Senior Associate, Public Affairs

Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Published

11/12/2024

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Powell Tate – the specialty public affairs and corporate issues unit of Weber Shandwick, a leading global communications and engagement agency – is currently seeking a Senior Associate to join its Public Affairs team in the Washington DC area, with particular emphasis on issues management and integrated media.

Candidates will ideally have strong public affairs and integrated media experience, a passion for working across a wide variety of accounts and work streams, and the ability to anticipate client and team needs, develop content and materials, create messaging, and conduct media outreach. The ideal candidate has legislative, and/or public affairs agency experience, at the state or federal level.

 

Candidates must be driven, poised and team-oriented. They will have an understanding of and interest in the U.S. political landscape , as well as the intersection of earned, paid, and owned media. They will also be fluent in digital strategy and social media. A demonstrated ability to learn issues quickly and communicate effectively with internal and external audiences is required.

Primary Responsibilities:

  • Design and manage integrated public affairs and issues management campaigns on behalf of corporate and trade association clients, with an emphasis on highly-regulated industries
  • Leverage communications tactics to shape the policy environment and educate lawmakers about legislative proposals
  • Serve as a day-to-day contact for clients and provide ongoing counsel and strategic insights
  • Contribute to account teams on a day-to-day basis, leading key projects and work streams
  • Deploy well-honed media relations skills, and cultivate/maintain relationships with reporters, influencers, and other media stakeholders
  • Assess and report news coverage, understand the media landscape and identify potential risks to reputation
  • Proactively handle client problems and issues quickly and adeptly; actively participate in client meetings and/or calls
  • Develop and maintain deep fluency and expertise in relevant external trends impacting the business and its peers

Desired Skills + Experience:

  • Bachelor’s degree
  • 3-5 years related professional experience
  • Possess and foster excellent presentation, writing and technical assistance skills
  • Strong organization, problem-solving and interpersonal skills, along with a keen attention to detail
  • Established proactive and reactive media relations experience
  • Ability to manage multiple projects thoroughly and on time
  • Ability to collaborate with colleagues at all levels

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

Washington D.C. Salary range: $59,000 – $65,000

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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We make our careers website accessible to any and all users. If you need an accommodation to participate in the application process, please contact us at JobAppAccommodation@ipgdxtra.com. This email address is not for general employment inquiries or vendors; rather it is strictly for applicants who require special assistance accessing our employment website. Due to volume, messages sent to this email address that are not related to an accommodation cannot be answered.

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Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Health Communications Specialist

HEALTH COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST

 

Weber Shandwick is seeking an experienced Health Communications Specialist to serve as a full-time embed for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) within the Division of Media Relations in Atlanta, GA.

 

The specialist will help plan, implement, and evaluate a variety of health communication and marketing activities designed to impact positive health outcomes. As a Health Communications Specialist, you will help:

 

  • Provide day-to-day support for the Center and the Office of Public Affairs, ensuring smooth operations and efficient communication.
  • Manage and respond to media requests, serving as a liaison between the CDC and media outlets.
  • Monitor media briefings, transcribe quotes, and summarize key points to facilitate accurate reporting and internal communication.
  • Review, edit, and provide strategic guidance on a variety of communication packages, ensuring alignment with CDC messaging.
  • Assist in the development of press releases and other materials that effectively convey CDC initiatives and public health information.

 

 

Job Requirements:

  • 6+ years of experience in health communications
  • Strong health writing, editing, and communication skills
  • Familiarity with public health issues and the ability to convey complex information clearly.
  • Proficiency in monitoring and analyzing media coverage.
  • Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities.

 

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-JR2

We make our careers website accessible to any and all users. If you need an accommodation to participate in the application process, please contact us at JobAppAccommodation@ipgdxtra.com. This email address is not for general employment inquiries or vendors; rather it is strictly for applicants who require special assistance accessing our employment website. Due to volume, messages sent to this email address that are not related to an accommodation cannot be answered.

New York, New York, United States

Vice President, Client Experience

Weber Shandwick is looking for a Vice President with Financial Services experience to join our team in New York.

 

We Are Seeking:

The Weber Shandwick New York office is currently seeking a Vice President to support several clients in our growing Financial Services portfolio within our Enterprise practice. The ideal candidate will have deep subject matter expertise in working in consumer finance sub-sectors such as payments, fintech, crypto, retail banking, personal finance, retirement and investing.

 

You will have the opportunity to drive a broad range of consumer and B2B2C campaigns across a variety of clients, while leading a team of practitioners and collaborating with Weber Shandwick’s network to develop strategic and creative client work. You will spearhead high profile, award-worthy, earned-driven integrated activations. You will work with high profile celebrity talent, influencers and events. You will be responsible for managing client and inter-agency relationships, playing a critical role in determining the future and long-term success of our practice. The ideal candidate will be responsible for all aspects of a client relationship and fast-moving account team. You will supervise big pieces of business with multiple work streams and team members.

 

What You Will Be Doing:

  • Develop and grow positive relationships with clients, maintaining the company’s reputation in terms of delivery and quality
  • Provide strategic counsel to clients, assess problems and define logical and effective solutions for clients
  • Lead the delivery of quick-turn, high-profile project assignments across national and local markets
  • Be a project management wiz. Communicate expectations and goals to the team on an ongoing basis, helping to keep the team motivated by communicating clear tasks and actions
  • Work successfully with partner agencies as part of a client integrated agency team, both internally at WS and externally
  • Work effectively with finance colleagues to deliver accurate estimates for client projects or new business work. The ideal candidate will lead monthly budget tracking, and compile and edit SOW’s that adhere to a full picture view of a project’s scope
  • Write well-structured, persuasive content and help train other team colleagues to do the same
  • Contribute innovative ideas for the client and new business work, inspiring ideation amongst team members

Qualifications:

  • 8-10 years public relations experience, financial services client experience required
  • Agency experience (preferred)
  • Experience working in payments, credit cards, fintech and/or consumer finance with deep understanding of the competitive landscape, product differentiation and the relevant media landscape
  • You are both a creative and a strategic thinker, and a natural team leader who operates quickly
  • Needs to have a track record in client service to senior level clients
  • Strategic media relations knowledge and strong relationships with relevant reporter beats across business financial and consumer press
  • BA or BS in Communications or related 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

NYC Salary range: $125,000 – $165,000

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.

#LI-SK1

We make our careers website accessible to any and all users. If you need an accommodation to participate in the application process, please contact us at JobAppAccommodation@ipgdxtra.com. This email address is not for general employment inquiries or vendors; rather it is strictly for applicants who require special assistance accessing our employment website. Due to volume, messages sent to this email address that are not related to an accommodation cannot be answered.

Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Vice President, Public Affairs

VP, CORPORATE & PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Weber Shandwick is currently seeking a Vice President to join its Public Affairs teams to play a central role with new and longstanding clients across the corporate and public sectors.  This role will be based in Washington, D.C., helping to lead key Weber Shandwick client engagements, and will also contribute to the work of Powell Tate, the specialty public affairs unit of Weber Shandwick.  

 

We’re passionate about expanding the boundaries of what we offer our clients by bringing diverse perspectives to the table. We’re always looking for new colleagues who reflect the best of our values: curiosity, inclusion, courage and impact.  

Candidates should demonstrate a proven track record of leading external communications, including working directly with senior-level clients/stakeholders to shape strategies and messaging. The ideal candidate will have experience leading communications functions; strong skills and experience supporting executive and leadership communications – including speechwriting and crisis planning and response. The chosen candidate must have a strong public affairs and media relations background in the Washington, D.C. market or a major state capital. Public affairs experience should include thorough understanding of the U.S. political landscape at the federal, state, and local levels, as well as the intersection of earned, paid, and owned media, including through experience working for elected officials, candidates, or campaigns.  They should be able to draft and execute media strategies as part of corporate, public affairs and issues/crisis communications, leveraging reporter relationships.

Candidates must be driven, poised and team-oriented, with a demonstrated ability to learn issues quickly and communicate effectively with internal and external audiences. They must possess exceptional judgment when working with team members, client contacts and vendors, including legal and government relations partners, and experience managing teams and supervising individuals. As a Vice President, the candidate should be committed to serving as an energetic and constructive team lead and a supported, trusted supervisor and mentor for junior colleagues.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Serve as a primary client contact responsible for strategic counsel, management of account deliverables and deadlines.
  • Design and implement public affairs and issue advocacy campaigns on behalf of corporate, coalition and trade association clients, including in highly-regulated industries.
  • Manage cross-functional teams, providing direction and guidance to ensure we deliver our best work and exceed client expectations.
  • Create opportunities for team members to learn and grow – promoting and retaining a collaborative, inclusive work environment conducive to success.
  • Provide oversight of budget, multi-agency and vendor contracting, timelines and reporting.

 
DESIRED SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

Basic Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s Degree
  • 10+ years related professional experience

Additional Qualifications – Success Factors

  • Integrated communications and political/legislative experience
  • Significant media relations experience and contacts
  • Work History in a Public Affairs/Public Relations Agency
  • Experience managing significant client programs, cross-functional teams and integrated campaigns
  • Experience working on Capitol Hill
  • Fluent in national, business, and political media, as well as digital strategy and social media
  • Can turn ideas into workable plans, while anticipating client and team needs
  • Ability to work in, motivate, and mobilize fast-paced, highly collaborative, multi-disciplinary teams
  • Proactive self-starter and problem solver with meticulous attention to detail
  • Effective oral and written communication skills
  • Resilient mindset, deep curiosity, and a healthy sense of humor

ABOUT US

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. Weber Shandwick was named to Ad Age’s Agency A-List in 2020 and Best Places to Work in 2019. Weber Shandwick was also honored as PRWeek’s Global Agency of the Year in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, and PRovoke’s Global Agency of the Year in 2015, 2017 and 2019. The firm earned 25 Lions at the 2019 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. 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

Powell Tate is the globally-recognized, premiere, DC-based public affairs unit of the Weber Shandwick network. Built for change, we are nimble, data-driven and led by people who understand fast-changing politics, complex policy debates, emerging cultural trends, the role of third party stakeholders and digital transformation. We know the motivations that spark movements. The issues that matter most – privacy, environment, sustainability, automation, food safety and healthcare. In short: What to embrace. What to avoid. What you didn’t see coming. We solve complex business, policy and social issues. We mitigate risk and build reputation. We shape opinions and build support for issues that matter.

 

Washington D.C. Salary range: $119,000 – $155,000

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.

 

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.

We make our careers website accessible to any and all users. If you need an accommodation to participate in the application process, please contact us at JobAppAccommodation@cmgrp.com. This email address is not for general employment inquiries or vendors; rather it is strictly for applicants who require special assistance accessing our employment website. Due to volume, messages sent to this email address that are not related to an accommodation cannot be answered.

#LI-JR1

We make our careers website accessible to any and all users. If you need an accommodation to participate in the application process, please contact us at JobAppAccommodation@ipgdxtra.com. This email address is not for general employment inquiries or vendors; rather it is strictly for applicants who require special assistance accessing our employment website. Due to volume, messages sent to this email address that are not related to an accommodation cannot be answered.