Account Director | Healthcare | Dublin

About us

 

Hanover is an award-winning communications consultancy that advises enterprises, institutions, and individuals on building recognition and enhancing reputation.

From our offices across Europe and the Middle East, we adopt an integrated approach that connects the dots across channels, audiences and issues.

Our collective of smart, curious people think differently and live by a shared mission, purpose, vision, and values. These shape how we work, not just with our colleagues, but with clients and partners too.

Our mission is to ‘rewire communications for impact’ and harness its transformative power to advocate, trailblaze and make a difference.

We do this by igniting and empowering the potential of every individual within our company, recognising that each person is a unique spark, capable of creating extraordinary impact. We believe that by nurturing and harnessing the collective brilliance of our people, we can drive innovation, foster an uncommon work culture, and make a positive difference to society.

Embracing the complete range of skills and services across the communications spectrum without constraint, we create the best outcomes for our clients and deliver world-class work.

Role Overview

We are looking for an ambitious, experienced, and enthusiastic Account Director to join our dynamic and fast-growing Dublin Health team. 
 
In this pivotal leadership role, you will provide top-tier strategic communications and public affairs advice to clients across the healthcare and life sciences sector, ensuring their needs are met and exceeded through your deep understanding of their commercial objectives, policy environment, and the broader market landscape. 
 
You will oversee client accounts from end to end – serving as the primary contact, managing project teams, ensuring the highest standards in outputs, and leading media and stakeholder engagement. You will also spearhead new business initiatives, from identifying and developing opportunities to delivering winning pitches. 
 
The successful candidate will have an entrepreneurial spirit, strong sector knowledge, and a track record of delivering impactful, integrated campaigns. 

Irish and European policymakers are facing huge challenges in their approaches to managing healthcare.  The traditional approaches are no longer sustainable, and new thinking and solutions are needed to get the latest medicines, innovations and technologies to patients. The healthcare sector is alive with exciting and game-changing developments in personalised medicine and digital healthcare that could transform patient and family lives and support the healthcare systems of the future. 
 
In order for companies to get cut through in this changing world, closer alignment is needed between public affairs, policy and market access to unlock opportunities to get the latest innovations to patients more effectively and quickly. 
 
The team in Ireland is working with some of the leading players in the pharmaceutical sector to navigate the fast-changing landscape. This includes companies bringing through the next generation of cancer medicines and pioneering advances in hepatitis C, diabetes and rare diseases. 

Primary Responsibilities 

• Provide timely and relevant strategic communications advice to clients in the healthcare and life sciences sector. 

• Develop close, trusted relationships with clients, serving as their primary point of contact. 

• Lead the delivery of all client services across multiple accounts, ensuring outputs meet the highest quality standards. 

• Oversee and lead media relations programmes; build and maintain strong media contacts within relevant health, policy, and business outlets. 

• Monitor health policy, media, and market developments, identifying proactive opportunities for client engagement. 

• Lead and project manage new business development – from pipeline management to pitch creation and delivery. 

• Maintain an active and expanding health sector network to generate opportunities for Hanover. 

• Mentor and line manage junior team members, fostering their development and career progression. 

• Ensure effective financial management of accounts, including budgeting, forecasting, and resource allocation. 

Skills & Experience 

• Experience in health communications, public affairs, or PR – either in-agency or in-house. 

• Strong understanding of the Irish healthcare policy and media landscape. 

• Proven track record in managing client accounts, teams, and budgets. 

• Experience delivering high-quality communications strategies and campaigns in complex or regulated environments. 

• Strong media handling skills and the ability to advise clients in high-pressure or crisis situations. 

• Demonstrated success in business development and pitching. 

• Excellent verbal and creative writing skills. 

• Highly organised, detail-oriented, and adept at balancing multiple priorities. 

What We Offer 

In addition to a competitive salary, your core benefits package will include:  

• An annual performance-related bonus plus additional bonus potential linked to recruitment, new business and long service 

• 25 days’ annual leave (plus bank holidays) 

• Private healthcare insurance 

• A company pension plan, including 5% employer contribution 

You’ll also have access to a wide range of opportunities and initiatives, including: 

• Flexible working policies, plus eligibility to apply for a sabbatical after 2 years’ service 

• The Hanover Academy, which incorporates training, coaching, mentoring to support personal development and career progression across all levels, with a generous training budget 

• International secondments as well as the opportunity to collaborate with all offices across the AVENIR GLOBAL’s network 

• A wellbeing programme, featuring (but not limited to) subsidised gym membership. 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement + 

 

Hanover Communications is an equal opportunities employer, committed to creating and ensuring a fair, inclusive, and diverse work environment where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. We believe that equality and diversity are essential to high performance and a thriving culture.

We maintain a strict no-tolerance stance against any form of discrimination and harassment, ensuring all individuals are treated equitably, irrespective of their race, ethnicity, religion, beliefs, age, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, marital or pregnancy status, genetic background, or any other attribute safeguarded under our company policies or federal, state or local laws and legislation.

We want to ensure that our hiring process is accessible. If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please send an email to recruitment@hanovercomms.com with the nature of your request.

We are committed to transparency about how we collect and use your data, including ensuring we comply with legal obligations relating to data protection. You can view our data privacy policy here. 

Hanover is part of AVENIR GLOBAL’s powerhouse of specialist communications consultancies across EMEA and North America. Collectively we rank among the top 15 largest communication firms in the world.

Find out more about Hanover and working for us.