ZS Associates

Senior Lead, Program Director: Brand & Reputation

ZS Associates$120K — $160K *
Business Services
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • B.A./B.S. degree required; advanced degree preferred.
  • 10+ years of B2B marketing experience in consulting or related fields.
  • Ability to manage cross-functional initiatives in a matrixed organization.
  • Strong relationship-building and communication skills with senior stakeholders.
  • Experience in translating objectives into structured marketing plans.
  • Analytical thinking with problem-solving capabilities.
  • Proven track record in delivering comprehensive marketing campaigns.

Responsibilities

  • Develop a deep understanding of ZS Impact Institute's research priorities and competitive landscape.
  • Partner with leaders to define strategic content roadmaps and priority topics.
  • Create and manage an integrated editorial calendar for alignment across initiatives.
  • Own program planning, translating priorities into a coordinated marketing approach.
  • Execute multi-faceted marketing campaigns linked to flagship research themes.
  • Collaborate with content experts to simplify complex insights into engaging narratives.
  • Monitor campaign performance against KPIs and optimize strategies for better engagement.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive total rewards package for health, well-being, and professional development.
  • Robust skills-building programs and career progression opportunities.
  • Encouragement of cross-functional skills development and internal mobility.
  • Flexible hybrid working model combining remote and on-site work.
  • Opportunities for client engagement and diverse experiences through travel.
Full Job Description
As a Program Director, Senior Lead, you will help grow the ZS Impact Institute by turning its research and thought leadership into campaigns, content, and programs that build reputation and engagement with senior executive audiences. You will sit at the crossroads of strategy, execution, and analytics, working closely with Institute leadership, industry experts, and marketing teams to deliver coordinated, measurable results. You will play a key role in running the Institute program, partnering with ZS leadership and the Institute content senior lead to identify priority topics, shape the research and content agenda, and turn it into a clear, actionable marketing plan. You will become the go to expert on the audience and the issues that matter to them, building a deep understanding of healthcare executive priorities, shaping the Institute's narratives, and making sure marketing strengthens ZS's voice and trust in the market.

You will lead strategy and campaign execution, taking ownership of both the quality of the messaging and how well it connects with target audiences.

What You'll Do

Institute go-to-market planning
  • Develop a deep understanding of ZS Impact Institute priorities, research agenda, and competitive landscape
  • Partner with Institute leaders and SMEs to define priority topics, shape the Institute content roadmap, and align on strategic focus areas
  • Build and manage an integrated editorial calendar, ensuring alignment across research, thought leadership, campaigns, and executive engagement moments
  • Own program planning and orchestration for the Institute, translating priorities into a coordinated, multi-quarter marketing plan


Campaign & Content Activation
  • Execute integrated, Institute-led marketing campaigns aligned to flagship research themes and narratives
  • Partner with Senior Content Lead and SMEs to translate complex research and data-driven insights into clear, compelling stories tailored to senior audiences
  • Coordinate across marcomms functions to operationalize flagship reports, related webinars and podcasts, and executive engagement assets
  • Develop and deploy executive-facing messaging and engagement playbooks
  • Deliver high-quality campaign and asset execution with strong attention to detail
  • Manage multiple workstreams with clear timelines and accountability
  • Support activation of Institute content through executive programs, events, and relationship-building channels


Performance Tracking & Insights
  • Monitor campaign and program performance against defined KPIs (awareness, engagement, influence)
  • Use insights to optimize targeting, messaging, and channel mix to strengthen audience connection and credibility
  • Support reporting on marketing impact, including reach, engagement quality, and contribution to brand and reputation goals
  • Maintain structured documentation of campaigns, assets and outcomes


What You'll Bring

  • B.A./B.S. degree required, advanced degree welcome
  • 10+ years of marketing experience in B2B marketing, consulting, or related field
  • Comfort working cross-functionally in a matrixed environment, influencing without direct authority
  • Excellent relationship-building and communication skills, able to engage senior stakeholders internally and externally
  • Ability to translate business objectives into structured marketing plans
  • Strong analytical thinking and ability to solve ambiguous, cross-functional problems
  • Proven experience delivering end-to-end marketing programs or campaigns
  • Strong project management and ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously
  • Ability to develop clear, concise, executive-ready messaging and materials
  • Skilled in translating technical/complex topics into compelling narratives
  • Fluency in English
  • Client-first mentality
  • Intense work ethic
  • Collaborative spirit and problem-solving approach


How you'll grow:
  • Cross-functional skills development & custom learning pathways
  • Milestone training programs aligned to career progression opportunities
  • Internal mobility paths that empower growth via s-curves, individual contribution and role expansions


Perks & Benefits:

At ZS, your growth matters. We offer a comprehensive total rewards package that supports your health and well-being, financial future, time away, and professional development. With robust skills-building programs, multiple career progression paths, internal mobility, and a deeply collaborative culture, you'll have the opportunity to do meaningful work, expand your capabilities, and thrive as part of a global community. For details on total rewards in United States, visit ZS US office locations | Where we work | ZS.

Hybrid working model:

We are committed to giving our employees a flexible and connected way of working. A flexible and connected ZS allows us to combine work from home and on-site presence at clients/ZS offices for the majority of our week. The magic of ZS culture and innovation thrives in both planned and spontaneous face-to-face connections.

Travel:

Travel is a requirement at ZS for client facing ZSers; business needs of your project and client are the priority. While some projects may be local, all client-facing ZSers should be prepared to travel as needed. Travel provides opportunities to strengthen client relationships, gain diverse experiences, and enhance professional growth by working in different environments and cultures.

About ZS Associates

ZS is a professional services firm that works side by side with companies to help develop and deliver products that drive customer value and company results. From R&D to portfolio strategy, customer insights, marketing and sales strategy, operations and technology, we leverage our deep industry expertise and leading-edge analytics to create solutions that work in the real world. Our most valuable asset is our people?a fact that?s reflected in our values-driven organization in which new perspectives are integral and new ideas are celebrated. ZSers are passionately committed to helping companies and their customers thrive in industries ranging from healthcare and life sciences, to high-tech, financial services, travel and transportation, and beyond.
Learn more about ZS Associates
Size
10,000 employees
Industry
Founded
1983

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