Assistant Account Executive

Company Description

Reputation Partners is a national leader in corporate and business communications and public relations. Over 20 years, the agency has helped corporations, brands and other organizations build and protect their reputations via integrated and strategic communications disciplines. Our team is made up of first-rate media, content and digital communications professionals who create and execute proactive internal and external communications programs. Reputation Partners also has helped clients large and small to navigate challenges and risks in an ever-changing world. From cyber breaches to labor negotiations, our team advises, guides and supports companies during troubled times.

If you are a smart, business-minded communicator seeking to tackle some of the most important challenges of our day and create programs that drive and protect businesses, then we want to hear from you.

Learn more about our work by visiting http://www.reputationpartners.com

Job Description

Overall Expectations for All Professional Staff

Assistant Account Executives, like all professional staff at Reputation Partners are expected to:

• Maintain a professional, positive and respectful attitude towards colleagues and clients
• Consistently produce high quality, error-free work
• Consistently meet deadlines, including allowing supervisors ample time to review materials prior to client deadlines
• Proactively volunteer for new work/assignments when workload is light
• Be available as needed for evening and/or weekend work when client deadlines require it
• Actively contribute ideas in team brainstorms (in person and via e-mail)
• Participate in team meetings by offering concise and relevant updates on client work and new business assignments
• Consistently and accurately track/record billable, new business and administrative hours on timesheets on a daily basis
• Read local and national newspapers daily, and read/watch relevant business media (including digital/social) regularly

The Assistant Account Executive position is an exempt position.

Assistant Account Executives primarily are responsible for the following responsibilities on a day-to-day basis.  Other responsibilities and assignments may apply.

Client Account/Project Coordination

• Coordinate client meetings 
  • Develop meeting agendas
  • Prepare meeting materials for client/team members, etc.
• Actively participate in client meetings/conference calls, and offering ideas and strategies to address client needs
  • Draft formal written reports setting forth action items and schedules/deadlines determined during client meetings/calls
• Consistently and proactively provide updates and strategic thinking to team members on projects, including the status of ongoing projects and deadline-related projects, and areas for improvement
• Take ownership of relationships with internal/external vendors (oversee media monitoring services, event planners and designers) to ensure projects are completed in a professional, timely and cost-effective manner
• Ensure all deadlines are met by independently prioritizing action items and by “managing up” to ensure supervisor review and feedback in timely manner
• Prepare invoice justifications
• Use AI tools for appropriate work for efficiency and quality, following the guidelines of RP’s policies
• Ability to generate strategic prompts in AI platform and apply AI-generated ideas into day-to-day tasks

Writing/Materials Development

• Research and draft quality first drafts of documents, ensuring appropriate perspective, tone and style based on assessment of client needs.  Such documents include:
  • Press releases
  • Media alerts 
  • Fact sheets 
  • Executive bios 
  • Employee newsletter stories
  • Portions of award entries
  • Media coverage reports, including digital and social
  • Reporter/media briefing documents 
  • Client activity reports
• Experienced Assistant Account Executives also will be responsible for developing:
  • Complete award entries
  • Research analysis/summary reports
  • Substantive memos to clients
  • Correspondence from clients to media, influencers, employees, etc.
  • More advanced press releases, pitch angles, byline abstracts
• All materials drafted by professional staff at Reputation Partners must:
  • Be free of spelling/grammar mistakes
  • Use proper word choice
  • Reflect a tone appropriate for the intended audience
  • Be concise
  • Be logically/thoughtfully organized
• Media Relations
• Assist with the planning and execution of both organic and paid social media programs
• Research and select appropriate reporters and publications/broadcast outlets for our client assignments
• Develop and maintain media lists, ensuring they are up-to-date and contact information is correct
• Identify and track relevant editorial calendar opportunities and present those opportunities to the account team well in advance of deadlines
• Strategically share news releases and pitches and conduct rigorous follow-up discussions with reporters to garner interview opportunities for our clients
• Regularly read and study target reporters’ bylines to understand their style and approach
• Analyze reporter coverage/backgrounds and develop comprehensive media briefing documents for clients
• Monitor media coverage of our clients and client’s competitors, including digital and social
• Coordinate/facilitate media interviews
• Awareness of generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Grammarly, Canva Magic Write)
• Basic use of AI for proofreading, summarizing, or idea generation

Research

• Independently conduct comprehensive and thorough research to support clients and new business development efforts, including, but not limited to:
  • Collecting and analyzing historical media coverage of clients/prospects
  • Researching and identifying potential third parties (NGOs, academics, etc.) that may make ideal partners for our clients/prospects 
  • Collecting and summarizing historical financial performance of clients/prospects (stock price, dividend, etc.)
• Effectively use various research channels to collect needed information:
  • Cision/Universal
  • Factiva
  • Lexis-Nexis
  • Google/Yahoo! Finance
• Demonstrate tenacity and creativity in locating needed/relevant information 
• Prepare thoughtful analysis of research by distilling information, summarizing key findings for team members, and making appropriate recommendations
  • Drill down and identify key themes from a large volume of information
• Locate breaking news immediately on clients, their industries and their competitors using traditional means (e.g. Google News Alerts and more direct means (e.g. visiting competitors’ websites regularly and reading industry news daily)

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (Public Relations, Journalism, Communications, Advertising, or related field preferred)
• 0-2 years’ experience in PR, journalism or other communications function
• Ability to write for a variety of media (including digital, social, etc.) and stakeholder audiences.
• A strong understanding of social media and knowledge of paid social media campaigns
• Excellent organizational skills
• Detailed-oriented who can produce high-quality documents on tight deadlines with minimal supervision
• Be knowledgeable beyond public relations and have a working knowledge of advertising and integrated marketing principles
• Ability to work in our office in the Chicago Loop Monday - Thursday, with WFH option available on Friday.

Additional Information

We offer a robust benefits package, including Blue Cross/Blue Shield Medical PPO, Principal Dental and Vision coverage, with an HRA; 401(k); generous PTO; FSA for medical, dependent care and parking/transit; employer-paid Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA) for wellness and employer-provided funds for medical FSA; Employer Assistance Program (EAP); Life and AD&D insurance including voluntary additional coverage available; professional development planning and support; and more.