PR Director  

The day-to-day

• Senior contact for client accounts
• Managing client service and agency performance
• Overseeing PR campaigns from creative brief to implementation and delivery
• Analyzing PR outcomes and interpreting data
• Delegating to and managing a PR team
• Nurturing talent
• Winning new business and developing current client accounts
• Contributing to the overall business
• Developing a wide network and nurturing key contacts

Key responsibilities

• Leading and managing a team of PR professionals and account managers, providing career counsel, professional development support, monitoring and performance reviews
• Identifying training needs where required
• Managing new accounts along with existing ones
• Key contact for clients.
• Overseeing media strategy and account development
• Providing support for agency growth and development of new business pipeline
• Achieving exceptional outcomes for current clients and managing an extended portfolio ensuring consistency of service is delivered in line with company policy
• Championing the agency values and brand
• Developing senior press relationships and managing contacts with key commentators, industry spokespeople, and sector influencers
• Offering crisis management and counsel to clients and extending networking opportunities
• Overseeing the provision of account resources
• Formulating business strategy in conjunction with other directors
• Reporting into the board and providing high-level data analysis

Key skills

• Leadership and management skills within a PR environment
• Talent development expertise
• Senior experience within a PR agency or in-house position
• Business development abilities with a track record of success
• Experienced at winning new clients and pitching for business
• Keen networker and adept at building relationships with key influencers and industry spokespeople
• Proven ability to present complex industry information to target audiences
• Expertise at handling a range of media to place products, grow brands or pitch for new customers
• Excellent project management skills with strong organizational and planning skills
• Exceptional written, verbal and presentation skills
• Ability to analyze complex data and interpret it for a range of audiences
• Outstanding interpersonal skills
• Strong negotiation and delegation skills
• Business acumen with the ability to communicate across departments and represent PR at a senior level within the business

Qualifications

Experience in relevant roles is more important as an account director than qualifications at this stage. Most will, however, have an undergraduate degree in a related subject such as English or the arts. For those looking to transfer to the industry, attractive skills include management, creative expertise, and journalism.

Relevant experience

• Extensive experience of PR within a specific sector or industry relevant to the post
• A strong industry network and contacts with senior journalists and members of the press
• Proven track record of successfully implemented PR campaigns for a range of clients
• Polished presenter and adept at explaining PR terms and outcomes to senior players
• Commercial acumen and experience of developing new business
• Management experience of developing star performers and overseeing the performance
• Driven, ambitious and willing to contribute to the business