Now Hiring - myWHY Agency, Inc. - Media And Communication Senior PR Account Executive in Chicago, IL

Full description of the position

myWHY Agency is seeking a Senior PR Account Executive!

This is a 90-day contract-to-hire opening.

We offer a competitive benefits package that includes:

Health Insurance: six plans available through Blue Cross Blue Shield

Paid Time Off: 3 weeks per year accrued weekly

Sick Leave: 1 hour accrued for every 30 hours worked

Paid Holidays: 12 paid holidays plus 1 paid floating holiday, immediate eligibility

Paternity/Maternity Leave

401k: with a matching contribution

Hours: flexible working arrangements (i.e. primarily working from home), occasional travel for client meetings as needed. Must reside in the Chicago area.

Pay Range: $80,000 - $85,000

myWHY Agency is a black-owned, women-led integrated marketing and creative agency founded by four-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer Emerald-Jane Hunter. Our team has a record of developing strategic marketing campaigns that grab attention, demand interaction, and generate long-term, impactful value.

With a client list that includes organic and natural CPG brands, health and wellness companies, BIPOC- and women- owned businesses, large corporations and nonprofit organizations, myWHY is focused exclusively on serving purpose-driven organizations and game-changing industry leaders. We also strive to empower our clients to be aware, authentic, and accountable – ensuring their initiatives and practices are consistent with diversity, equity, and inclusion (D.E.I.) commitments, messaging, and positioning, as we consider D.E.I. to be core to our agency’s DNA.

Please read the information below and submit your resume!

What will I be doing?

The Senior PR Account Executive is a resourceful, passionate self-starter who is calm under pressure, energized by working in a team environment, and committed to delivering on every detail with precision for the clients you support. This role requires a "can-do" attitude mixed with a desire to take on increasing levels of responsibility, and you thrive in a fast-paced agency environment.

Specifically, you would be responsible for performing the following tasks to the highest standards:

General Account Management

• Serve as the primary project manager for all clients you oversee, ensuring that all projects are on time, on budget, and on strategy.
• Prepare for and co-lead regularly-scheduled client status calls, and prepare next steps reports/update status reports.
• Keep an eye on bi-weekly results and goals to ensure the account remains on track against objectives.

Media Relations

• Execute a significant share of media outreach/pitch efforts. You’ll be responsible for consistent pitching to the media on behalf of clients.
• Research and develop contact lists.
• Aid in creating annual/seasonal/monthly outreach plans.
• Be onsite for all local media appearances and more.

Awards

• Collaborate with junior staff on the development of annual awards and facilitate client discussions on which clients and products to submit and to which awards programs.
• Ensure clients are kept abreast of awards submissions and results.

New Business

• Participate in the sales prospecting process by assisting in the development of strategic concepts and activation ideas, contributing to the development of sales materials as and if needed.
• Contribute to new business pipeline through existing industry connections and contacts if possible.

Social Media

• Prioritize working with the social media team to ensure strategies and activities align to the larger client objectives and activities being conducted via PR.
• Actively monitor client’s social media presence, ensuring strategic alignment, brand-appropriateness, etc., and flagging the social media team and clients to any issues, making recommendations for responses as necessary.
• Brainstorm ideas to increase followers, work with influencers, leverage media hits and create custom content to grow the client’s audience.

What skills are we looking for?

• Passion for advancing D.E.I. efforts for brands and businesses.
• Practiced in the art of pitching, can put together strategy and plans.
• Advanced skills in pitch and press release writing, copy development, and general excellence in written communications is highly desirable.
• Reliable, organized and goal-oriented, able to execute all tasks, assignments and needs for your account roster and ensure that they are completed in a timely, high-quality manner.
• Expert multitasker, able to be directly responsible for several accounts, focusing on media relations, influencers, strategic counsel, and program development.
• Committed to collaboration with clients and team members to discuss and agree on solutions.
• Ability to support team members with strategic counsel, providing industry and competitive perspective.
• Open-minded to problem solving balanced with exceptional follow-through and execution skills.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and writing skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Suite including Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint as well as Google Suite including Gmail, google sheets/documents. Media databases, project management software (Asana) social tracking tools, Canva and MailChimp are a bonus.

Required Experience?

• 7+ years of direct experience (beyond internships) in public relations with an emphasis on media relations.
• A solid background of national placements; local placements are robust, like television stations.
• A verifiable and solid Rolodex of contacts within the media industry.
• Previous experience managing budgets, data entry and project management systems.

Required Education?

• Bachelor’s degree, but possible for years of experience to substitute

EOE/AA/Disabled/Veterans

Work authorization:

• United States (Required)

myWHY Agency, Inc., is an equal opportunity employer. We seek applicants of diverse backgrounds and hire without regard to race, color, gender, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, disability, age, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Job Types: Full-time, Contract

Pay: $80,000.00 - $85,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Chicago, IL 60615: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Experience:

• Public relations: 7 years (Required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Chicago, IL 60615