Associate Director - Media Relations & Influence

Responsibilities

• Execute day-to-day media relations and influence activity across traditional and emerging platforms, managing pitches, inbound inquiries, and ongoing reporter relationships.
• Contribute to the enterprise media and influence strategy, taking an audience- and data-first approach to identify where Lilly's key audiences form trust, how they consume information, and which platforms, voices, and formats will move perception and business outcomes.
• Create modern media strategies for milestones, product launches, and media events, that reflect an audience-first approach.
• Map and build the modern media ecosystem — traditional journalists, independent creators, community moderators, podcasters, newsletter writers, substack and reddit authors, and influencers — and cultivate a deep, current rolodex of relationships across new verticals and platforms, not just legacy media. Become our in-house media guru.
• Develop and pitch proactive stories that connect Lilly's pipeline, business performance, and corporate initiatives to patient impact and innovation leadership, supporting senior team members on narrative, targeting, and pitch approach.
• Support planning and execution of product announcements and high-stakes media events, including drafting media plans and materials, coordinating spokesperson preparation, and managing post-event follow-up.
• Help prepare executives and subject matter experts to represent Lilly across media platforms — legacy and emerging — by drafting briefing materials, talking points, and Q&As, and supporting strategic placements including interviews, bylines, podcasts, and speaking opportunities.
• Partner with global communications counterparts across therapeutic areas, business development, investor communications and other external communications functions to ensure upleveled storytelling that resonates with the stakeholders who shape Lilly's reputation.
• Track coverage, sentiment, share of voice, and message pull-through across the full ecosystem, and use data and audience insights to demonstrate media's impact on perception and business outcomes.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Marketing, or a related field.
• 6 years of experience in communications, media relations, or public relations.

Preferred

• Demonstrated experience building and implementing media and influence strategies across both traditional outlets and emerging platforms (podcasts, newsletters, creator networks, social platforms).
• Previous experience in communications, media relations, or influence at a Fortune 500 company, large pharmaceutical or healthcare organization, or major newsroom (in-house or agency side).
• Proven ability to build and energize a modern media rolodex — including independent creators, podcasters, newsletter writers, community moderators, and influencers — across new verticals and platforms, not just legacy outlets.
• Proficient in using audience data, social listening, and media analytics to shape strategy, measure impact, and demonstrate business value.
• Prior work translating complex topics — financial performance, scientific innovation, corporate strategy — into narratives that resonate with varied audiences.
• Experience in product communications within healthcare or medicine preferred, but not required.
• Proven ability – with examples – to proactively storytelling outside landmarks, product launches, etc.
• Experience navigating matrixed global organizations, building trust and influence across functional boundaries while maintaining strategic alignment.
• Deep understanding of the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare landscape, with the credibility to engage on regulatory, scientific, policy, and patient topics.
• Stays current with communications trends and tools, including AI-enabled platforms; brings fresh thinking beyond traditional pharmaceutical communications and demonstrates sound judgment in high-stakes and crisis situations.

Benefits

• 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.