Account Director, Financial Services, Corporate Reputation

Are you a seasoned PR professional who consistently drives results and wows clients? Do you enjoy building big, creative ideas and seeing them come to fruition? Do you prefer a team where everyone has an opportunity to speak up, take ownership, and work directly with high-profile clients?

Mike World Wide  (MWW) has an exciting opportunity for an Account Director on the Corporate Reputation team to sit in our New York City office to work on several key pieces of business within the financial services space. The ideal candidate is highly proactive with high-touch client relations skills – and someone who works well across all disciplines. We’re looking for someone who constantly brings strategic and proactive ideas to clients and instills confidence in their ability to lead the business and counsel senior level executives.

Someone who is a real self-starter and incredibly organized, with a proven track record of executing flawless communications programs. Someone who has the ability to teach and impart their skills, creativity, energy, and expertise to junior staff.
Deep expertise working with clients across financial services is a must.

• Serve as the primary, day-to-day client contact; anticipate client needs and prepare in advance, troubleshooting clients’ problems as they arise; ensure that all accounts are strategically on target with client business objectives
• Lead account team strategy sessions and brainstorms and the corresponding development, planning and execution of client media strategies.
• Manage multiple projects from concept to completion on time and within budget
• Proactively respond to and facilitate client requests – interacting with senior level colleagues and delegating work to junior team members when needed
• Act as representatives of MWW’s values and core principles reflected in how they help grow and engage with all team members and clients
• Proactively generate award-winning ideas and opportunities to support client objectives
• Maintain solid relationships with top-tier media and drive results for strategic media programs
• Moderate media interviews and lead media training for C-level executives; oversee creation of media briefs, key messages and talking points; initiate implementation of media events such as press conferences, briefings and media tours; serve as the on-site agency contact for clients’ events
• Demonstrate excellent writing skills – press releases, creative pitches, media audits and reporting, strategic recommendations, briefing documents, etc.
• Take a leadership role in new business proposal development alongside senior team members and work with appropriate agency resources and account teams to identify and secure incremental business opportunities.
• Manage and mentor teams; facilitate teamwork and learning opportunities by delegating and involving junior staff whenever possible; review materials drafted by junior staffers and supervise media outreach
• Demonstrate superior presentation skills and proven ability to present plans and “sell in” new ideas

• At least 6 years of experience serving in a full-time role either in a public relations agency or the communications department of a company in a relevant industry
• Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, a related field or liberal arts
• Experience working with and a passion for financial services
• Proven track record for setting a standard of excellent and consistent work, always delivering superior client service
• Excellent process and organizational skills; attention to detail is a must as the role’s primary focus is staying ahead of the client and keeping the team focused on meeting deliverables
• Superior oral and written communication skills; advanced proofreading and editing ability
• Experience supervising and providing guidance to junior team members; strong team building and mentorship aptitude; effectively developing and retaining staff
• Confidence in managing staff across multi-dimensional accounts (both up and down)
• Demonstrated proficiency in media writing and media relations (writing releases and bylines, ability to find creative angles, developing…