Account Director, Client Experience

Agency:

Weber Shandwick

Job Function:

Communications and PR

Job Subfunction:

Public Relations

Job Description:

Who We Are

Weber Shandwick is more than a leading global PR agency â weâre an engagement agency and weâre working in and around the cutting edge of the new media landscape. Weâre storytellers content creators and we engage people IN the story. Our success is built on a deep commitment to client service and to our people. We embrace creativity and collaboration and we engage stakeholders in new and creative ways to build brands and reputations.

Weber Shandwick is seeking a curious creative and media-savvy Account Director to join our team in Chicago. This role is part of our Corporate team a unit delivering trusted agile C-suite counsel by blending communications expertise with cultural insights to accelerate stakeholder and organizational value. This role will focus on executing communications reputation and earned media strategies for corporate advocacy and public sector clients at the intersection of business policy media and culture.

The ideal candidate is a seasoned media strategist who understands the complexity of todayâs business world and has a passion for creating communications strategies that make a real-world impact. They bring a proven track record of delivering effective integrated media campaigns and experience thriving on high-performing teams in a fast-paced environment. Candidates should have experience working with corporations across multiple sectors â experience in retail technology financial services consumer lifestyle and healthcare sectors is particularly relevant.

This position will be based in our Chicago office on a hybrid schedule.

About you:

You live for a great story and have the strategic savvy to shape and deliver stories to multiple audiences across media platforms. With deep knowledge of top-tier business and lifestyle outlets you know how to get stories placed â and noticed. You move seamlessly between legacy media and emerging platforms like Substack podcasts and content creators. Fluent in internet culture and always ahead of the trends you know whatâs hot whatâs next and how to help organizations break through.

Youâre a strategic thinker who thrives in fast-paced environments and knows how to manage multi-faceted integrated campaigns without missing a beat. You bring structure to ambiguity all while juggling deadlines media moments and client needs with calm confidence. Youâre immersed in media and culture and know how to turn insights into earned impact. A creative storyteller and collaborative partner you bring curiosity originality and drive to everything you do. Ready to drive high-impact communications Letâs talk.

Responsibilities:

- Shape and execute integrated communications strategies in partnership with agency and client teams
- Counsel and interact effectively with clients and leaders at client organizations
- Build and maintain excellent relationships with top-tier media across business national/local broadcast multicultural and lifestyle verticals
- Immersed in the media and cultural landscape as well as emerging issues that may impact clients directly or indirectly
- Approach client work with curiosity â always seeking to understand the brand its competitors and the broader industry context
- Proactively and reactively craft compelling newsworthy stories that drive earned coverage
- Develop strategic earned-first plans and write high-quality media materials including pitches press releases and messaging documents
- Deliver consistently high-caliber work with a client-first mindset and sharp attention to detail
- Collaborate with agency and inter-agency partners serving as a key contributor across teams to drive alignment and deliver cohesive large-scale campaign work
- Mentor and develop junior team members through hands-on guidance feedback and professional development
- Cultivate and participate in new business opportunities and pitches

Competencies:

- Business Acumen â accelerate work to meet client and agency objectives
- Client Service â build trust and deliver results across engagements
- Proactivity â exhibit relentless pursuit for new and innovative ideas
- Collaborationâ build strong high-impact relationships that deliver results
- Critical Thinkingâ ask probing questions; anticipate and address gaps and needs
- Conflict Resolutionâ possess sound judgment and savvy in navigating and resolving issues
- Future-Forward â curious and engaged in AI as tool to enhance work and impact

Basic Qualifications:

- 7 years of experience
- Experience leading integrated projects from start to finish working with teams across various disciplines
- Robust earned strategy and media relations experience
- Experience providing counsel to senior leaders
- Bachelorâs degree

Salary Range: $95000 USD â $125000 USD

Where an employee or prospective employee is paid within this range will depend on among other factors actual ranges for current/former employees in the subject position; market considerations; budgetary considerations; tenure and standing with the company (applicable to current employees); as well as the employeeâs/applicantâs background pertinent experience and qualifications.

Weber Shandwick is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Weber Shandwick recruits qualified applicants without regard to race color religion gender age ethnic or national origin protected veteran status physical or mental disability sexual orientation gender identity marital status or citizenship status.

#LI-JP1 $125000.00 - $125000.00

Omnicoms policy requires employees to work in the office for a minimum of three days a week unless additional in-office days are directed by their agency or manager. Our objective is to increase this requirement over time and many of our agencies as well as Omnicoms corporate group already require five days of in-office attendance.

Omnicom is committed to hiring and developing exceptional talent. We agree that talent is uniquely distributed and were focused on developing inclusive teams that can bring the best solutions to everything we do. We strongly believe that celebrating what makes us different makes us better together. Join uswe look forward to getting to know you. We will process your personal data in accordance with our Recruitment Privacy Notice.

Link to Recruitment Privacy Notice: US Job Seekers:

It is the policy of Omnicom and any of its affiliates to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race religion color ethnic origin gender gender identity age marital status veteran status sexual orientation disability or any other basis prohibited by applicable federal state or local law. EOE/AA/M/D/V/F.