We have an immediate opening for an Associate Director, Corporate Communications to join our growing West Coast presence.
We are entrepreneurial, collaborative, diverse and curious.
Clients come to us to help solve challenging problems, create new ideas and campaigns, and move their business forward.
We believe in the power of communication to affect change and we are excited by purposeful work.
At APCO, you’ll have the opportunity to work across disciplines, including corporate communication, crisis and issues, sustainability and corporate responsibility, media and stakeholder engagement, and digital/social media.
Here in the West, we work with clients mainly in the tech, healthcare, consumer and nonprofit sectors.
Responsibilities
Independently manages several small accounts or projects for large accounts, serving as account lead and/or primary point of client contact with support, as needed
Develops and manages project programming, including implementation plans, staffing plans, budgets, timelines and measurement/evaluation
Lead client media relations efforts, including both strategy and execution
Serves as the West Coast lead in our North American Media Relations practice
Creates key messages and themes to best tell client stories and support client marketing and business plans
Manages press inquiries and interview requests, draft company responses in conjunction with company leadership, and conduct pitch calls
Integrates digital and social media tactics with overall communications strategy
Manages client expectations, earning clients’ respect, trust and confidence
Identify and monitor any emerging or current communications or reputational issues and manage company response in conjunction with company leadership
Keeps team appropriately informed and involved in projects; ensure projects run smoothly, and help team members feel empowered, respected, and educated
Identifies and secures assistance with emerging account challenges
Supports new business development
Qualifications
At least 6-8 years of corporate communications/PR experience/digital expertise; agency experience a big plus
Bachelor’s degree in English, Journalism, Public Relations, Marketing, Communications, or other related field
Media relations experience developing and executing both traditional and digital media strategies, including media pitching, and analysis
Strong relationships with technology, business and healthcare reporters at top-tier media outlets
Superior writing skills with experience developing press releases, op-eds and other external communications
Excellent client and interpersonal skills; ability to manage independent client relationships and communicate effectively
Possesses an entrepreneurial spirit, a solution-oriented attitude and a growth mindset
Well-versed in current events and headline news at local, national, and international levels
Exemplary research, organizational, and communication skills
Proven ability to manage multiple projects and junior team members, as well as prioritize and multi-task in a fast-paced environment
Proficient with Microsoft and Adobe applications, media databases and social media networks
Strong presentation skills