Senior Vice President, Influencer & Social - Health & Wellness

More about the role:

The Senior Vice President (SVP), Health & Wellness (H&W), Influencer and Social, is a transformational leadership role responsible for building, scaling and leading a dedicated H&W influencer practice within our best-in-class H&W team.

This individual will serve as the agency’s foremost expert in the healthcare/pharmaceutical influencer, social media, and integrated marketing/communications spaces. As part of this role, this individual will work with senior H&W leadership to architect the team, set a vision for H&W influencer/social within the context of Burson’s company influencer POV/offering, lead day-to-day business, and drive organic and new business growth opportunities.

The H&W team at Burson is one of the largest and most innovative groups in the space. We have pushed the limits of traditional healthcare communications with a complete 360-degree integrated offering – social, digital, data, brands, celebrity, influencer, science, corporate, consumer and paid media. We are looking for a visionary who wants to challenge both themselves and the status quo, and who is ready to build something special.

What you'll do:

Expertise Building and Team Leadership

• Reimagine the vision, capabilities, and operational framework for the influencer practice, refining and optimizing existing scalable processes for influencer identification, vetting, contracting, management and performance measurement, specifically as it relates to the pharmaceutical and healthcare space.
• Build on existing H&W influencer work to further enhance our best-in-class H&W influencer agency team, including hiring, onboarding and mentoring talent at all levels.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performing culture that attracts and retains top talent.
• Input into and work closely with Burson and WPP leadership to ensure cross-industry alignment on company-wide influencer approach.

Influencer Strategy & Execution

• Champion the end-to-end strategy, development, and execution of branded, unbranded and corporate influencer marketing programs for pharmaceutical, biotech, and H&W clients.
• Oversee influencer identification and selection across all tiers (celebrity, macro, micro, nano, KOL/HCP), with deep attention to audience alignment, credibility, and compliance requirements.
• Supervise teams developing influencer content briefs, negotiation frameworks, partnership agreements, and creative direction guidance, ensuring brand and regulatory alignment.
• Drive innovative, next-generation influencer approaches — including patient advocates, healthcare professionals, and community voices — that differentiate Burson's offer in the market.

Senior Client Partnership

• Serve as the senior influencer marketing counsel for key pharmaceutical and health & wellness clients, building trusted, long-term relationships with senior-level stakeholders.
• Translate client business goals into integrated influencer strategies that deliver measurable outcomes.
• Lead client presentations, business reviews, and strategic planning sessions with confidence and authority.

Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management

• Maintain a comprehensive, current understanding of FDA and FTC regulations governing influencer marketing and social media in healthcare.
• Implement proactive compliance frameworks to protect clients and the agency, partnering with legal and medical/regulatory review teams.
• Stay ahead of evolving platform policies and healthcare marketing guidelines, serving as a lead subject matter expert.

Integrated Collaboration

• Partner closely with internal teams — PR, social, paid media, creative, data & analytics — to deliver seamlessly integrated influencer programs.
• Serve as the connective tissue between influencer programming and broader omnichannel campaign strategies.
• Work directly with digital and creative leads to ensure a social-first creative approach for influencers across multi-channel campaigns.

Measurement, Analytics & Optimization

• Define KPIs, tracking methodologies, and reporting frameworks for influencer programs; collaborate with Burson’s Business Insights and Data Intelligence (BIDI) team to convey ROI delivered by influencer campaigns and collaborations.
• Leverage data and social listening tools to generate actionable insights and optimize campaigns in real time.

Business Development

• Play a pivotal role in new business pitches and RFP responses, bringing a compelling influencer marketing point of view to drive agency growth.
• Identify and convert organic growth opportunities within existing client relationships.

Experience that contributes to success:

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, or a related field.
• Minimum of 12+ years of experience in influencer marketing, social media, or digital communications, with a strong focus on the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry.
• Demonstrated success building and leading influencer teams or practices within an agency or in-house environment.
• Established track record in developing and managing large-scale influencer programs for healthcare clients — both branded and unbranded.
• Deep expertise in influencer marketing across all approaches, including HCP/KOL engagement, patient advocates, and consumer health influencers.
• Comprehensive and current knowledge of FDA, FTC, and platform regulations related to social media and influencer marketing in healthcare.
• Experience with influencer platforms, social listening tools, and analytics technologies (e.g., CreatorIQ, Brandwatch, or equivalent).
• Exceptional client management and executive presentation skills, with experience leading senior-level relationships in the pharmaceutical space.
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to translate campaign data into strategic insights and business recommendations.
• Proven financial acumen, including budget management and revenue responsibility for large scopes.
• A collaborative, entrepreneurial spirit with the drive to build something new and the resilience to navigate a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Desire to work in a diverse and inclusive organization as an active participant in culture initiatives, training opportunities, and employee resource groups.

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Burson is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.