Associate Director - Director Crisis & Issues
The Team
The Role
We are seeking an experienced Associate Director - Director with a corporate background and specialism in issues and crisis communications. The person will be directly handling high level issues and crises across our broad range of clients and in a number of sectors, in addition to wider corporate reputation management work.
Reporting into the Business Partner, you will be ready to lead our day-to-day crisis activity, working with global businesses, business leaders, FMCG brands and individuals on crisis and issues preparation, media management, and providing overarching senior counsel on a 24/7 basis.
The role will also include working with companies and individuals on communications positioning and framing corporate narratives, defining issues management strategies and leading on media relations.
Key Responsibilities
- Leading an ‘always-on’ 24/7 crisis offering working into the Business Partner / lead
- Providing immediate communications support for senior clients on developing reputational issues, including out of hours assistance as the primary client contact
- Securing the confidence of colleagues as a senior communications advisor on a wide range of corporate communications issues and disciplines
- Writing crisis and issues preparation plans for clients to anticipate and mitigate against media-facing reputational challenges
- Handling day-to-day issues for a portfolio of major clients, including front line media relations
- Stress testing client crisis strategies through issues workshops and crisis simulations
- Developing corporate positioning, messaging and narrative frameworks to address crisis situations
- Driving corporate reputation strategies to help both major global businesses and challenger brands tell their stories in an impactful way
- Developing creative corporate communications strategies and campaigns for diverse clients and issues and ensuring their successful delivery
- Participating in, and leading, new business development, including originating leads and managing pitch meetings, presentations and proposals
- Contributing strategy and solutions to new business efforts and proactively introducing new ideas to improve our offering
- Proactively building internal and external networks with colleagues, opinion leaders, journalists, professional associations, online influencers and other relevant third parties
- Line managing and mentoring junior team members, including responsibility for their evaluation and professional development
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
- Have substantial experience gained in an agency environment or through leading a busy in-house team at the sharp end of issues management
- Direct and demonstrable experience dealing with high-profile issues and crises for global corporate clients or business leaders
- Seasoned and confident client handler with experience of advising at senior levels
- Excellent time management skills, and the ability to work in a fast-paced, high pressure environment, managing your own work and that of others
- Demonstratable connections across media both traditional and online
- Experience in a senior management role leading people and teams, and a track record in industry leading corporate campaigns
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to influence clients and colleagues
- Enthusiasm and a ‘can-do’, proactive attitude
- Ability to interact with and gain the trust of senior clients and colleagues
