Account Director

The Role:

Key responsibilities for this role include partnering with the senior team to oversee day-to-day operations of client accounts, provide sound counsel and recommendations to clients, execute tactics and produce deliverables as specified in client programs. An Account Director will ultimately manage/run multiple medium budget accounts reporting into a senior team member. Managing/running an account includes the overall success of the account including owning the client relationship, ensuring high-quality service and results, coaching and training team members, forecasting and budgeting, and upselling projects and/or retainers.

Account Directors are strategic thinkers, contributing high impact ideas to plans and programs. Responsible for managing the overall quality on projects and accounts, as well as adherence to budgets. Manages, mentors and coaches junior team members. An Account Director drives media coverage for clients; writes compelling content that reflects the clients’ voice and messaging; and plays an active role in new business development and presentation. Account Directors participate in agency marketing, new business efforts, social media, new services/offerings and day-to-day operations of the agency. Additionally, Account Directors have a growth mindset and actively seek opportunities to expand their skills, thinking, professional acumen, and ultimately, their career.

This role is based in the San Francisco area. It will begin remotely and transition to a hybrid schedule with 2 required in-office days per week.

What You’ll Do:

• Strategy: Provide high-quality, strategic counsel for clients with minimal oversight from the senior team.
• Media Relations: Leveraging strong relationships with business, technology, broadcast and digital media and analysts, identify and work with reporters and influencers to secure coverage on behalf of our clients. Continue nurturing your existing media relationships on a regular basis as well as building new relationships. Coach junior team members in building their media relations skills.
• Event/Tradeshow Management and Support: Manage guest list/invitations; Coordinate logistics – i.e. meals/travel/lodging/meeting space; Schedule and coordinate meetings with media/analysts/influencers; Manage promotion efforts.
• Social Community Management: Build and maintain a social media calendar; Identify and connect with individuals/organizations to build audience engagement; Respond to all relevant tagged posts and direct messages; Follow relevant accounts; Provide updates as needed.
• Speaking & Awards Programs: Identify, recommend, pitch, and secure speaking and award opportunities; lead speaking and awards programs.
• Content Creation: Effectively develop a full range of written materials, including client correspondence, press releases, media pitches, briefing sheets, speaking abstracts, etc. Review junior team members’ work to ensure client readiness.
• Client Knowledge: Have a comprehensive understanding of the high-tech industry, as well as deep knowledge of clients’ business, and the ability to translate that knowledge into solid PR counsel and results. Leverage deep understanding of the client’s objectives and competitive environment to develop clear business cases around opportunities for engagement to deliver meaningful results and drive impact.
• Client Relations: Provide high-quality counsel to clients. Proactively consult with clients and implement new ways to meet their needs through a deep understanding of Wireside’s capabilities. Actively participates in the strategic account planning process, including analyzing past results and applying learnings. Troubleshoot client issues as they arise, seeking senior management input when appropriate. Manage account activities including client meetings, program implementation, special events, executive leadership opportunities and other programs as required. Cultivate and maintain trusted relationships with key clients by continuously adding value, anticipating and addressing their needs.
• Account Management: Manage programs and projects from kickoff through goal achievement. Handle client calls and meetings, proactively share flags with the senior management team. Manage both up and down, ensuring teams are meeting their deadlines and goals. Successfully lead a team or client project by inspiring and motivating team members.
• Business Development: Play an active role in the research and development of presentations for new business opportunities. Participate in new business meetings and pitches.
• Agency Operations: Contribute to agency marketing efforts including awards and social media posts. Participate and provide ideas to the new business process, creating baseline decks/proposals. Provide input on hiring decisions and annual reviews for junior team members. Coach and create opportunities for junior team members. Always represent Wireside well. Track time and support general agency operational tasks. Understand financial aspects of supporting a client account including budgets, forecasting and burn rates.
• Team Management: Manage team members (interns to account managers/account supervisors) and support their professional growth. Oversee team members ensuring they are delivering quality work on time and on budget. Assist team members ensuring that their responsibilities are prioritized effectively to meet deadlines. Be flexible and facilitate teamwork, working with multiple teams with different capabilities.
• Travel required.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Superior writing, editing, communication (written and verbal) and presentation skills; time and project management skills; and consultative skills (including effective questioning, critical thinking and client management).
• Excellent interpersonal and client service skills.
• Organized with the ability to focus while working off-site.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate them when appropriate.
• Ability to function well in a high-paced and at times stressful environment.
• Understanding of social community management and best practices and platforms.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.
• Commitment to personal accountability.

Requirements:

• 8+ years of Public Relations, Marketing, Communications experience, or related industry.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, Journalism, English, International Relations or related area of study.
• Superb organizational, project and time management skills to meet deadlines.
• Passion for creating excellent high-quality deliverables.
• Proven track record of conceiving, planning and executing PR strategies.
• Demonstration of successes in earned media relations, including a strong list of media/journalist contacts across multiple verticals.
• Ability to lead and inspire a talented team of motivated professionals at all levels.
• Strong spirit of collaboration, highly self-motivated and results-driven with a can-do attitude.
• 4+ years management experience.

Preferred: previous experience in B2B, high-tech sector, agency or corporate. Use of standard PR tools such as Agility, Business Wire, HARO, etc.