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Junior Account Executive – Pharma Comms PR (£26K-£28K, DOE)

London, England, United Kingdom

About us:

Virgo Health is a specialist health communications agency, part of the GOLIN group and the wider IPG network of companies with more than 200 offices around the world as well as hubs in London, New York and Chicago.

We are passionate about helping people to make better decisions around health and wellbeing. Whether it’s clinicians selecting the best treatment, patients understanding their disease better or empowering consumers to self-treat, we always make sure that the human aspect is at the heart of what we do. We work with pharmaceutical, diagnostic and consumer health companies, industry bodies, public and private health providers as well as patient organisations.

When we choose to work in healthcare, we choose to work in an industry with people at its heart; we celebrate our differences and how we complement each other. But at Virgo, ‘Being Human’ is what unites us, and it’s fundamental to our culture. We show empathy and support for each other to grow our skills. embracing inclusive and flexible ways of working and rejecting outdated workplace culture. We have a brilliant team that works well together to deliver effective content and to celebrate our successes.

What is the role?

As a Junior Account Executive (JAE) you will be in a trainee role. As well as demonstrating a real thirst to understand the healthcare industry and to develop PR abilities, you will play a key role in the smooth running of client accounts, with the main responsibilities including logistical and administrative support, and develop PR skills and processes. The JAE role will allow you to demonstrate key skills and behaviours required to be a PR professional, consistently delivering high standards of work to deadlines, and gaining the ability to multitask and prioritise in order to manage time effectively.

Key Responsibilities

Account Administration 

• Build good rapport with clients, playing an active role in any meetings or teleconferences you attend
• Ensure call readiness for updates and status meetings, booking rooms as needed, starting calls promptly with materials ready to be shared
• Ensure the team is prepared for client and new business meetings, supporting with organising meeting materials and ensuring meeting rooms are prepared in advance
• Help the team manage effective account team administrative procedures, e.g., printing, binding, scanning, team action lists etc.
• Review and reference documents and develop Veeva (or similar) skills uploading client documents for review and tagging references, building experience with correct referencing format and software, where needed
• Develop and proactively update interval action lists, status reports and minutes, generating client friendly versions, as appropriate, to good standard
• Take responsibility for filing and storage of client materials and emails, keeping team updated. Ensure all files are labelled using correct file naming systems and folder hygiene is maintained
• Play an active role in VHC morning media scanning and take responsibility for ensuring that clients receive daily coverage in a timely fashion , discussing any needs for further action with team
• Work within agreed time allocation for jobs and accurately input hours working into timesheets on SAP

Communications

• Develop basic media knowledge and understanding of the different types of media and journalists
• Develop an understanding of how press materials are tailored to different types of media
• Build an understanding of social media and when and how it is used
• Develop proficient first drafts of basic communications materials, e.g., backgrounders, case studies, speaker information, emails to clients
• Become familiar with using tools such as Gorkana, Factiva and Brand Watch
• Develop a knowledge of the products and disease areas that you work in and the role that communications plays in supporting them
• Develop an understanding of the media landscape, target journalists and sell ins
• Support the senior team with fundamental research for proposals and new business pitches
• Ensure all the written communication is produced within the Virgo house style format and quality
• Play an active role in your peer group meetings and participate in wider company activity to build specialist knowledge and experience

Skills/requirements:

• Degree or graduate-calibre skills and qualifications
• Excellent organisation and administration skills with systematic and logical approach to planning
• Computer literate with MS Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Teams
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills
• Experience of using social media, e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc
• Attention to detail
• Interest in healthcare

What do we offer?

• Competitive salary and benefits
• Hybrid working, 2 days/week in the office 
• 6 weeks annual leave
• Monthly well-being allowance
• A fantastic office space in Shoreditch
• Industry-leading gender neutral family friendly policies
• Clear career progression and excellent training programmes developed by our L&D Director

+ many other perks!

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At IPG we are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.