An award‑winning NYC PR agency is seeking a Senior Account Executive to join their team. The agency develops and carries out communications campaigns for innovative, visionary and disruptive companies.
This person will have strong writing skills and will work with the Director of Media Relations to create PR storieS and contributed articles, as well as lead the day-to-day execution of 3 – 4 client accounts. They will oversee overall account management and program implementation. They will also manage and practice editorial excellence in pitches and written work. In addition, the person in this role will manage a junior account team through the execution of strategy and keep them on task toward a shared goal.
Clients include fast-growing technology companies (b2b and b2c) across verticals and industries.
Job Summary
The Senior Account Executive (SAE) is responsible for the strategic planning of accounts and will manage accounts and/or act as a key member of one or several accounts. This role actively seeks solutions to challenges faced by client teams, as well as communicates updates and best practices.
Additionally, team members at this level aid in the management and training of other team members.
SAEs have a strong understanding of media relations, a solid network of media contacts and an excellent success rate of placing stories. They also possess strong written and verbal communication and time management skills.
Strategy
- Work directly with the account team to develop long-term and continuous PR strategies that combine creative thinking with an understanding of client business goals to deliver meaningful results.
- Oversee the day-to-day execution of assigned accounts, including delegating tasks to and managing junior team members, ensuring that the team meets—and ideally exceeds—account expectations, and managing account resources.
- Lead or play a key role in weekly client meetings, whether in person or via phone, and maintain strong ongoing relationships with clients.
- Balance the demands of multiple accounts to ensure all clients receive proper service, goals are achieved, and anticipate and address slow news times or client restlessness.
- Assess account work and results, proactively addressing weaknesses in strategy or execution; shape campaign outcomes into success stories and case studies for clients, new business, and the CVM website.
Media Relations
- Deliver consistent, quality media placements each month, both in top-tier media and in target verticals, aligned with client goals.
- Lead story creation and pitching activities on behalf of the client, based on knowledge of client stories and news, trending news, and specific outlets and writers, while continuously monitoring traditional and social media for new opportunities for client outreach.
- Understand that not all media placements are equal, layering feature stories in top-tier media with second- and third-tier media opportunities that are of strategic value to the client.
- Brainstorm new angles and ideas with the account team—or the entire CVM team—to ensure ongoing results and activities.
- Maintain a strong network of media contacts by attending networking or industry events or by inviting new and existing contacts to dinner, drinks, or coffee at least once or twice a month.
- Ensure client media lists are regularly updated and developed.
Client Management
- Develop and maintain relationships with the client team to ensure CVM stays informed about all aspects of company news, products, initiatives, use cases, success stories, and ongoing strategies.
- Provide a weekly agenda (including gathering activities from relevant team members) and discuss all ongoing activities with the client during the weekly meeting or call.
- Proactively communicate with clients about new ideas, ongoing activities, and press coverage; ensure the success report database is consistently updated.
- Respond to—and ideally anticipate—client anxiety, stress, or restlessness that indicates the client feels out of the loop or disconnected from PR and its value.
Qualifications
- BA/BS - Common-sense, critical-thinking liberal arts majors (or any education that shows curiosity and an interest in learning new ideas) are great!
- 3+ years relevant public relations experience - You have a history of PR success, an understanding of online and social media, and you’re looking to grow professionally.
- Good communicator - You can communicate clearly with clients and media in writing, on the phone, and in meetings. You are able to shape business ideas into media-relevant pitches and explain your approach to clients and colleagues.
- Organized and detail-oriented - You cover every base in identifying opportunities for clients. You can handle multiple projects and responsibilities adeptly.
- A reader and sponge - You know current events. You consume media (hard news and pop culture), follow trends, and you’re always looking for opportunities for clients as you do so.
- A thinker and problem solver - Tough client? No news? Odd target market? You enjoy the challenge of developing new solutions and new ideas and figuring out how to take them from undefined concept to well-executed deliverable.
- A desire for responsibility - You’re self-motivated, looking for ownership opportunities, like when you’ve earned the trust of your boss and co-workers, and love the feeling of accomplishment that comes from taking a project from start to finish.
- A desire for responsibility - You’re self-motivated, you’re looking for ownership, you like when you’ve earned the trust of your boss and co-workers, you love the feeling of accomplishment that comes from taking a project from start to finish.
- A collaborator - Although much of the work at the agency happens independently, they share successes and help one other devise solutions or deal with a tough client problem. They respect a job well done and reward employees who contribute to agency growth and success.
Benefits
- Medical Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Company Performance Bonus
- Vacation Days
- Professional Development
- Early Summer Fridays
- Travel & Expense Benefits
- New Business Commission