Senior Manager/Account Director, Healthcare

Weber Shandwick Tokyo is seeking a dedicated Vice President to lead client programs of our expanding Healthcare Practice. This is a strategic role for an experienced communications professional who is passionate about driving meaningful impact — partnering closely with clients, leading high-performing teams, and advancing healthcare outcomes for patients.

You will integrate scientific expertise, strategic insight, and compelling storytelling — aligning client needs, societal trends, and scientific evidence to develop innovative, effective solutions that enhance awareness and promote behavior change across healthcare companies, their products, and the diseases they address.

 

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic planning and execution of integrated healthcare communications and public relations programs
• Act as a trusted advisor and project lead for both global and domestic healthcare clients
• Translate complex scientific and regulatory information into clear, compelling narratives across product, brand, corporate, and spokesperson content, ensuring high-quality deliverables
• Drive new business development, from leading pitch strategies to delivering persuasive presentations
• Foster cross-functional collaboration and mentor direct reports and junior team members to support growth and engagement

 

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience in healthcare communications, either in-house or at an agency, preferably within a multinational company
• Strong understanding of Japan’s healthcare environment and regulatory framework, with the ability to execute compliant, multi-channel communications
• Excellent communication and project management skills, with a proven ability to build and maintain strong relationships with clients, media, and stakeholders
• People management experience, including the ability to lead teams and projects with multiple stakeholders while mentoring team members and maintaining high engagement
• Native-level proficiency in Japanese and business-level proficiency in English, both written and spoken
• Strategic and analytical thinker with strong attention to detail, a growth mindset, and a collaborative approach; demonstrates digital literacy, business acumen, and professional integrity
• A genuine passion for using communications to improve healthcare outcomes

 

What We Offer

• Opportunities to collaborate with global and domestic prestigious healthcare clients
• A diverse and inclusive professional environment with flexible hybrid working style
• The opportunity to strengthen creative and strategic communication skills that drive real impact for society, supported by global colleagues and a collaborative internal network
• Competitive compensation and benefits

 

About our Client Experience Community

Members of our Client Experience Community are business partners to our clients by helping them to address opportunities or issues with communications strategies. We are the instigators of great work, lead the strategic development of integrated, cross-platform solutions and serve as the client’s advocate, ensuring quality ideas and an outstanding client experience. Client experience teams set the agenda and vision for our partners, lead the development of our best work and create fruitful client relationships. We explore marketplace opportunities and client needs to grow our relationships and increase our value as a trusted partner to our clients in their best and most challenging days.

 

#LI-AS2

Weber Shandwick Tokyo is seeking a Senior Associate to join our expanding Healthcare Practice. This is an excellent opportunity for a passionate and ambitious professional with experience or a strong interest in healthcare communications to build expertise and grow within a dynamic, globally connected agency.

In this role, you will contribute to the development and execution of integrated, multichannel communication programs for leading healthcare companies. By helping to translate complex scientific and regulatory information into compelling, socially relevant narratives, you will play a key role in shaping communications that positively impact patient outcomes. You will work closely with senior team members and global colleagues, gaining valuable experience in strategic planning, client servicing, and media engagement.

 

Responsibilities

• Support and drive the execution of integrated healthcare communication and PR initiatives across media, digital, and stakeholder platforms
• Support and drive research, content development, and preparation of a range of client deliverables
• Translate complex scientific and regulatory information into clear, locally resonant content for product, corporate, and digital channels
• Manage media relations efforts, including the drafting of materials and coordination of outreach activities
• Help manage project timelines and deliverables in collaboration with internal and external teams
• Collaborate across functions and contribute to a culture of learning, teamwork, and continuous improvement

 

Qualifications

• 1–2 years of experience in communications, public relations, or a related field; candidates with backgrounds in healthcare or life sciences and strong communication skills are encouraged to apply
• Demonstrated interest in the healthcare industry, with basic familiarity with medical, scientific, or regulatory concepts preferred
• Experience of media relations, including drafting and adapting media materials
• Fluency in Japanese and English; overseas study or international experience is a plus
• Excellent writing, organizational, and interpersonal skills
• Detail-oriented, proactive, and eager to grow in a fast-paced, collaborative environment
• A genuine passion for using communications to advance healthcare and societal well-being

 

 

About our Client Experience Community

Members of our Client Experience Community are business partners to our clients by helping them to address opportunities or issues with communications strategies. We are the instigators of great work, lead the strategic development of integrated, cross-platform solutions and serve as the client’s advocate, ensuring quality ideas and an outstanding client experience. Client experience teams set the agenda and vision for our partners, lead the development of our best work and create fruitful client relationships. We explore marketplace opportunities and client needs to grow our relationships and increase our value as a trusted partner to our clients in their best and most challenging days.

 

#LI-AS2

 

Who is Weber Shandwick?

Part of The Weber Shandwick Collective (TWSC), we’re the earned-first global communications agency, led by world-class strategic thinkers and creative activators. We create shared and sustainable value for businesses, people, and society. We energise the right mix of talent, using the right platforms and latest technology to choreograph stories that make a real and meaningful impact for some of the world’s leading brands and businesses. 

Our game-changing work is recognised by some of the most prestigious industry awards bodies, and we have won more than 135 Lions at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. We’re also PRWeek’s 2024 Global Agency of the Year as well as being listed on the Ad Age A-List 2024 and Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies 2024. 

 

What’s Happening? 

Weber Shandwick is looking for a Manager, Client Experience – Technology to join our growing focused on supporting clients in the technology space, including enterprise software, electronics and semiconductor manufacturing.

In this role, you will play a critical role in driving long-term success of our Technology practice, serving as day-to-day client liaison, recommending programs and activities to meet client goals, effectively managing external communications projects, delivering sound counsel and managing account budgets. The ideal candidate has a background in broad corporate communications with strong capability in media relations and experience – or strong interest – in technology.

 

What will you be doing?

• Develop understanding of the client’s industry, business and target audience, and work with senior specialists across media, strategy, creative and issues management to deliver solutions that meet program objectives
• Identify and analyze industry issues that directly and indirectly impact the client and distill meaningful insights to provide proactive counsel, and maintain real-time understanding of tech trends to support proactive ideation
• Generate storytelling ideas and topic angles, collaboratively develop content, draft media and briefing materials, and pitch media to land earned opportunities
• Assist in financial management for clients, including development of invoices, budget reconciliation and activity reports
• Actively participate in agency growth and assist with new business as needed
• Mentor, coach and support team members and support development of their skills
• Participate in office-wide initiatives, seminars and meetings to further professional learning and development

Qualifications

• 4+ years’ relevant experience
• Fluency in both Japanese and English as you’ll be working with both local and international clients
• Ambitious, with a passion for public relations and the vision to progress your career to a senior level with Weber Shandwick
• Unafraid to ask questions and to challenge clients’ and colleagues’ perspectives when necessary
• Highly organised with exceptional attention to detail
• Demonstrable experience in public relations and communications
• Proven media skills and relationships with national and trade journalists
• Able to digest complex information and turn into compelling written copy
• A lateral thinker – able to join the dots between various projects, and solve problems!
• Fluency in digital/social media platforms, with an appetite to learn more

 

Competencies

• Business Acumen – align talent strategies to drive business goals
• Client Service – client focus and ability to build trust and rapport across all levels
• Project Management – ability to delegate tasks and plan/execute projects to meet target deadlines
• Proactivity – exhibit relentless pursuit for new and innovative talent strategies
• Collaboration – build strong relationships at all levels across the organization
• Critical Thinking – ask probing questions; anticipate and address critical talent gaps and needs
• Conflict Resolution – possess sound judgment and savvy in navigating and resolving complex talent and organizational issues

 

 

About our Client Experience Community

Members of our Client Experience Community are business partners to our clients by helping them to address opportunities or issues with communications strategies. We are the instigators of great work, lead the strategic development of integrated, cross-platform solutions and serve as the client’s advocate, ensuring quality ideas and an outstanding client experience. Client experience teams set the agenda and vision for our partners, lead the development of our best work and create fruitful client relationships. We explore marketplace opportunities and client needs to grow our relationships and increase our value as a trusted partner to our clients in their best and most challenging days.

 

#LI-AS2