Vice President, Corporate Communications

Position Description:

We are seeking a Senior Vice President to join our Corporate team to support a broad range of client and new business needs. In this role, you will be working on programs involving reputation management, executive thought leadership, internal communications, crisis communications, and integrated media strategies to drive corporate reputation across priority industries, including but not limited to financial services, manufacturing, retail, consumer, healthcare. We’re looking for seasoned leaders with a passion for corporate communications who are excellent people leaders, client counselors and will roll up their sleeves and stay close to the work.

 

Responsibilities include:

• Secure, maintain and drive growth with existing and prospective clients
• Lead key business development opportunities and pitches
• Serve as trusted advisor, counselor and business partner to key client contacts
• Maximize business potential and advance great work through masterful orchestration of high-performing integrated teams
• Develop and advance industry/sector leadership within Weber Shandwick
• Lead the client service function for program planning, problem solving and strategic counsel
• Work across geographies and help shape direction and focus of practice
• Identify new growth opportunities based on insights into the company, client, industry and economy
• Mentor, coach and support team members ensuring constant development of their skills
• Effectively manage staff utilization to meet profitability targets
• Maintain financial responsibility for accounts
• Mentor, coach and support team members ensuring constant development of their skills
• Effectively manage team utilization and maintain financial responsibility for accounts

 

Skills required:

• 12+ years of experience in Corporate Communications or Corporate PR, and agency experience strongly preferred
• Must have a strong background in corporate communications 
• Must have an in-depth knowledge of reputation management and a working knowledge of traditional and non-traditional media
• Self-starter, resourceful and bring a passion for driving great results while building strong, productive relationships with clients and your team
• Collaborative spirit, results driven with the ability to manage multiple priorities and work against deadlines
• Strong team management, people management and mentorship skills
• Excellent writing and presentation skills, experience developing and delivering client presentations
• Experience leading (and winning) new business efforts, including casting appropriate teams, driving deck and presentation development and seamlessly integrating strategy, creative and execution into a compelling proposal 
• A history of success in providing sound creative and strategic counsel to clients and building credibility with senior-level client contacts 
• Demonstrate the ability to think strategically, creatively and holistically about client programs 

The Weber Shandwick Collective recognizes that your health and wellbeing are a priority. This is why we offer a full suite of benefits including:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• 401k (with employer match)
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Juice Money – $60 monthly reimbursement to be used towards purchases that nourish your health, mind, body, and soul
• MyDays – Flexible holiday schedules
• Short-Term Disability
• Paid Employee Family Leave
• Family Building Benefit

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.

#LI-JP1 

POSITION PROFILE 
We are seeking a Manager to join the Corporate Practice in our Chicago office to support a broad range of client and new business needs.

In this role, you will be working on programs involving reputation management, executive thought leadership, internal communications, crisis communications, and integrated media strategies to protect and drive corporate reputation and value proposition narratives a variety of clients and prospects across many industries.

The ideal candidate will possess experience and skills across many of the above areas and will be responsible for supporting multiple account teams and collaborating with specialists and subject matter experts across the practice and agency. 

The Manager will help lead work from concept to execution, be a primary client contact, and mentor junior talent. The ideal candidate must have strong written and oral communications skills, be able to creatively support corporate reputation and positioning programs that resonate in today’s environment and possess a passion for earned storytelling.  

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Own responsibilities for execution of client programs, budgets, and plans. 
• Contribute to development of plans, translating strategies into tactics. 
• Ensure team deliverables align with strategic plans to deliver strong results across agreed-to communications channels. 
• Create media strategies and oversee pitching of well-developed stories to key national, trade and other media of importance to client goals. 
• Developing executive positioning programs and tactical outputs including media, speaking, awards and social opportunities. 
• Support issues and crises, including media monitoring, creation of reactive statements and materials, preparedness and scenario plans.

• Build strong client and internal relationships, confidence and trust by proactively anticipating and understanding client needs.  
• Leverage industry knowledge and experience to proactively support and recommend new ideas. 
• Contribute to the career growth of junior team members, serving as mentor and role model. 
• Actively participate in team culture, external visibility events and assist with new business. 
• Demonstrate financial acumen in the areas of budgeting, billing and staffing. 

 BASIC REQUIREMENTS  

• 4+ years of experience, preferably with some agency background. 
• Ability to translate client needs into workable plans/projects. 
• Strong decision-making, problem-solving and project management skills. 

• Experience providing thought leadership counsel and executional plans. 
• Confident presenter and persuasive speaker. 
• Experience working with integrated teams on integrated communications programs. 
• Proven ability to effectively manage teams and contribute to the professional development of team members.  

• Strong PowerPoint skills to create compelling client presentations.  
• Self-motivated, entrepreneurial and endlessly curious. 
• Minimum: Bachelor’s Degree  

The Weber Shandwick Collective recognizes that your health and wellbeing are a priority. This is why we offer a full suite of benefits including:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• 401k (with employer match)
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Juice Money – $60 monthly reimbursement to be used towards purchases that nourish your health, mind, body, and soul
• MyDays – Flexible holiday schedules
• Short-Term Disability
• Paid Employee Family Leave
• Family Building Benefit

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.

#LI-JP1 

We are seeking a Senior Manager to join the Corporate Practice in our Chicago office to support a broad range of client and new business needs. In this role, you will be working on programs involving reputation management, earned media strategies, executive thought leadership, internal communications, crisis communications, and integrated communications planning to protect and drive corporate reputation and value proposition narratives a variety of clients and prospects across many industries. The ideal candidate will possess experience and skills across many of the above areas and will be responsible for supporting multiple account teams and collaborating with specialists and subject matter experts across the practice and agency. This role will help lead work from concept to execution, be a primary client contact, and mentor junior talent. The ideal candidate must have strong written and oral communications skills, be able to creatively support corporate reputation and positioning programs that resonate in today’s environment and possess a passion for earned storytelling.

 

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own responsibilities for execution of client programs, budgets, and plans.
• 5-7 years of relevant experience
• Contribute to development of plans, translating strategies into tactics.
• Ensure team deliverables align with strategic plans to deliver strong results across agreed-to communications channels.
• Create media strategies and oversee pitching of well-developed stories to key national, trade and other media of importance to client goals.
• Developing executive positioning programs and tactical outputs including media, speaking, awards and social opportunities.
• Support issues and crises, including media monitoring, creation of reactive statements and materials, preparedness and scenario plans
• Build strong client and internal relationships, confidence and trust by proactively anticipating and understanding client needs.
• Leverage industry knowledge and experience to proactively support and recommend new ideas.
• Contribute to the career growth of junior team members, serving as mentor and role model.
• Actively participate in team culture, external visibility events and assist with new business.
• Demonstrate financial acumen in the areas of budgeting, billing and staffing.

The Weber Shandwick Collective recognizes that your health and wellbeing are a priority. This is why we offer a full suite of benefits including:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• 401k (with employer match)
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Juice Money – $60 monthly reimbursement to be used towards purchases that nourish your health, mind, body, and soul
• MyDays – Flexible holiday schedules
• Short-Term Disability
• Paid Employee Family Leave
• Family Building Benefit

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.

#LI-JP1