Account Director, Healthcare, Public Affairs, Brussels

Hanson Search is partnering with an international public affairs and strategic communications consultancy to appoint a Healthcare Public Affairs Account Director to its Brussels office. The role sits within a well-established Healthcare and Life Sciences practice, leading client accounts on high-profile EU health policy files.

About the Healthcare Public Affairs Account Director Role

The team advises organisations across the healthcare ecosystem on the political and regulatory issues that shape their ability to succeed, as well as their reputation. It combines detailed sector knowledge with a clear grasp of what policymakers, patients, healthcare providers and innovators prioritise across the EU and globally.

Clients include healthcare trade associations and companies across pharmaceuticals, biotech, medtech and the wider life sciences sector. The work ranges from shaping policy positions and engagement strategies to building coalitions and strengthening advocacy. It also includes disease awareness campaigns, issues management, media engagement and stakeholder mobilisation.

The Brussels healthcare team is a close-knit group of six, working with established and newly won clients on some of the most significant files in EU health policy. Colleagues bring public affairs and strategic communications expertise, with backgrounds in healthcare policy, science, finance and journalism.

As Account Director within the Brussels healthcare team, you will take ownership of client accounts, steering strategy and delivery day to day. You will work alongside healthcare specialists and colleagues from the firm’s public affairs, strategic communications, crisis and digital teams.

This Healthcare Public Affairs Account Director role suits someone with hands‑on grounding in EU health policy who is ready to lead accounts and guide colleagues. Shaping client advice is part of the role, though it does not call for a senior board‑level adviser.

You will work across a varied set of healthcare policy files, including:

• The EU pharmaceutical legislation review
• Antimicrobial resistance
• Pandemic preparedness
• Oncology, with a particular focus on early‑stage cancer
• General EU health policy

Healthcare Public Affairs Account Director Responsibilities

Client Leadership

• Act as day-to-day lead and first point of contact on client accounts, building trusted relationships with clients.
• Develop and deliver public affairs strategies and advocacy plans that support clients’ policy and business objectives.
• Manage multiple priorities in parallel, coordinating workstreams with colleagues so that clients receive consistent service.

Policy Analysis and Advice

• Deliver insightful analysis on political, regulatory, media and market developments, with clear recommendations for clients.
• Monitor and interpret developments across EU institutions and key files in pharmaceutical, biotech, medtech and wider health policy.
• Draft and manage policy briefings, position papers, presentations and other client documents, ensuring accuracy and timely delivery.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Engage with EU policymakers, patient groups, healthcare stakeholders and industry bodies on behalf of clients.
• Support coalition-building and media engagement where relevant to client objectives.
• Help organise client meetings and events, ensuring smooth execution.
• Build your own network across the Brussels health policy community.

Team and Business Development

• Coach more junior colleagues and give them constructive feedback.
• Contribute to brainstorming and pitch preparation, including research and drafting.
• Think strategically and tactically about client issues and account development.

Healthcare Public Affairs Experience and Skills

Essential

• Experience in healthcare public affairs, gained in a public affairs consultancy, a trade association, an EU institution or an in‑house policy team.
• Strong knowledge of EU institutions and decision‑making.
• A clear understanding of how the healthcare and life sciences sector works, including the policy environment for pharmaceutical, biotech, medtech and other life sciences companies.
• Solid knowledge of business issues and current EU and global debates, with a strong understanding of how business interacts with media and politics.
• A track record of working on client accounts and delivering strategic advice, with the readiness to take on greater account leadership.
• Excellent research and writing skills, with the ability to distil complex information into clear analysis for business audiences.
• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Proven project management abi