Account Director, Corporate Communications

Job Description

We have an immediate opening for an Account Director in our New York City office. You have an extensive media network and excel at managing client account teams. You are a go getter and a doer with great EQ and IQ with experience leading communications and marketing strategies, counseling clients and managing multiple teams. You are probably a PR specialist, but you understand how to counsel a client (or teammates) across the full spectrum of a client's public facing persona including partnerships, social media and celebrities/influencers. Add to that, you are cool as a cucumber under pressure and exude natural gravitas in a room. If this sounds like you, keep reading!

This is a role for someone who has a specific interest in helping drive corporate strategies and narratives, building the profiles of top CEOs and thought leaders, and having a seat at the table in building brands and pushing clients to exceed expectations. You have Fast Company, WSJ, TechCrunch, and Bloomberg bookmarked on your browser, but also want to work with some of the top minds across entertainment, social good and pop culture and be at the center of where all these things converge.
Our candidate is curious. While they will work on corporate and start up clients, they are also likely to touch media companies, advertising agencies, entertainment, consumer and nonprofit accounts. They see this as a challenge and opportunity to grow their skills.
Our account directors lead accounts (no surprise there), counseling the client, providing fresh ideas, motivating the team, ensuring goals are being met and…they still pitch!
Our agency is integrated, and our Account Directors frequently work on accounts that involve aspects of brand integration, influencer integration, digital strategy, etc. While we don't expect you to be fluent in all of these areas, we anticipate that this will excite you!

Core Skills & Responsibilities

A great Account Director truly excels at leading client accounts. They show tremendous leadership potential at the company. They are a positive influence, a team player, patient teachers and mentors to junior staff. They empower junior staff and help them grow. They are honest with themselves and upper management about their work. They have good instincts and challenge the team to think bigger. They are creative and push their account teams and the company to do better and think out of the box. They are solutions-oriented. They understand their clients' business goals and are constantly mapping back to ensure our work is directly having an impact on them. They are not afraid to push back and challenge a client if the direction being given won't result in the ROI they are looking for.

They delegate respectfully and effectively to junior staff. They are clear about deadlines, roles and responsibilities and expectations.

Responsibilities Include:
• Leading account teams and managing projects from start to finish.
• Developing and executing comprehensive integrated media and communications strategies.
• Developing an impactful and trusting relationship with clients
• Managing complex client issues and will see the client through stressful situations that will require thoughtful counsel.
• Leading new business meetings, creating proposals as needed.
• Partnering and collaborating with senior level colleagues throughout the agency on integrated (and bi-coastal) accounts.
• Participating in new business meetings, creating proposals as needed.
• Training and mentoring junior staff on the inner workings and executions of PR, media relations, and overall client management. This is incredibly important to us!
• Responding to client requests and ensure requests are taken care of in an efficient manner.

You Should Apply If:
• You have at least 7 years working in PR, specific experience in media relations with a focus on corporate, technology and B2B comms.
• You've managed a team with direct oversight for at least 2 years (of those 8 mentioned above).
• You have demonstrated success in securing top-tier press placements that have an impact on the client's bottom line.
• You know how to navigate financial stakeholders, thought leaders, and media.
• You are a strategic partner with internal and external stakeholders and can think outside the box to create insightful and impactful media moments.
• You are a strong writer – persuasive, concise, creative, and quick!
• You believe yourself to be excellent at pitching new business – confidence is key!
• You are a strategic thinker, bring new ideas to the table, and love a good brainstorm.
• You have strong decision-making abilities and accountability; this is an important role, own it!
• You have an innate curiosity and an entrepreneurial spirit…have a suggestion on making something better? We encourage you to do it!
• You are incredibly organized, detailoriented (see what I did there?), and able to excel at managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• You enjoy overdelivering rather than meeting expectations and take genuine pride in being part of something good.
• You make friends wherever you go. I mean, your co-workers are basically your roommates…don't be uncool 😉

Basic Perks

Sunshine Sachs offers medical, dental, and vision plans, 401(k), annual merit-based bonuses, PTO and commuter benefits. Additional perks include, Summer Fridays, frequent celebrations, a flexible work schedule and company-organized volunteer opportunities. We frequently identify company-wide opportunities to listen, learn and act throughout the year (Election Day, International Women's Day, etc.).

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, identity and expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-d87846-3-137-185-180-42 in your application.