The PR Director role allows individuals to take a broader view of the entire business, extending their influence from ‘Client and Team’ to include a more strategic focus on ‘Business’. Greater commercial awareness coupled with an interest in the wider factors affecting the both the PR industry as well as the industries our clients operate in.
Key areas of responsibility are:
Business
- Keep client satisfaction, cost controls and commerciality at the centre of every decision
- Strategically evaluate the departments season’s results and refocus initiatives to ensure all activities fulfill wider internal objectives
- Identify opportunities to change KO processes or services to enable an enhanced client experience, deliver increased revenue and encourage budget savings
- Take an active role in new business generation driving commercial results as well as maintaining brand credibility and reputation
- Lead the internal communication cascade (e.g agency news, project progress and realigned priorities) within the PR teams through the effective use of weekly and monthly meetings with junior teams, peers and colleagues from other departments
- Take responsibility for self and team on wider business activities relating to financial reconciliation; expenses collation & timesheet completion (via Paprika) and for profit protection, specifically the sample management process
- Encourage positive internal stakeholder interactions based on mutual respect and a solid understanding of the KPIs of other departments
- Seek opportunities to work cross-functionally on projects
Team:
- Demonstrate day to day team leadership, taking responsibility for performance, development and engagement for Senior Account Managers and leading by example to support your reports to manage their teams effectively
- Set a positive example when managing stakeholder relationships and identifies opportunities to coach more junior team members to navigate challenges
- Supervise, develop and mentor wider PR teams; ensure priorities are shared and understood, challenges identified and outcomes remain solution focused
- Inform SVPs of human resources, operational or management issues
- Encourage an environment where ideas can be shared and mentors the team to support them to reach their potential
- Maintain a positive working environment and escalate any concerns affecting team wellbeing appropriately
Client:
- Develop Communications & Brand Strategies proposing efficient, realistically achievable, economic and creative initiatives with the goal of improving brand notoriety and deepening trade relationships
- Take an integrated approach to offering services to client – consider add-on services as well as global opportunities
- Build and maintain mutually beneficial relationships senior members of the press
- Keep timely incoming and outgoing correspondence with KO offices, clients and press keeping all parties aware of initiatives, progress status and end results
- Alongside client stakeholders, strategically assess individual brand needs and explore opportunities to create additional media exposure in support of Brand plans
- Protect each client’s brand image and challenge activities that are likely to disrupt or damage reputations
- Pitch regular feature stories to appropriate press
- Plan, co-ordinate, implement and attend Press Launches in support of Brand/Marketing plans, managing press and social outreach, ensuring the right mix of attendees
- Oversee and direct key events, providing reassurance to clients, guidance to the teams and project updates to SVPs
- Commercial agility
-Curious
- Thinks ‘we’ rather than ‘me’
- Displays strong leadership qualities and effectively delegates where appropriate
- Ability to effectively influences individuals and teams to meet their respective goals
- Sets goals, monitors and reviews plans and prioritises tasks effectively
- Ability to deputise for functional lead as and when required
- Establish priorities and effectively manage multiple tasks and projects
- Ability to think strategically
- Discreet, professional and well spoken, with excellent communication (both written and verbal) and networking skills
- Extremely well-organized, methodical and efficient, with a good dose of common sense and initiative
- Ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines
- Must have a solid understanding of fashion trends and industry
- Extensive press and social contacts
- Proven track record of full execution of fashion show and events (domestic + international)
- A keen eye for detail both with quantitative and qualitative data
- Strong agency background
- Must be eligible to work in the USA
