Director, Industry Insights & Perspective

Join us as we work to create a thriving ecosystem that delivers accessible, high-quality, and sustainable healthcare for all.

Position Summary:

athenahealth is looking for a recognized healthcare thought leader to define and advance the company’s data-informed industry point of view. As Director, Industry Insights & Perspectives, you will own athenahealth’s multi-year research and insights narrative — setting priority topics, guiding analytic exploration of the company’s proprietary network data, and translating findings into clear, credible perspectives that resonate with executives, policymakers, and the media.

This is a high-visibility role at the intersection of healthcare domain expertise, strategic narrative, and external communications. The ideal candidate brings a strong point of view on ambulatory care and the broader healthcare ecosystem, knows how to ask the right questions of data, and can author and present insights with the authority and clarity that shape industry conversations. This role leads the Industry Insights & Perspectives center of excellence within the Integrated Communications team, requires up to 50% travel, and reports to the VP, Integrated Communications.

About the Team:

The Integrated Communications team builds and protects the reputation of athenahealth and its leaders by delivering strategic communications that support business goals and span internal, external, and executive channels. The team operates through a business partner model — ICBPs are embedded with C-suite executives across Product, Commercial, Finance, People, Technology, and Strategy to align narrative, timing, and channel strategy

The Industry Insights & Perspectives center of excellence sits within this team and serves as athenahealth’s center of gravity for research-driven thought leadership and enterprise narrative. This lane defines the company’s long-term industry perspectives, generates proprietary insights from athenahealth’s network data, and translates those insights into market-facing narratives that build credibility and influence with priority audiences — working in close partnership with Marketing, Strategy and Product & Operations.

Essential Job Responsibilities:

Refine and evolve athenahealth’s multi-year thought leadership and research agenda, ensuring a coherent throughline where insights build on one another over time and reinforce the company’s long-term industry perspectives across ambulatory care and the broader healthcare ecosystem.

• Guide the interpretation of analyses drawn from athenahealth’s proprietary EHR, claims, and patient engagement data — pressure-testing conclusions, separating signal from noise, and ensuring findings are credible, relevant, and appropriate for external use.

• Own the transformation of data-backed findings into compelling narratives and executive-ready insights; author and contribute to flagship reports, bylined articles, white papers, and other thought leadership formats.

• Build and own athenahealth’s presence on the industry speaking circuit as a primary external voice of athenaInstitute — proactively identifying and pursuing conference and forum opportunities, developing abstracts and session narratives, cultivating relationships with organizers and program committees, and establishing the momentum needed to make athenaInstitute a recognized name in the ambulatory care and healthcare data conversation.

• Partner with Integrated Communications and Brand leaders to align thought leadership timing, framing, and amplification with key industry moments and business priorities, while maintaining message discipline and reputational guardrails.

• Lead and develop the Industry Insights & Narrative Strategy team, setting clear direction, priorities, and accountability for team output and impact.

• Be accountable for the impact of athenahealth’s thought leadership — including influence with priority audiences, media and analyst pickup, and pull-through across key channels — using qualitative and quantitative signals to refine the agenda over time.

• Travel required up to 50% annually.

Additional Job Responsibilities:

• Engage and interview internal and external industry leaders, monitor regulatory shifts and industry research, and capture customer executive perspectives to continuously sharpen athenahealth’s point of view.

• Support the development and maintenance of speaker bureau abstracts, slide libraries, and storytelling artifacts that articulate athenahealth’s top-level narratives consistently in market.

• Act as a spokesperson for athenahealth’s data-informed perspectives in press interviews, analyst conversations, and executive forums — representing athenaInstitute with credibility and consistency.

• Identify whitespace opportunities in the industry conversation where athenahealth’s data and perspective can establish differentiated authority.

Expected Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.

• 12+ years of experience in healthcare research, strategy, analytics, consulting, industry analysis, or a related field.

• Deep understanding of ambulatory care, healthcare delivery models, payer–provider dynamics, and U.S. healthcare policy and regulation.

• Demonstrated experience shaping industry perspectives through research, writing, speaking, or advisory roles — with a strong track record of authored thought leadership including reports, articles, or research publications.

• Ability to guide and evaluate analytic work — asking informed questions, interpreting results, and pressure-testing conclusions — without personally performing technical analysis.

• Familiarity with healthcare datasets (EHR, claims, quality data) and data governance expectations for external-facing use.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with demonstrated experience presenting to executive audiences and engaging with media.

• Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and drive alignment through influence, clarity, and credibility.

• Experience building and managing a team, with the ability to set direction and develop talent.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in a health technology company or at the intersection of clinical operations and market strategy.

• Familiarity with AI, interoperability, or value-based care as research and narrative domains.

• Experience working within or alongside a communications or marketing function, with an understanding of how insights connect to brand and reputation strategy.

Expected Compensation

The base salary range shown reflects the full range for this role from minimum to maximum. At athenahealth, base pay depends on multiple factors, including job-related experience, relevant knowledge and skills, how your qualifications compare to others in similar roles, and geographical market rates.  Base pay is only one part of our competitive Total Rewards package - depending on role eligibility, we offer both short and long-term incentives by way of an annual discretionary bonus plan, variable compensation plan, and equity plans.