Job Description

The Account Director (AD) is an influential senior leader within the agency, responsible for driving the development, execution, and success of cohesive, cross-functional teams and communications programs across a portfolio of client accounts. Acting as the client relationship owner, ADs lead and provide expert counsel across multiple accounts and agency disciplines. This role is designed for a leader who can set bold visions for client brands, foster strong client relationships, and mentor teams to ensure the flawless execution of programs that deliver impactful results. This role requires big thinking and a high level of creativity, an understanding of media landscapes, and a keen ability to translate client needs into compelling public relations strategies.

Significant Duties & Responsibilities:

• Lead the management and execution of 10+ client relationships, depending upon the size and scope of the engagement, and provide strategic direction across agency disciplines, including media relations, marketing, digital, and creative, as well as senior-level strategic counsel and crisis management.
• Oversee the development and full execution of cohesive, cross-functional strategic communications programs, ensuring alignment across digital, marketing, and public/media relations while taking full responsibility for the success of client relationships.
• Motivate, direct, and inspire account teams, providing clear direction and constructive feedback to ensure the growth and development of junior and support staff.
• Provide overarching strategic guidance and direction on media relations, digital strategy, and campaign activation across a portfolio of accounts, ensuring adherence to and achievement of client program goals.
• Cultivate and sustain strong relationships with top-tier media contacts, securing national and local coverage across print, broadcast, and digital platforms.
• As the senior client contact, nurture client relationships and manage expectations to build trust and become a valuable resource and counselor while retaining and managing complex client relationships.
• Independently troubleshoot media, team, or strategy issues as they arise; seeking senior agency management input when appropriate.
• Contribute to new business development by identifying and managing growth opportunities to expand the agency’s services within existing partnerships, participating in pitches, proposals, and presentations, and participating in relevant professional organizations as well as building a network of industry contacts.
• Occasional night/weekend availability and travel may be required based on client service and business needs.
• This list of duties and responsibilities is not exhaustive, and additional tasks may be required depending on business needs. This job description may be revised as necessary to reflect changing business requirements. It does not constitute an employment contract.

Qualifications:

• 8+ years experience in public relations, corporate communications, and/or other relevant roles, with a strong emphasis on agency experience.
• High level of emotional intelligence and interpersonal expertise.
• Experience leading crisis communications strategies and navigating high-stakes client moments.
• Experience developing cohesive, cross-functional programs and campaigns across a variety of verticals and industries.
• Skilled in managing cross-functional teams of specialists, with a track record of developing and mentoring staff.
• High emotional intelligence, with the ability to build and maintain strong client relationships and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Outstanding writing, editing, presentation and communication skills.
• Highly motivated to be an active participant in the success of both the agency and of your own continued skill development as part of professional and personal growth.

Essential Skills:

• Exhibit a deep understanding of media strategy, maintaining a keen awareness of what makes news and how to leverage opportunities in fast-evolving news cycles.
• Talented in building and sustaining strong relationships and navigating complex client dynamics. Proactively identify potential issues or challenges that could impact client relationships or project outcomes and display ownership in addressing and resolving them.
• Expert ability to lead, motivate, and guide cross-functional teams, providing career counsel and professional development support and offering clear direction and effective management.
• Exceptional skill in strategic thinking, grasping what drives consumer behavior and media attention and identifying bold strategies to deliver an elevated product and client experience.
• Ability to analyze complex data and outcomes, interpreting and translating into actionable insights for a range of audiences.

Identity is committed to continually growing and improving on diversity, equity, and inclusion in our community, culture, and practices. We recognize that underrepresented groups such as women and BIPOC may be less likely to apply to a role if they don’t meet 100% of the listed qualifications. If you have a majority of the qualifications, this role is aligned with your desired career trajectory, and you are looking for a position that will challenge you, support your professional growth, and allow you to do meaningful and impactful work – we strongly encourage you to apply. We’d put it this way - if you’d be excited to turn up with your skills for this position daily - we’d be excited to have you on our team.

Why Identity is the Right Next Stop for Your Career:

We are a remote-first agency! This means that work is flexibly executed from wherever our talented team of professionals choose within the Stae of Michigan. We maintain our headquarters in Birmingham, MI which is used for deep work, training, collaboration and team/client connection. We believe that our team works best with autonomy and flexibility, especially being in a client service company and given the speed at which our agency works. We service in-person client needs and spend time doing things that truly matter in person.

We offer a very competitive benefits package with the following:

• Top-tier Group Dental/Health Care/Vision Coverage: Subject to employee contribution of 30% of the premium, with Identity covering the other 70%. Spouse, child, and domestic partner coverage is also available subject to the same employee contribution percentage.
• Life/AD&D/Short Term & Long Term Disability Coverage: Identity provides, as a fully covered benefit, a $25,000 life insurance policy to each of its employees along with short-term, long-term, and disability insurance coverage. We also offer the ability to purchase additional life and disability options for yourself as well as for your spouse, children, or domestic partner, at discounted rates.
• Identity Theft Coverage: Identity provides, as a fully covered benefit, identity theft protection and remediation coverage, applicable to the employee and their household ( not exclusive to spouse/children/domestic partner!).
• Traditional as well as Roth 401k investment options: Identity also contributes an annual Safe Harbor contribution to each qualified employee's account equivalent to 3% of the employee’s salary, in which the employee is vested immediately.
• A Generous PTO Package: Plus true employee flex time, 15 paid holidays and a paid soft office closure at year-end.
• Leadership Access and Coaching: We know that access and time with leadership is key, which is why we have regular 1-to-1 pulse meetings between partners, directors and team members multiple times per month to discuss career development, workflow management and big opportunities for growth.
• Transparency and a Team-Focused Environment: We believe in transparency regarding the state of the company. Identity Biannual Meetings represent a key cultural moment for the agency to set annual goals, celebrate agency victories, reflect on obstacles and get fired up about what’s on the horizon. These multi-day, inspirational and experiential full-day retreats are held off-site at exciting locations ranging from breweries and restaurants to attractions and hidden gems.
• Skill and Professional Development: We think the best employer/employee relationships are symbiotic, and we are fully invested in ensuring that our employees are continually pushed and challenged to remain at the top of their game. We rely on a combination of educational seminars and events, team meetings, thought leadership content, and general process development and improvement efforts to keep our skills sharp. We also include professional development opportunities via workshops, conferences and major events in Michigan and throughout the United States.

Identity is an Equal Opportunity Employer . Identity prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, family or marital status, age, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law (and general human decency).

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