Director – Head of Corporate Affairs
Milan
Edelman – Corporate /
Full-Time /
Hybrid
About the Company
We are a leading global communications marketing firm helping business and organisations evolve, promote, and protect their brands and reputations. We are independent and family owned, which allows us the freedom to deliver original thinking and invest in our clients. From our Italian headquarters in Milan, our dynamic team collaborates closely with a network of over 6,000 colleagues worldwide to create award-winning creative communication programmes for some of the globe’s most recognized brands. We have deep expertise and advise on consumer trends, research, analytics and insights, and corporate reputation for industries such as energy, B2B/industrial, food & beverage, health, technology, capital markets, government affairs, and more. Reporting to Edelman Italy’s General Manager with a dotted line to the EMEA Chair of Corporate Affairs, we are looking for an experienced and internationally-minded Director to lead and grow the Italian Corporate Practice. The role will be based in Milan.
Key Responsibilities:
- Leading the Corporate Practice and client teams by refining and driving the growth strategy for our multi-industry portfolio of clients.
- Advising client communications directors as well as C-level executives, managing corporate reputation programmes, and developing Italian and multi-market purpose driven communication campaigns
- Counselling clients confidently and maturely on communications marketing including PR, digital, social and content creation.
- Overseeing client programmes and driving creative campaigns, while leveraging Edelman offerings and specialties both in Italy and across the agency’s global network.
- Directing media engagement strategy for clients and coaching teams to activate and deliver influential earned-centric media strategies.
- Leverage network of Italian corporate & business journalists to drive coverage for clients.
- Identifying potential leads and areas of growth within existing clients as well as broader opportunities from a prospecting perspective.
- Leading new business pitches including developing RFI / RFP proposals and formal pitch meetings.
- Taking responsibility for a portfolio of accounts as senior leader, and managing teams, developing team members, and line management responsibilities.
- Work in partnership with existing senior leadership team to advance the commercial objectives of the business.
- Full responsibility for overall financial management – forecasting, hours allocation for the Corporate Practice, as well as team members, project & plan budgeting, managing servicing levels.
- Support and develop Edelman’s IP and marketing initiatives, helping to develop our position in the market and maximising the role of the Edelman Trust Barometer and other assets for existing and potential clients.
The ideal candidate for this role will have/be:
- At least 10 years of background in corporate communications/reputation management. Experience in an international business setting is a must.
- Strong knowledge of both the Italian and international business media landscape and digital platforms with network of contacts. Experience in the financial, energy, or industrial sectors is considered a plus.
- An understanding of how Corporate Reputation intersects with other communications disciplines, including Consumer and ability to craft smart and forward-thinking strategies rooted in insights.
- Experience in handling complex client issues – with an understanding of issues and crisis management – and an ability to provide senior clients with clear, confident, and well informed strategic counsel under pressure.
- Strong commercial awareness and negotiation skills, with an ability to deliver a project against budget and deliver results.
- Experience of multi-market coordination, working within integrated teams and across practices.
- High emotional intelligence with a strong ability to lead and inspire teams.
- Capability to think and apply solutions quickly with a track record of handling complex stakeholders with ability to influence decisions.
- Strong communications skills, verbal and written. Fluency in Italian and English is mandatory.
- Creative, ambitious, entrepreneurial with good initiative, strong organisation and attention to detail.
- Holds self and team accountable for performance, compliance and ethical business conduct in accordance with firm values.
- Passion for networking, both internally and externally, to develop contacts and generate new thinking and ways of working
Edelman is a global communications firm that partners with businesses and organizations to evolve, promote and protect their brands and reputations. Our 6,000 people in more than 60 offices deliver communications strategies that give our clients the confidence to lead and act with certainty, earning the trust of their stakeholders. Our honors include the Cannes Lions Grand Prix for PR; Advertising Age’s 2019 A-List; the Holmes Report’s 2018 Global Digital Agency of the Year; and, five times, Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work. Since our founding in 1952, we have remained an independent, family-run business. Edelman owns specialty companies Edelman Data & Intelligence (DxI) and United Entertainment Group (entertainment, sports, lifestyle).
For more information please visit: www.edelman.com
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