Senior Account Manager

As a growing scientific communications agency, we are seeking a Senior Account Manager (SAM), preferably based on the East Coast, who will play a critical role in managing complex projects and accounts with a high degree of self-sufficiency and excellence. They will be responsible for ensuring that clients projects are delivered on budget, on schedule, to the agreed specification, consistently meeting client expectations, whilst achieving the organisation's KPIs. They will function as the central knowledge point for the account's projects, proactively driving timelines, resource needs and delivery.

Please note: We are a remote-first organization, and we embrace an accelerate from anywhere culture. You may be required to travel based on business requirements or for company/team events.

Client management

• Collaborate with senior CS team to develop KAPs and maintain client engagement plan, helping to ensure successful delivery of anticipated annual fee
• Partner with Medical Account Lead to build and maintain strong client relationships that support account growth
• Support senior CS team to develop scopes of work, onboarding clients and setting ways of working, and be a knowledge point for account health checks while proactively flagging any concerns to help support risk mitigation plans
• Actively seek first-hand client feedback to enhance service delivery and development of innovative solutions, involving senior team members where required
• Maintain regular client communications ensuring service levels are being met
• Update CRM/Excel (client meetings, objectives, financial insights) for account(s)
• Travel to client meetings and for onsite responsibilities
• In readiness for transition to AD role, lead $1-1.5M account (dependent on service mix, could be higher)

Strategic and commercial insight

• Develop awareness of client's broader enterprise environment such as the organisation's vision, governing body limitations, and evolving opportunities such as social media and AI to ensure best possible solutions for accounts and service offerings
• Ensure implementation of MSA framework (e.g., hourly rates, charging for travel time) and internal processes
• Demonstrate knowledge of therapy area, product, and asset competitors, as well as knowledge of CLS services

Account leadership

• Drive account performance through
  • Leading client project status calls and internal status meetings
  • Maintaining proactive client communication supported by accurate status and financial reports
  • Keeping deep knowledge of all live projects, their objectives, and timelines to ensure pull-through of fee recognition and meeting critical milestones
  • Fostering strong working relationships with internal teams and optimizing collaboration by understanding each team member's role
  • Utilise senior CS team members (e.g., line manager, CSD) to cascade negative client feedback to the team
  • Instigate standard project briefings and client debriefs, ensuring key learnings and improved ways of working are included in onward account service delivery
  • Utilise senior CS team members (e.g., line manager, CSD) for strategic, innovative and new service projects
• Regularly review (monthly) performance of account team (quality/project recoveries/timelines/fee vs forecast)
• With support of senior CS team (e.g., Executive Sponsor/CSD), support integration of team changes (where necessary), retaining a flexible mindset
• Cascade your understanding of client, internal processes and MSA account specifics to account team, to facilitate ongoing adherence (including compliance training, AE reporting, financial aspects etc.)

Business development

• Where possible, identify and generate new opportunities within existing accounts, calling upon expertise of senior CS team to explore new project types / opportunities
• Develop a deep understanding of Cactus Medical's capabilities and service offerings, and use this knowledge to create proposals that drive organic growth on existing accounts, with review from the senior CS team
• Mobilise senior CS team to run quarterly brainstorming meetings to support account growth
• Along with CS leadership, implement client engagement plan (as part of KAP) to sustain and grow account (with sign off from Executive Sponsor)

Financial/KPI accountability

• Support senior CS team with MSA content/amends for negotiations and procurement discussions, and contribute to KAP development with input from Medical Account Lead and Project Management Account Lead
• Work with Finance to manage client invoicing and ensure accurate monthly financial reporting including development of SoWs, reconciliations, out of scope tracking, charging and corrective onward team action, fee vs forecast, and blue-sky projects for onward pipeline gaps
• Support senior CS Lead in securing annual project conversion and organic growth to meet account targets in support of repeat/continual business
• Ensure formal approval (from Finance and Executive Sponsor) before any discounts, rebates, and write-offs are provided to the client
• Where possible, develop streamlined / efficient account reporting practices and circulate to broader client service team

#LI-Remote

• Bachelor's degree (life sciences preferred), with 3.5+ years of proven experience in medical communications or pharmaceutical industry (preferably med comms) with at least 18 months as an Account Manager
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Office suite (e.g., Microsoft Project), Adobe, AI utilisation, omnichannel/digital knowledge
• Strong client relationship and business communication skills with experience in leading small accounts, executing global programs, and managing multiple priorities to meet client goals
• Strong knowledge about the medical communications services, client environment, and organisational metrics, enabling good decision making and effective KPI management
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage and prioritise multiple projects simultaneously and can lead with a high level of autonomy and can adapt to new accounts when needed
• Stay calm under pressure, seeking support when escalation is likely and can act as a positive role model guiding team members to deliver high quality service
• A clear and confident communicator who maintains effective two-way dialogue, demonstrates professionalism, admits mistakes when needed, works collaboratively while recognising the contributions of others, and demonstrates strong problem-solving skills
• Fluency in English, both written and spoken, fluency in other languages is a plus

• Annual leaves, public holidays, personal days, and a special day off for your birthday
• Supportive leave options including maternity, paternity, and sabbatical opportunities
• Comprehensive health coverage for you and your family, including dental and vision care
• Holistic wellness supports access to medical, mental health, and specialist care
• Financial security through life assurance and income protection
• Retirement savings plan with employer contributions and flexible options
• Company-provided mobile phone to keep you connected
• Reimbursement for travel and business-related expenses

Before applying, please ensure you meet the role requirements listed above and have legal authorization to work in the country where this role is advertised. Our selection process typically involves an initial screening by a recruiter, two to three interview rounds with the Hiring Manager and peers, and the final HR round.

Equal Opportunity

Our hiring practices reflect our commitment to providing equal opportunities and creating an environment where everyone can thrive, develop, and succeed.We celebrate the uniqueness of our team members and prohibit discrimination of any kind, based on race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

Accelerating from Anywhere

As a remote-first organization, these are essential attributes we look for in all our candidates.

• Taking ownership of your work with minimal supervision, showing strong ability to organize, prioritize and deliver results independently.
• Documenting work that brings everyone on the same page.
• Maturity to choose between synchronous and asynchronous collaboration.
• Effectively collaborating with colleagues across different time zones by setting dedicated hours for collaboration and keeping team members updated through your MS Teams status.

At Cactus Life Sciences (cactuslifesciences.com), we believe the future of medical communications lies at the intersection of science, technology, and human connection. Headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, with teams in Switzerland, the United Kingdom, India, and Japan, we help biopharmaceutical organizations redefine scientific exchange-leveraging AI, automation, and innovation while keeping patients at the heart of everything we do.

Our expertise spans medical strategy, scientific content development, and medical education across therapeutic areas and the product lifecycle. By blending scientific rigor, agile operational models, and future-ready technologies, we partner with medical affairs teams to catalyze their transformation, adapt to a changing landscape, and drive meaningful outcomes for healthcare communities worldwide.