challenge assumptions, and lead sensitive conversations about priorities, investment, and the work.
• Maintain a consistent pulse on client satisfaction, risks, and opportunities, aligning Lilly’s brand teams, internal creative team, and agency partners.

Champion Strategic and Creative Excellence

• Ensure work solves meaningful business problems and meets Translation’s standards for strategic rigor, creative and cultural excellence, and client readiness.
• Guide Strategy, Context, Creative, and Analytics toward ambitious ideas grounded in audience insight, business objectives, and clear measures of success.
• Champion empathetic, accessible health communications that reflect real patient experiences, with alignment to client-provided medical, legal, and regulatory guidance.

Own Commercial Performance

• Co-own portfolio financial performance with Program Management, including resource allocation, profitability, forecasting, and long-term growth.
• Lead senior client conversations on scopes, fees, changing needs, and investment; ensure commercial implications are addressed before commitments are made.
• Coach Business Directors on commercial judgment and make investment recommendations across the portfolio, balancing immediate needs with long-term opportunity.

Develop Teams and Align Delivery

• Lead, mentor, and develop Business Directors and Business Supervisors through regular coaching, semi-annual performance reviews, and meaningful development opportunities.
• Establish clear roles, accountability, and development pathways, building teams that exercise sound judgment and collaborate effectively.
• Partner with Program Management, which leads operational planning and delivery, to align staffing, scope, schedules, and review requirements with business goals.
• Ensure seamless integration across Strategy, Context, Creative, and Production; confirm feasibility before major commitments and resolve competing portfolio priorities.

Strengthen the Agency

• Partner with department leaders to shape Business Leadership standards, improve ways of working, and strengthen agency capabilities.
• Support new business pitches and represent Translation through relevant partnerships and industry participation.
• Help recruit and develop a strong pipeline of future Business Leadership talent.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Strong business judgment and strategic fluency, with the ability to turn complex client needs into clear priorities across multiple brands.
• Executive presence and exceptional communication skills, with the confidence to influence senior stakeholders and navigate difficult conversations.
• Commercial acumen across scopes, staffing, profitability, and forecasting, paired with a collaborative approach to Program Management.
• Ability to champion integrated creative work while respecting accuracy and medical, legal, and regulatory review requirements.
• A decisive, curious leadership style that develops other leaders and builds a culture of accountability and collaboration.

Minimum Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in an agency or communications-related industry, with a well-rounded understanding of marketing, media, creative, production, and agency finance.
• Proven success leading a portfolio of businesses or a complex multi-brand client relationship, with responsibility for financial performance and organic growth. Experience at a scale comparable to $6M–$10M+ in annual agency revenue.
• Demonstrated ability to advise VP- and SVP-level marketing clients and make consequential business decisions with limited executive oversight.
• Experience managing and developing senior account or Business Leadership talent and leading integrated, multi-channel campaigns and large-scale production.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with pharmaceutical, healthcare, or other regulated brands and medical, legal, and regulatory review. Direct pharma experience is a plus, not a requirement; curiosity about the category and an eagerness to learn are valued.
• Experience with consumer health communications, patient storytelling, brand launches, or culturally relevant campaigns, including talent partnerships, social content, or experiential work.
• Experience partnering with in-house creative teams and working within a multi-agency environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, or a related field.

Salary Hiring Range: $175,000 - $210,000

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