Account Director, Social Good & Issues Advocacy

New York, NY
Communications – Social Impact & Issues Advocacy /
Full-Time /
Hybrid
Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis is proud to represent clients across many industries including entertainment, social good, tech and lifestyle and we tell their stories through a variety of mediums.  We know that even during the toughest times, our responsibility to our clients and each other can bring meaningful and long-lasting impact for those affected the most. We’re proud of each and every campaign we execute, but you may be wondering why we don’t have more than a landing page as our website. While many of our clients are household names (you know them, we’re sure of it), our digital footprint is purposefully small. We fly under the radar and we like it that way.
 
If you are fired up and ready to do good, join us! 

We have an immediate opening for an Account Director with a focus on Social Good & Issues Advocacy in our New York City office (hybrid work schedule). For this role, you have your pulse on global trends for positive environmental and sustainable change. Building CSR strategies has been your responsibility for the past couple of years. You know, not just how to tell a company’s CSR story, but also how to help build an initiative and guide clients through to the end. You have previous experience in community engagement, messaging, media events and storytelling. You’re the type of person who can read a room well and can connect with the most ambivalent audiences. We are looking for someone who wakes up every day checking everything from POLITICO, to the Washington Post, to the Los Angeles Times.  

Our candidate is curious. While they will work on social good & advocacy clients, they are also likely to touch other clients such as events, CSR and issue focused campaigns. They see this as a challenge and opportunity to grow their skills.

Our account directors lead accounts (no surprise there), counseling the client, providing fresh ideas, motivating the team, ensuring goals are being met and…they still pitch! Our agency is integrated, and our Account Directors frequently work on accounts that involve aspects of brand integration, influencer integration, digital strategy, etc. While we don’t expect you to be fluent in all of these areas, we anticipate that this will excite you!

Responsibilities Include:

    • Leading national and local social good and issues advocacy campaigns that touch various client teams (consumer, non-profit, corporate, etc.)
    • Developing and executing comprehensive communications strategies that include taking complex issues and packaging them for general consumer.
    • Providing thought leadership opportunities for clients and serving as a senior leader within the agency
    • Managing complex client issues and will see the client through stressful situations that will require thoughtful counsel.
    • Leading client accounts and conduct media trainings for Sunshine Sachs clients, top executives and celebrities.
    • Partnering and collaborating with SADs and VPs throughout the agency on integrated accounts.
    • Leading new business meetings, creating proposals as needed.
    • Training and mentoring junior staff on the inner workings and executions of current policies, social good movements and campaigns, PR, media relations, and overall work approach.
    • Responding to client requests and ensure requests are taken care of in an efficient manner.
    • Support administration of accounts including developing agendas, meeting recaps, activity reports, client status reports and budget trackers.

You should apply if

    • You have at least 8 years working in PR or media, specific experience in CSR, corporate communications, community engagement, non-profit, public sector.
    • You’ve managed a team with direct oversight for at least 2 years (of those 8 mentioned above).
    • You know how to navigate stakeholders, thought leaders, and media.
    • You are a strong writer – persuasive, concise, creative, and quick.
    • You believe yourself to be excellent at pitching new business – confidence is key!
    • You have established press contacts and have your “go-to” folks to get that important message out.
    • You are a strategic thinker, bring new ideas to the table, and love a good brainstorm.
    • You have strong decision-making abilities and accountability; this is an important role, own it!
    • You have an innate curiosity and an entrepreneurial spirit.
    • You are incredibly organized, detail oriented and able to excel at managing multiple projects simultaneously.
    • You’re willing to work select evenings/weekends and travel when necessary.
    • You enjoy overdelivering rather than meeting expectations and take genuine pride in being part of something good.

You don’t HAVE to have this, but it sure would be nice:

    • Political, regulatory, and government experience.
    • Previous experience working with & managing teams in multiple locations
    • If you have skin in the game. You’re incredibly passionate about various types of equity and believe that you can make a difference with your storytelling.
$90,000 - $105,000 a year
Salary commensurate with experience plus bonus eligibility and benefits (more below)
Benefits x Perks
We go well beyond the benefits that you’re looking for like medical, dental, and vision plans, 401(k) with matching, annual merit-based bonuses, PTO, fertility, FSA for medical, childcare, and commuter expenses. Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis offers those benefits and many perks including, a flexible work schedule, Work from Anywhere program, Summer Fridays, Wellness Days, and a 4-week sabbatical or trip to celebrate select anniversaries. We love to socialize so, we have collaborative workspaces, some offices even have rooftops, celebrations, networking opportunities, and community volunteering. We frequently mark opportunities to listen, learn and act throughout the year (Juneteenth, Election Day, International Women’s Day, etc.).
 
SSM&L is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and ability. We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, identity and expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
 
There’s more!
From day one, employees are carefully matched with a mentor to guide them on their path to success. Training and mentoring are a big deal here and since we are into promoting from within, we make sure to provide more than enough tools for you to learn and grow. We are proud to offer training throughout the year on topics for professional growth as well as personal growth. We have also developed a series of teaching workshops that are structured for each level of the company. Sunshiners also take love to take advantage of the monthly Meet the Media series where media contacts provide valuable insider info for pitching them and their colleagues.