Planning Director

Havas Lynx Group; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A global advertising agency is seeking a Planning Director to lead strategic initiatives within the healthcare sector. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in healthcare and pharmaceuticals, proven leadership skills, and the ability to build solid relationships with clients. This role offers a supportive environment with numerous benefits, including hybrid working options and extensive professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Hybrid working options

28 days annual leave

Early Friday finishes

Life insurance

Company pension scheme

Wellbeing programme

Qualifications

• Extensive healthcare experience is a must; pharmaceutical experience is essential.
• Proven experience leading and developing a team of strategists.
• Ability to build effective partnerships with clients.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic offering and inspire excellence in your team.
• Build strong client relationships and identify new business opportunities.
• Mentor strategists and planners within your team.

Skills

Team leadership

Strategic thinking

Brand building

Client relationship management

Effective communication

Tools

Generative AI tools

Job description

Planning Director – Havas Lynx

Pharmaceutical experience is a need for this role; if you do not have this, we cannot proceed with your application. You will be passionate about creating advertising that not only informs but also transforms lives within the healthcare sector.

At Havas Lynx, a global advertising agency at the forefront of healthcare communications, we combine unmatched creativity, extensive expertise, and a deep understanding of the pharmaceutical and healthcare field. Our communications resonate deeply with audiences and adhere to the highest standards of healthcare advertising.

We work in close partnership with healthcare professionals, patients, carers, and leading pharmaceutical brands to navigate the complex challenges of today’s healthcare landscape. Our approach blends strategic insights and deep scientific acumen with cutting‑edge creativity and digital innovation, crafting campaigns and solutions that significantly improve people’s lives.

Our Role

As Planning Director you will play a fundamental role in the success of the agency. You will lead the strategic offering, adding outstanding value to every project you are involved in while guiding and inspiring excellence in the output of your entire team. Working closely with Client Services, Medical, Strategy and Creative, you will provide strategic stewardship to all projects, build strong client relationships and proactively identify opportunities to drive new business activity. You will mentor strategists and planners within your team and collaborate with the broader strategy leads across the business to enhance the broader offering of Havas Lynx Group.

What You Can Expect To Be Doing

• Demonstrate consistent brand building and business growth expertise
• Support Havas Lynx Group in driving best practice in strategy and thought leadership activities
• Apply fluid knowledge and practice in business, marketing, and brand strategy, brand identity and architecture, campaign planning, and innovation
• Show a proven track record in producing effective brand activities and being recognised for these activities in effectiveness awards
• Help clients understand and implement the brand vision and purpose
• Ensure that your expertise and inputs are sought and valued across the client team
• Take ownership of the development of your team, actively preparing them for roles of greater responsibility
• Champion and contribute to the goals of Havas Lynx Group

What We’d Like To See From You

• Previous experience in a similar role (agency experience is required)
• Extensive healthcare experience is a must; pharmaceutical experience is essential
• Proven experience leading and developing a team of strategists, delivering work of outstanding creativity and effectiveness
• Strong team leadership skills, including talent mapping and development
• Positive influence on the culture of the wider agency
• Ability to build effective partnerships with clients
• Ideally, experience working with Generative AI tools and data, and AI certifications from platforms such as Coursera, Section AI, or LinkedIn Learning

What You Can Expect From Us

We provide a supportive and challenging environment where you can learn, grow, and make an impact that matters. We invest heavily in #LYNXLife and our #LXAcademy internal programmes to reward hard work, reduce pressures, and ensure we can all enjoy our time at Lynx.

Benefits

• Hybrid working – 3 days in the office (flexible working options are available for in‑office days)
• Starting holiday allowance of 28 days annual leave + Bank Holidays, with increasing allowance connected to length of service
• Option to buy, carry or sell holidays
• Early Friday finish throughout the year
• Seasonal working hours
• Enhanced family leave, pay and return‑to‑work benefit scheme
• Extensive L&D support
• Sabbatical opportunities
• Season ticket interest‑free loans for travel
• Cycle‑to‑work scheme
• Life insurance (4x salary)
• Company pension scheme
• Fully compensated company events
• Volunteer days
• Wellbeing programme including sports clubs, discounted gym memberships, free onsite flu vaccinations, extended lunch breaks on Wellness Wednesdays and much more
• Medicash healthcare benefit
• 24/7 access to a free, confidential and independent Employee Assistance Programme

Get in touch to find out how we can make an impact that matters together.