Associate Director
New York, New York
New York office /
Full time /
Hybrid
Milltown Partners is a global advisory firm working with influential organizations and individuals on the communications and public policy challenges that define their reputations. We are looking for an Associate Director to join our New York team, who has leadership experience, corporate communications experience and a desire to take a hands-on role in advising both clients and colleagues. As an established media handler, you will scale those skills in the team and have a network of journalists and peers that you are eager to build and convene for the benefit of our continued growth in the US.
THE ASSOCIATE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR ROLE
Associate Directors are responsible for the quality of everything we produce. They ensure every team has an agreed strategy, clear priorities, and consistently exceeds client expectations. Associate Directors work in partnership with the senior management to set the scope, agree the fees and design the structure of our teams to ensure we have the right resources to deliver our best work. They give brilliant advice to our clients and coach their teams to do the same. Associate Directors are instrumental in the growth of the firm, helping to build external networks and lead on new business opportunities, while also supporting the design and delivery of plans for quality, talent and growth.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ROLE
Leadership: defining direction and inspiring others to meet a common goal
Collaborating with senior management to set clear goals and priorities for your teams and holding everyone, including themselves, to account for meeting them
Building trust with your client in order to give the most impactful advice and support
Taking responsibility for the strategic direction and tactical choices for clients
Sharing your insights and experience in a way that allows the rest of the team to replicate your success
Drawing on the full expertise and resources of the firm to develop and deliver advice that helps our clients build and protect their reputations
Coaching individuals both in line management and on teams to identify opportunities to meet their goals
Innovation: pushing the boundaries of the work we do as a firm
Being a role model and leading by example in both managing and delivering exceptional work
Ensuring research, data and insight underpins all work that we deliver
Seeking expertise from outside the firm - media, business, policy, academia, research - and using it to improve the quality of our advice and analysis
Identifying operational efficiencies that enable us to deliver our best work
Identifying opportunities for collaboration, knowledge sharing and growth for the business beyond your own client teams
Growth: Contributing to the future of the business beyond the boundaries of client work
Identifying and leading on converting new opportunities into work and extending our work with existing clients
Cultivating an external network that enables us to deliver impactful results for our clients (e.g. with journalists, subject matter experts or other advisers)
Developing and building your external network in order to attract new clients and reach potential referrers
Showing entrepreneurial thinking internally by identifying opportunities for collaboration, skills building and knowledge sharing
Contributing to a collaborative and inclusive work environment
Line managing outside client teams, including setting development goals that enable individuals to perform at their best and stretch into new development opportunities
Giving and receiving regular feedback to people at all levels in the firm
Actively seeking input or assistance from others and reflecting their contributions in the work
Demonstrating allyship to all colleagues
Supporting the wellbeing of everyone on the team
Must-have skills and experiences
- At least 8 years of corporate communications experience - either/or consultancy or in-house roles - including time in the technology and/or investor space
- Demonstrable ability to take a strategic approach to reputation, rooted in research, data and insight
- Experience engaging with different audiences and channels across the communications landscape
- Experience building advisory relationships with senior stakeholders in order to deliver strategic counsel and insight, often on a short timeframe
- Experience developing media strategies and adapting them in response to a changing media environment
- Ability to build and maintain a media network for the benefit of multiple clients and colleagues
- Experience managing complex and high-performing teams with diverse experiences
- Willingness to play a hands-on role within client teams and across the firm
- Commitment to learning and developing new skills and subject matter expertise, including seeking out feedback from colleagues
- Ability to play a hands-on role within client teams and across the firm
- Commitment to contributing to a supportive and inclusive culture
- Excellent command of written and verbal English language
Desirable skills and experiences
- Exposure to relevant fields including research, policy, media and campaigns
- Experience working as a journalist covering the technology industry, investors or financial markets
- Experience leading new business conversations, including RFP processes
What we offer in return
- Competitive and fair base salary determined through annual industry benchmarking
- Discretionary twice-yearly bonuses
- Professional development opportunities, with access to both expert professional coach and internal training
- 26 days of annual Paid Time Off (PTO) plus Public Holidays
- 4% match to 401k contribution
- Generous policy for new parents (for both mothers and fathers)
- Generous medical, dental and vision insurance options, including support for dependents
- $100 monthly commuter benefits
- Variety of team events, such as socials, external guest speakers and annual firm celebrations
- Selection of breakfast foods and snacks in the office, plus a weekly team lunch
- Variety of team events, such as socials, external guest speakers and annual firm celebrations
- 3-day week in the office hybrid policy (Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays mandatory)
$150,000 - $170,000 a year
ABOUT US
Milltown Partners is a transatlantic advisory firm working with influential companies, organizations and individuals on their reputation-defining communications and policy challenges. We work with established and emerging technology companies, global investors, iconic brands, renowned sports franchises and influential individuals. We collaborate across locations and disciplines to combine our judgement, deep subject-matter expertise and innovative use of technology to deliver impact for our clients. We root our strategies in data insights and research on the audiences that matter, messages that work, and communications channels that deliver. We are an independent, employee-owned company, which means we have the freedom to invest in our people and our culture, and everyone shares in our success.
DIVERSITY, EQUALITY & INCLUSION AT MILLTOWN
Creating a diverse, equitably and inclusive environment is core to our values, culture and success as an employee owned business. We want to empower everyone in the team to share their best thinking and ideas, feel valued and know they are having an impact and belong in the business, regardless of their background, age, gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation or disability. We have an ambitious DEI programme managed by a global leadership team of volunteers with three global company commitments to: improve representation of minority groups, enhance everyone's sense of inclusion and support underrepresented communities through pro bono work. Underpinning these commitments is a focus on what it means to have a DEI culture and how to measure that in our approach to growth, attracting talent and the impact of our work for clients.
