Associate Director, Media & Influence

Associate Director, Media & Influence

The Associate Director, Media & Influence will serve as a key member of the Media & Influence team supporting external communications across the Eli Lilly business. The role is responsible for shaping and stewarding Lilly's corporate narrative across the full external communications landscape, building trust and influence with audiences that shape our reputation — patients, policymakers, investors, scientific communities, employees, and the public.

Working across therapeutic areas, functional teams, and geographies, the Associate Director translates complex business achievements, scientific innovations, and corporate initiatives into compelling narratives that resonate across traditional and emerging media platforms.

• 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.
• Develop and pitch proactive stories that connect Lilly's pipeline, business performance, and corporate initiatives to patient impact and innovation leadership.
• 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&A, 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.

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

• 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…