Account Director – New York Office
Fenton is one of the leading public interest communications firms in the world with offices in New York, Washington DC, Los Angeles, San Francisco and London. We develop and execute strategic communications on environmental, public health, education and social justice issues. We also provide media relations, branding, communications planning and digital media services to our nonprofit, foundation and corporate clients.
Fenton is seeking an Account Director in its New York office to develop and execute strategic communications campaigns. The Account Director is responsible for the overall planning and budgeting for profitability on assigned accounts, as well as the supervision of staff servicing those accounts. We are looking for candidates with strong agency backgrounds as well as experience in public interest media relations, advocacy, community building and/or cause marketing.
Essential responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Managing strategic communications for multiple clients, including branding, earned media and online campaigns
- Providing strategic guidance and day-to-day supervision for assigned client accounts, including junior staff supervision, oversight of work product quality and budget management; anticipating potential problems
- Ensuring that offline and online media strategies are integrated and aligned with broader campaign goals
- Pitching stories to journalists (print, online and broadcast)
- Providing direction for and oversight of clients’ social media properties including creating smart, platform-appropriate content
- Building clients’ capacity to smartly manage their own communications efforts
- Writing contracts, proposals, strategy memos, and reports
- Pitching prospective clients, funders and other potential partners or allies
- Developing new accounts and campaigns with existing clients and funders
- Ongoing networking to grow Fenton’s business and client base
- Providing budget projections for weekly financial meetings
- Meeting or exceeding 30 billable hours per week
- Training and mentoring junior staff; developing professional development plan with supervisees
- Attending senior staff meetings and providing input on organizational goals/growth and business improvement, including client service, staff development, and office procedures
- Pursuing professional development plan developed in conjunction with supervisor
- Additional duties as assigned
Qualifications:
- Seven-plus years of experience in public interest advocacy, or demonstrated equivalent experience, with heavy preference for experience at a firm
- Extensive knowledge of print, broadcast and electronic news media
- Extensive knowledge of social media platforms/tools, and successful online advocacy campaigns that maximize them
- Excellent news sense and political savvy
- Experience managing project budgets
- Experience mentoring or managing staff
- Demonstrated ability to manage client accounts and to design long-term creative communications campaigns
- Experience developing network of business and political contacts
- Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Lexis-Nexis, as well as internet research skills
- Ability to juggle multiple tasks under tight deadlines and meet schedules and assigned tasks in a timely manner
- Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in written format
- Ability to interact and perform in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment
- Demonstrated resourcefulness and flexibility in approach to project assignments
Compensation: Competitive with benefits.
To apply: Email resume (please list your Twitter handle) and cover letter (including salary requirements), attention AD Hiring Committee, to ad@fenton.com. Submissions without salary requirements will not be considered.
People of color and LGBT candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Fenton is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
