Account Director, Healthcare PR/Communications - Geneva

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?

We’re looking for a talented Senior Associate or Manager to join our consumer team. Our communications offer is rapidly evolving as clients turn to us for strategically focused and imaginative communications solutions that build and protect their reputations while influencing and shaping the operating environment around them.

The ideal candidate will be able to draw upon experiences bringing knowledge and insight into a range of sectors and industries, combined with excellent client servicing and media relations skills. You’ll also need a strong understanding of how digital fits into wider integrated communications programmes, as well as brilliant technical writing skills and a keen eye for detail when it comes to managing project progress.

What will you be doing?

• Building trust and confidence with clients by consistently ensuring that executional work is delivered by the team on time, within budget and to an exceptional standard of quality
• Demonstrating stand-out project management skills, making sure that internal and external deadlines are managed to deliver work on time, including overseeing junior colleagues’ delivery of progress tracking, contact reports and media monitoring summaries
• Developing tactical plans for client activities and working with your account teams to ensure collaborate with other areas of our business to ensure your clients are getting the best expertise and experience Weber Shandwick has to offer
• Writing a range of copy, including press releases and feature articles, as well as posts for clients’ digital and social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn
• Managing the media every day, proactively identifying and driving coverage opportunities which support clients’ business and communications objectives
• Participating in the creative development of integrated campaigns for new and existing clients, and supporting the team in researching and preparing new business opportunities

 

Who are you?

• At least 3 years of experience of working in an account servicing role in a PR agency, ideally servicing Consumer clients
• 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
• An avid consumer of media with an active interest in news and current affairs
• 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

 

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Weber Shandwick is seeking a spring intern to work across major consumer brands. This is a full-time (40 hours/week), paid internship that will start in January 2025. This role is hybrid out of our NYC office.

The Essentials

• Thinking: Intellectual curiosity and creativity is a must
• Storytelling: Understand the elements that make a story exciting and how to highlight them in what you read in the press and what you see on social media
• Communication: Speak, write and edit succinctly and compellingly
• Management: Meet deadlines, put out fires and multi-task. Work fast, and work well
• Interpersonal: Play nice, whether it’s in a team, with a team or independently
• Technical: Know Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook. Media databases and social tracking tools are a bonus (examples: Cision, Muckrack)
• Detail-Oriented: Whether it’s a media list or a recap report, attention to detail and a commitment to delivering clear and precise work is essential
• Spark: Understand what sets you apart

What You Will Be Doing

• Research: Analyze brands using various resources, thoughtful and detailed research helps our bring ideas and plans to life
• Engage: Share big ideas in brainstorms and with teams
• Plan: Assist in event coordination and logistics 
• Create: Craft written communications including media materials, from briefing books to media pitches
• Hustle: Pitch stories to media, develop media lists, track placements, etc.
• Monitor: Track brands in traditional online and social media during one of the biggest sporting events of the year. Previous campaign reporting experience is a plus
• Organization: Organize and maintain product closet, check inventory, order product/shipping supplies
• Product send outs: Compile various product mailers and coordinate product shipments

What We Are Looking For

• Someone who has an interest in, and enthusiasm for public relations and consumer brands
• Able to work in a dynamic and fast-paced agency environment
• Strong writing skills and understanding of the media landscape
• Strong attention to detail
• Excellent time management skills
• Go-getter and proactive mindset – you’re willing to go above and beyond your daily tasks
• A contributing member of the team

Requirements:

• The ideal candidate must be a college graduate by the start of the internship or have demonstrated transferrable skills
• Must be available to work 40 hours a week starting January 2025

NYC Salary range: $20.00 – $20.00

Where an employee or prospective employee is paid within this range will depend on, among other factors, actual ranges for current/former employees in the subject position; market considerations; budgetary considerations; tenure and standing with the company (applicable to current employees); as well as the employee’s/applicant’s background, pertinent experience, and qualifications.

Weber Shandwick is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Weber Shandwick recruits qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, ethnic or national origin, protected veteran status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status or citizenship status.

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Account Director, Healthcare PR/Communications

Healthcare Practice – Geneva

About Weber Shandwick

Weber Shandwick is a leading global communications network that delivers next-generation solutions to brands, businesses, and organizations in major markets around the world. Led by world-class strategic and creative thinkers and activators, we have won some of the most prestigious awards in the industry. Data-led, with earned ideas at the core, the agency deploys leading and emerging technologies to inform strategy, develop critical insights and heighten impact across sectors and specialty areas, including brand and B2B marketing, healthcare marketing, change management, employee engagement, corporate reputation, crisis management, data and analytics, technology, public affairs, social impact and financial communications. Weber Shandwick is part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). For more information, visit http://www.webershandwick.com

 

About Weber Shandwick in Switzerland

With offices in Geneva, Weber Shandwick Switzerland acts as an international Hub within the broader Weber Shandwick network. We provide strategic counsel and integrated campaign development for the global or regional headquarters of major multinational companies, and Swiss companies with global aspirations. We are uniquely positioned as the only pan-regional and globally focused agency in the market that provides international consulting. Thanks to our unique perspective that comes from being based in a truly international city, and our access to a diverse and international talent base, we are a strong corporate and healthcare hub for our EMEA business.

 

A snapshot of the role

This is an exciting role for an experienced and ambitious public relations professional, ideally with a strong agency background to become the go-to, Account Director, within a multi-disciplinary team of health communications specialists. The role will require successfully leading pan-European and global programmes in the health & wellness sector, working for clients such as pharmaceutical organisations, public health foundations, and nutrition brands. The position is based in Weber Shandwick’s Geneva team.

 

Role responsibilities

• Leads the day-to-day management of tactics/projects within a client programme
• Provides clear briefs and delegates workload appropriately, managing junior and senior colleagues to make best possible use of time and expertise
• Proficiently prepares and reviews key materials and client correspondence, and contributes to more complex materials such as plans and new business proposals
• Demonstrates a strong understanding of the healthcare regulatory framework, as well as of the major European health systems
• Demonstrates an excellent knowledge of the key healthcare media outlets and types of healthcare stories that are reported and why
• Develops and maintains productive relationships with day-to-day clients; is available to the client as necessary and begins to develop a role as a trusted client advisor
• Demonstrates a strong understanding of financial management i.e. fee and costs in order to assist the senior team in developing and monitoring budgets

 

Candidate Profile

• Track record and experience at Account Director or Senior Account Manager level in an agency environment or in-house communications experience within a healthcare company is essential
• Experience working on Pan-European or global communications programs in one or more of the following areas: healthcare, consumer health, corporate health, medical device and biotech
• A solid understanding of current and emerging topics in the healthcare environment
• An insightful and strategic approach to using traditional, digital and social media
• Self-starter who is good at finding solutions and is a great team player
• Native/bilingual in English, other languages a plus
• Swiss National or EU passport holder able to work in Switzerland (international relocation is not offered)

 

Part of IPG DXTRA (IPG) which includes the collective of healthcare brands under Weber Shandwick, and is one of the most impressive health communications offerings across Europe, you’ll also partner with extended teams in London, Brussels, Paris, Berlin, Frankfurt, to name but a few…

Note from the Talent team:

We appreciate the time taken to apply for the role and your recent interest in Weber Shandwick. We will review all applications within five working days and be in touch with those who have been shortlisted to the next stage. Unfortunately, down to volume, we are not able to get back to everyone individually so if you have not heard back from us, unfortunately, you have not been successful on this occasion, and wish you all the best in your search.Weber Shandwick is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, and veteran or disability status

 

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