Responsibilities: The Associate Director, Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Data Communications is the dedicated communications lead for Lilly's cardiometabolic health pipeline, accountable for core deliverables: data congress strategy and milestone data communications. This role is embedded with LRL counterparts in cardiometabolic health and maintains a dotted-line relationship with the Cardiometabolic Health TA communications lead. Lilly's cardiometabolic portfolio is one of the most expansive in the industry, spanning incretins, cardiovascular disease, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), and related conditions. This therapeutic area sits at the center of Lilly's growth story and public narrative. Reporting to the Senior Director, Global Data Storytelling Communications, the Associate Director leads communications across the scientific lifecycle for cardiometabolic health assets, from pre-clinical through first regulatory approval, ensuring every data moment is strategically planned, narratively connected to the enterprise science story, and executed with the quality and ambition that reflects Lilly's position as the world's most valuable healthcare company. This is a trusted advisor to senior R&D and TA leaders.
Specific responsibilities include:
- DATA COMMUNICATIONS AND NARRATIVE STRATEGY: Develop and own the early, mid- and late-stage communications strategy and positioning for the cardiometabolic health pipeline. Architect narratives before milestones land, ensuring Lilly shapes how the science is understood rather than reacting to it. Connect every data readout to the broader Lilly enterprise science story.
- CONGRESS STRATEGY: Follow early Congress playbooks to show up with Lilly's CMH data where and how it matters.
PUBLICATIONS STRATEGY: Partner with medical affairs and R&D to align publications strategy with communications objectives. Ensure peer-reviewed data disclosures reinforce the corporate narrative and are supported by proactive media and stakeholder engagement. - EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS AND COUNSEL: Serve as a trusted advisor to senior cardiometabolic health R&D and TA leaders. Prepare executives for media interviews, scientific congresses, and other high-stakes engagements. Develop executive visibility strategies and supporting materials.
- MEDIA RELATIONS: Develop and execute proactive media strategy for cardiometabolic health pipeline milestones. Build and maintain relationships with key journalists covering the therapeutic area. Manage reactive media inquiries in partnership with the broader media relations team.
- CROSS-TA AND ENTERPRISE INTEGRATION: Partner with fellow TA leads, the Emerging and Portfolio Science team, and the Global Consumer Science Communications and Scientific Storytelling Communications pillars to ensure narratives are integrated. Contribute to the enterprise data release playbook and unified congress presence.
- ISSUES MANAGEMENT: Develop messaging frameworks, scenario plans, and rapid-response protocols for competitive and reputational issues specific to the therapeutic area. Serve as a trusted expert for issues navigation within the communications function.
- TEAM COLLABORATION: Partner across communications to execute plans. Manage agency partners and external resources effectively.
Basic Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in communications, science, public relations, or related field
- Minimum 5 years of communications experience in pharmaceutical, biotech, or healthcare environments
- Qualified candidates must be legally authorized to be employed in the United States. Lilly does not anticipate providing sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H-1B or TN status) for this employment position.
Additional Skills/Preferences- Strong understanding of the cardiometabolic landscape, including GLP-1 receptor agonists, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular outcomes, and MASH. Familiarity with the competitive dynamics in this rapidly evolving space.
- Demonstrated experience in cardiometabolic health or closely related therapeutic area communications
- Proven experience with clinical data communications, congress strategy, and media relations
- Experience providing strategic communications counsel to senior executives
- Exceptional ability to translate complex scientific and clinical data into compelling narratives for diverse audiences, including media, investors, policymakers, and patients
- Demonstrated ability to architect proactive narratives around data milestones rather than responding reactively
- Strong media relations skills with experience engaging top-tier science, health, and business journalists
- Experience with publication planning and medical affairs collaboration
- Proven judgment in high-pressure situations with significant reputational implications
- Proactive, anticipatory mindset with the discipline to prepare for emerging issues and competitive dynamics
- Track record of communications work that drove measurable business outcomes
- Strong executive presence and credibility with senior stakeholders across R&D, commercial, and corporate functions
Additional Information• Location: Indianapolis, IN.
• Domestic and international travel expected (15-25%).
Actual compensation will depend on a candidate's education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is
$127,500 - $187,000
Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, 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.
