Account Director Public Affairs, Sustainability Team

Weber Shandwick Chicago has an exciting opportunity for an Account Director to join our Corporate/Enterprise team.

We are looking for an engaging, curious and collaborative person with outstanding client service and interaction skills, as well as proven analysis, writing, strategic planning, media relations and digital/social media acumen to help drive the growth and success of a variety of accounts. 

Responsibilities:

• Developing public relations action plans; program goals; and earned /social media campaigns, targets and pitch angles that require input from senior team leadership
• Play day to day account lead for B2B, financial sector and professional services accounts
• Managing teams and collaborating/responding to clients
• Researching and writing briefing materials for client executives
• Writing and editing press materials, key message documents, briefing materials, blog posts and pitch letters
• Staying abreast of current industry news and trends, and sharing that information with account team members 
• Developing and managing timelines and weekly action plans to ensure all deadlines on client programs are met
• Breaking down and managing detailed tasks with the account team associated with planning and implementing special public relations events such as press conferences and media trips
• Anticipating and proactively offering solutions to senior team leadership for executional issues specific to assigned programs 
• Interacting with senior management and providing input into tactics and strategies
• Cultivate and enhance collaborative working relationships with media through regular communications 
• Persuasively pitching media and securing high-profile coverage for clients
• Understanding client objectives and priorities to help shape story angles  

Basic Qualifications: 

• 6+ years of communications experience, preferably in an agency environment
• Understanding of and experience working with professional and financial services companies, financial markets and products
• Excellent communication/presentation skills; verbal and written
• Strong attention to detail and project management skills
• Social media literacy with the ability to identify and recommend social program elements
• Ability to multi-task effectively and work within tight deadlines
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team to meet deadlines and client expectations
• Confident and comfortable presenting in front of groups
• Media relations experience for financial and professional services accounts is a plus

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

Illinois Salary range: $95,000 – $125,000

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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What’s happening? 

A fantastic, rare opportunity. 

We are a mid-sized, multi-disciplined global communications agency that’s part of one of the big three global marketing services groups. To support our continued growth, our B2B / tech team is looking for an VP who loves the challenge of taking complex and nuanced topics and making them relevant and accessible to mainstream audiences and business decision-makers – across borders.   

What this means: 

• This is an opportunity to advance your skills working on international campaigns at the highest level, helping shape strategy and working directly with senior client stakeholders and business leaders  
• Leading on executive communication programs for some of the most visionary leaders in EMEA – and beyond
• The chance to work on some of most exciting brands in the world
• The ability to draw on the all the resources of a top global networked agency (world-class creatives, digital and video teams, and analytics experts) – while at the same time, working in an entrepreneurial environment, where there is no ceiling to your development or opportunity to advance

Our London B2B / tech team is small but mighty (as well as being super fun!) – you’ll collaborate daily with Global Technology Lead as well as a seasoned SVP. 

You will also play an important role in our new business program. Unlike some agencies, we are very selective in the prospective clients we engage with. If it’s just press office and press releases, it’s not for us.  And if we feel like any opportunity will cause a strain on people, we won’t peruse it.

You will be supported by smart, hard-working and caring people. We are committed to delivering excellence. We don’t have time for drama. We don’t take ourselves too seriously. If that sounds like you, it will probably be a fit! 

What will you be doing? 

Your role and your client mix will be informed by your skills and passions.  It may involve, based on our client base:

• Help driving exec comms – via LinkedIn, speeches at events, media – for CEOs, EMEA Presidents and international General Counsels
• Supporting local teams in countries across 5x global markets (inc the UK) to land earned coverage around news and executive thought leadership on behalf of one of the world’s major telecommunications players
• Devising creative global media campaigns for a major industrial business that is pivoting toward AI and technology
• Driving the UK corp and B2B media program for one of the most well-regarded data analytics companies
• Working with the marketing team for the world leader in AI to support events and high value content — including white papers and exec blogs — on topics including the future of work and cybersecurity
• You’ll help brainstorm ideas for new campaigns and will help create content for use by local counties, including materials for owned digital and social channels

What won’t you be doing? 

• Run-of-the-mill press office work 
• Work solely aimed at coverage in tech trades  
• Chasing blindly after new business  
• Only UK media work (as we focus on international programs and UK media)  
• Reams of coordination or reporting 

Who are you? 

• Experience working on multi-market campaigns  
• Very strong writing skills – and a love for writing 
• Experience working on executive communications
• Media relations with mainstream business press
• Confident presenting
• Enthusiastic
• Resilient
• Honest
• Collaborative spirit balanced with pride of ownership
• Have a love of learning 

 Even better if you have: 

• Commercial acumen – with an ability to manage budgets and help us drive profitability
• Social media skills – especially in support of executives / with LinkedIn
• Experience working with large multinational clients
• Are interested in how AI tools have augment the impact we have as communications professionals

Note from the Talent team: 

We appreciate the time take to apply for the role and your recent interest in Current Global. We will review all applications within five working days and be in touch with those who have been shortlisted to the next stage. Unfortunately, due 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.

At IPG DXTRA we are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.

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