PUBLIC RELATIONS ACCOUNT DIRECTOR

Red Fan Communications is a strategic B2B communications and advisory firm that believes communications is a critical business function that supports a business’s growth and bottom line. Our data-driven approach empowers executives and marketing leaders to drive go-to-market strategies, improve critical stakeholder relationships, and position their brands as market leaders. We are communications “Fan”-atics. After all, integrated marketing and communications is crucial to a brand’s success. We live for juicy, newsworthy stories. We thrive on expertly worded emails. We excel at making complex messages clear in the voice of a seasoned executive. This is a HYBRID position.

Our commitment at Red Fan is to be client-centric. Account Directors ensure our clients are raving fans who are overwhelmingly pleased with our support, creative solutions and ability to achieve results that meet their goals. Our clients trust that we are focused on their success and concerns while demonstrating a level of communication, professionalism and results they can be proud of.

Account Directors lead high-profile accounts, guide integrated marketing and communication strategy development, establish clear account roles and exceed goals to drive client retention, renewals and referrals. In addition, they are responsible for managing performance standards and reinforcing expectations of success. Account Directors report to the Vice President of Client Success. In this role, they support agency senior leadership with reporting, compiling success metrics, and securing testimonials from client engagements. They also actively participate in vetting new business opportunities. 

SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS

• Excellence in revenue management: Responsible for supporting the growth of a multi-million dollar agency through superior client relations and results. This includes nurturing existing client relationships, growing retainers through additional services, developing client referrals and supporting the new business team with proposal development.

• Confident, trusted advisor: Provide consistent counsel to direct marketing contacts as well as their senior teams (including C-level). As the go-to expert on integrated marketing and communications, clients come to you first for guidance, brainstorming and strategy. Ensure Red Fan is an invaluable partner at every level of the organization.

• Collaborative, accountable and adaptive leader: Serve as primary client contact and strategic guide for all account team members. Coach and instruct client teams through campaigns and facilitate information flow from client to Red Fan services team. Create a collaborative, inspiring and motivated team environment to drive success for clients.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Revenue Management

• Oversee and maintain $1.1 million in contract revenues. Successful revenue management is evidenced by services group utilization plus client renewals, and overall account profitability.

• Partner with the CEO to secure new business on a quarterly basis in order to maintain and exceed Red Fan’s revenue goals by generating business opportunities and one-off projects that can grow (BPNL, IMCL, Media Landscaping, Media Training, etc.).

• Responsible for establishing external relationships and pricing with senior management to enhance our offerings.

• Manage client accounts within budget and in line with expected net project profit margins.

• Support the business development process by participating in new business meetings, co-developing proposals and supporting the Vice President of Client Success with nurturing and closing new client contracts.

• Maintain clear communication with the Client Services team to align team hours and agency resources with customer goals and budget. This includes ensuring effective time-tracking and client billing, minimizing scope creep, developing and monitoring activity reports and meeting all required deadlines.

• Stay ahead of client needs by pinpointing additional agency support or services and drive awareness of those needs and work with agency leadership to build out new offerings.

• Coordinate with the Client Services team on all current and potential client work, ensuring that the pricing and assigned team members are knowledgeable about the client and goals and that clients are meeting the team members that work on their account (resource management).

• Work with the Client Services team to successfully renew agency contracts.

Integrated Marketing & Communications Strategy

• Understand the needs and end goal of the client, and dictate where, when and how a project starts or how a deliverable is produced.

• Collaborate with the services team and provide clear direction to generate high-quality results based on client goals. 

• Demonstrate a strong understanding of integrated marketing and communications strategies to consistently provide clients with the best recommendations, services and partnerships.

• Assume a “buck-stops-with-me” responsibility for client programs.

• Take a data-backed approach to strategy as well as measuring results in terms that clients appreciate and value. 

• Build strong internal relationships with both the client and agency teams to initiate and effectively manage client outreach, research and presentation development. 

• Lead brand positioning and integrated marketing and communications workshops. Provide direction, counsel and add value around all included program elements (e.g. customers, spokespeople, media, top-tier business press and senior industry analysts, well-known industry pundits).

• Maintain a strong understanding of the media landscape, what drives news and how to build successful media relations programs.

• Ensure a complete understanding of client technologies and markets in a wide variety of industry sectors (includes imparting knowledge to the Client Services account team and directing their research efforts).

• Oversee the development of client company/product narrative and messaging. Provide direction, edits and final approval on all messaging and related collateral created by staff, including press releases, pitches, briefings, fact sheets, coverage reports and backgrounders.

• Ensure all client-facing communication and materials are accurate, perfectly edited and meet Red Fan standards.

• Other duties as assigned.

Company Leadership and Team Management

• Strong leadership skills and presence that include impactful communication, articulate and mindful negotiation, and polished presentation delivery and counsel.

• Serve as a role model: uphold agency values, policies and procedures, lead by example, and promote collaboration and team building.

• Collaborate with the Vice President of Client Success to onboard, train and develop Client Success team members.

• Participate in and lead internal training brainstorms and team building sessions to demonstrate knowledge and leadership.

• Identify training needs and design and execute Red Fan University programming, educating staff on best practices and skills development as it applies to Client Success.

• Mentor staff, instilling Red Fan values and providing support and guidance in client relations, campaign execution and internal collaboration.

• Provide direct feedback and coaching daily to team members to help their career development and job performance successes. 

• Identify areas of improvement in agency processes and work with leadership and staff to implement solutions.

• Identify operational needs and gaps in software, tools and resources. Assist in the vetting and selection of new resources.

• Be ready, willing and able to roll up sleeves and help do what it takes to get the job at hand done with top results.

• Invest in your own expertise and growth to evolve your understanding of integrated marketing and communications trends.

• Other tasks as assigned.

EXPERIENCE AND REQUIRED SKILLS

• 8 years of experience leading B2B and technology accounts and a proven track record of increasing responsibility and resource management.

• Demonstrated experience motivating an internal team to succeed for multiple clients on numerous projects. 

• Extremely level-headed, quick-thinking and adept at remaining focused under pressure.

• Must think critically and make decisions with limited supervision, effectively managing teams and timelines across multiple projects simultaneously.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills across all channels.

• Proficiency in AP Style.

• Fluency in wire distribution services, media database and monitoring software, and other marketing tools including but not limited to Business Wire, Cision, TrendKite, Semrush and Muck Rack.

• Extremely responsive to client and staff correspondence, both during and outside office hours.

• Always at the forefront of industry trends and news, providing proactive recommendations for clients.

• Never misses a deadline. Ever.