Log In
Sign Up
Our client, GAVIN, is an award-winning full-service brand communications agency offering comprehensive strategy, creative, public relations, digital and media buying services. The agency has a work-remote culture supported by an HQ office in York, Pennsylvania and a satellite office in Baltimore, Maryland. They are a team of 34+ serving clients in healthcare, education, CPG, retail, manufacturing, government, finance, and business to business clients across the US. Recognized as a national leader in their industry by PRNews as an Agency Elite Top 100 firm in the country, an Inc. Magazine Inc 5000 company, and a Top 50 Fastest Growing Company, GAVIN is on a strategic growth path.
They encourage growth within. They are committed to attracting and retaining diverse talent in every aspect to grow with their team. This position has the ability to advance into the executive suite with proven ability and contributions to agency growth and success.
This position offers a work-remote option, requiring that the Senior Director visit the office and client’s locations for key meetings and events as necessary. Their clients are regional and national companies requiring an understanding of local, regional, and national markets inclusive of omni-channel communications strategies leveraging branding, public relations, creative, digital advertising, web services and media buying. GAVIN is a proud part of The YGS Group family of companies.
THE POSITION
The Public Relations, Senior Director is part of the senior management team, helping to steer the agency on its strategic growth path while delivering superior outcomes to clients. This person will lead and direct account directors, with account teams, and oversee all organizational aspects within the public relations department, including a growing team of public relations professionals. The Senior Director will lead the team in delivering superior public relations and communications strategies, resulting in client retention, satisfaction and positioning the agency as THE preferred public relations partner for medium to large size clients. The Public Relations Senior Director manages and mentors a team of account directors, project managers, media relations specialists and coordinators in helping clients to navigate complex markets, media relationships, crises, and brand messaging to achieve our clients’ goals.
This person should have excellent critical thinking skills, a teambuilding mindset, managerial experience with senior and junior teams, proven track record with team retention, masterful communications and presentations skills, business development expertise and a proven track record in growing agency accounts.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
• Lead and direct entire PR department to achieve performance outcomes for clients and for the agency’s market objectives through communications expertise.
• Lead strategic senior level public relations counsel guiding clients through complex media circumstances, crises, executive level advising and communications strategies supporting desired reputation management.
• Lead and develop public relations departmental strategy for growth and successful scaling of the team to continue the agency’s growth path.
• Mentor and develop direct reports in advancing their professional abilities and reaching greater success, resulting in high team retention rates
• Manage departmental budgets and forecasting to reach annual goals.
• Lead public relations business development efforts, including representing the agency on the national stage as an influencer and expert, attract new clients, responding and pitching new business.
• Maintain client satisfaction and retention, identifying public relations and communications key priorities/deliverables for account teams with clearly defined performance expectations while ensuring the team’s ability to successfully achieve those goals and objectives.
• Ability to direct, craft and guide team in developing comprehensive omni-channel communications strategies and ensuring precise execution of developed plans by the account teams.
• Guide senior account teams on developing senior level client brand strategy and affirming the team’s understanding the lens of target audiences to effectively craft engaging and purposeful public relations strategies.
• Bring senior level insights to internal and external communications strategies for clients, including advising the c-suite on masterful market maneuvering and messaging.
• Actively affirm the team’s ability to achieve desired media outcomes by staying on top of emerging trends, directing quality reporting, and keeping the agency ahead of competitors in service abilities.
• Ensure agency departmental performance reporting is meeting necessary reporting standards, including having a clear understanding of al reporting tools and setting departmental SOPs for client service and reporting.
• Keen sense of potential issues or crises in clients’ markets, proactively advising clients’ strategies to mitigate risks and outcomes to protect our clients’ brands.
• Deep understanding of agency service standards, including evaluating, establishing and holding the department accountable for standards in service.
• Ability to speak and direct the team to speak to clients’ industries, tracking high level market trends and maintaining a constant understanding of opportunities and shifts impacting our clients’ businesses.
• Ability to build and maintain strong client trust and relationships.
• Develop new business public relations proposals and work with integrated teams on comprehensive new business efforts.
• Represent agency to key industry media to raise agency profile and attract clients to our doorstep.
• Reports to EVP on departmental success, growth, strategy and client services, collaboratively striving to advance the agency’s growth plans.
Position Knowledge/Skills Required
• Minimum Bachelor’s Degree in public relations/communications or related field, Master’s Degree preferred..
• Minimum 10 years progressive public relations experience
• Agency experience required.
• Team management of 10 or more experience required.
• Superior presentation skills.
• Public relations and marketing experience with education, healthcare, manufacturing, financial services and government sectors a plus.
• Exemplary writing (AP style), editing, proofing, listening and verbal communications skills.
• Possesses motivational abilities in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment; remains calm under pressure; leads by example.
• Proven media relations skills.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Experience in local, regional and national trade and consumer media placements.
• Strong understanding of new media, inclusive of social media, performance metrics, and digital marketing that compliments all communications efforts.
• Experience in crisis communications and crisis management.
GAVIN offers a competitive benefit package including paid time off, medical benefits, company-paid short-term disability and life insurance, access to a retirement plan with company match, the flexibility to work remotely and yes… even your birthday off!
