Job Description
Digital agency that specializes in corporate branding, public affairs and advocacy is seeking a full-time Director, Strategic Communications to join our team. In this position, you will be responsible for overseeing and creating effective strategic communications efforts for companies, brands, and public affairs clients. You’ll lead client engagements in whole or in part. You’ll develop campaign ideas, draft content, lead the overall project management of client deliverables, and help run the day-to-day of the team.
This particular role will focus on corporate branding, executive comms and crisis/rapid response messaging for some of the agency’s private sector clients. It calls for a strong writer that enjoys being hands on with story development.
The perfect candidate for this position is someone who has spent time in corporate communications, at a communications or PR agency, a strategic research firm, or in the government. They should thrive and enjoy being a part of fast-paced environments, understand the pace and flow of client expectations while striving to exceed them, and be experienced working with clients and teams across multiple states and time zones. This is a growing firm with offices in Washington, DC, New York, Chicago and San Francisco. They work alongside their clients to bring integrated communications and advertising campaigns to companies, organizations and causes – from strategy to message to media relations to marketing.
This hire can be based out of any of the agency’s office locations.
Primary responsibilities include:
- Manage the highest level of client service on a daily basis through account management, proactively developing earned, paid and owned campaign ideas for clients, while also managing staff to successfully contribute and support campaigns
- Serve as a strategic partner to clients by monitoring developments in key client issue areas and flagging opportunities for further client engagement
- Independently manage earned media campaigns to develop and distribute compelling messages leveraging the media and event strategies
- Create effective messages, produce and edit high-quality written deliverables, such as press releases, blog posts, op-eds, social media content, client memos and presentations, (often) under tight timelines
- Oversee and provide input to the creation of editorial calendars to guide a client’s communications strategy
- Champion the team’s communication and collaboration efforts across our service teams, coordinating with designers, direct marketers, media planners, and client managers to provide impactful campaigns for our clients
- Participate in business development activities including writing proposals and developing pitch decks to address the needs of potential clients
- Provide input to the development of department tasks and plans, while supporting the implementation of the company’s strategic vision
- Responsible for the day-to-day management of other communications team members, providing task and deadline management, direction, coaching on their quality of work, and providing any additional support as needed
Desired Skills And Experience
- 8+ years of public affairs, strategic communications or public relations experience, preferably in a communications agency, nonprofit, political or corporate communications setting
- Exceptional presentation, writing, and analytical skills
- The ability to write both strategically and creatively under tight timelines
- Media relations experience and existing reporter relationships
- Proven project management experience, including overseeing a team tasked with managing deliverables for multiple clients
- Extremely strong writing and editing capabilities with experience managing social media campaigns
- Experience managing and providing clear feedback to team members
- Comfortable handling strategic planning and daily execution of services for clients
- Knowledge of AP style
- Knowledge of social media marketing on platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Snapchat
- Knowledge of Cision or Meltwater is a plus
