Account Director, Travel PR

Please note: This job listing is for a future pipeline. As a high-volume agency, our staffing needs evolve rapidly, and we frequently need to grow our team as new clients are onboarded. While we’re not currently interviewing for this role, we always welcome applications from strong candidates, and will reach out when a role opens.

Who are we?

J/PR is a global communications firm specializing in public relations, content creation, and social media. We work with some of the best hotels, resorts and lifestyle brands in the world, including Relais & Chateaux, Vail Resorts Hospitality and Hilton Luxury Brands to name a few. You can see our current client list here. Being a part of this international powerhouse agency will connect you to a roster of distinguished hotels, resorts, restaurants, real estate projects, and destinations across the globe, elevating your career (and your frequent flier status). We tell compelling original stories to connect brands to their target audiences. We’re passionate, professional, and purpose-driven. We're dedicated to our work, the agency, our clients, and each other.

Forbes said “These are the Women Dictating Where You’re Traveling,” and Inc. Magazine featured J/PR in an article titled, “How Two Millennial-ish Women Built a PR Powerhouse.” This is in addition to numerous awards like PR News Best Places to Work, New York Observer PR Power 5 for five years in a row, The PR Net 100, Forbes Five Star Agency, PR Couture Spotlight Agency of the Year, and Crain’s Best Places to Work (to name a few). 

At J/PR, we’re incredibly intentional about our company culture, and we whole-heartedly believe in a work-life blend, where you'll be empowered to continue learning and growing through travel, mentorship, training and retreats, along with a connected company culture.
 

Who are you?

You are an established communicator and connector, with Travel PR and/or Lifestyle PR experience. You have a deep rolodex of top media and influencers and your portfolio is lined with A-list media placements. You're well-versed on latest trends, and are personally interested in travel. You have extensive experience successfully managing accounts, clients, and teams - and you pride yourself on your strong relationships with your team, clients and the media. You're a mentor and leader, and excited about growing the next-gen of industry talent. You thrive presenting and have experience pitching and closing new business. If this sounds like you, please read on! 

The Role

As an Account Director, Public Relations you are running accounts autonomously, driving the overarching account strategy while making sure the team is set up for success and understands their roles and responsibilities. You’re the main client contact for more nuanced conversations related to the team and the work, and you drive the strategy and deliverables making sure there are results and movement each quarter. At this stage in your career, you are guiding your team to get hits by helping to identify the right media and outlets for a story to live and offering feedback and coaching along the way. You also use your close media contacts to get big A-list placements when warranted by the client.  

Duties and Responsibilities 

Account + Client Management 

• Travel for client needs
• Lead banner hospitality moments and campaigns, e.g. a crisis, renovation, and/or hotel opening
• Create, execute, delegate, & course correct overarching account strategies 
• Implement strategies and oversee performance of KPIs
• Review Harvest reports and course correct as needed
• Act as a trusted and valuable partner to Clients, leading challenging conversations as needed
• Oversee scopes of work and direct your teams to conduct meaningful work based on the clients’ revenue and business goals
• Actively monitor your team’s activity to ensure they stay within budgets and client satisfaction
• Lead your team by providing clear, focused guidance and resources for day-to-day account success  
• Design “game changing” PR campaigns, activations, partnerships and programming that clients talk about for years to come; award winners 
• Help out with any task, big or small, to showcase your leadership skills and dedication to the team
• Manage conversations with clients relating to contract renewal and ensure conversations are had to address changes in scope
• Demonstrate leadership with your clients and your teams by providing knowledge and advice
• Understand your client’s business goals and lead account strategy to produce measurable ROI
• Craft a goal-setting process with your clients and lead your team on all aspects of account management to achieve these goals
• Nurture client accounts with proven tactics that result in continued renewal year-over-year
• Identify add-on projects for clients and seek opportunities to expand retainer fees and provide value 

Media Relations

• Success is your team members getting those hits and hitting campaign marks
• Create big-thinking pitches that land in bigger and bigger features, multi-page spreads in magazines and in meaningful unexpected sections
• Guide your teams to proper media who will execute KPI story ideas 
• Nurture your A-list media relationships and network, and draw on those as needed for key placements 
• Remain relevant, and always navigating the changing turns of the media industry

New Business

• Provide thought leadership and ideation for new business proposals 
• Attend new business meetings and presentations as the voice and face of account leadership 
• Build and foster personal network of contacts in our industry, leading to new business leads and commissionable opportunities 
• Develop a specialty area at the agency (i.e. regional specialty, meetings/groups, wellness, uber luxury, culinary, family) – be the agency go-to and tastemaker in the space, positioning our brand in the space 
• Attend conferences and events on behalf of J/PR and build your personal network 

Team Leadership

• Leading team / giving expert counsel for team and client, making sure everyone's set up for success
• Trusted leader in office with visibility across agency 
• Mentor and guide your team members as they progress in their careers 
• Motivate your team and keep them happy, engaged and positive
• Manage your team retention by creating opportunities for them to expand and grow
• Manage direct report(s), providing leadership, guidance, feedback and coaching to direct report(s) and account teams both in person and remotely 

J/PR / Industry

• Agency Impact: staffing conversations
• Plan and implement efficient processes, training and systems within the teams
• Spearhead agency activities, workshops, trainings and bring in media 
• Champion and promote the J/PR culture 
• Remain on top of industry trends
• Expand your knowledge of hotels, the industry and your client’s business
• Understand and be able to discuss social media, our capabilities and how social weaves into all of your accounts/campaigns
• Responsible for developing two educational based workshops each year

Other

• And other tasks, projects, or duties as required 

Experience

• College Degree or comparable experience required 
• At least 10 years of public relations experience in the hospitality, culinary, travel, tourism, restaurant and/or consumer lifestyle arenas
• Agency or in-house experience is a plus
• Must have stellar client and media references
• Must have strong and proven relationships with local, regional and national media contacts
• Must have strong, effective and proven management skills

Requirements

• Ability to travel for client needs
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint & Adobe Suite
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Excellent organizational skills
• Must be able to identify and resolve problems in a timely manner
• High-energy, positive self-starter who is willing to go above and beyond to make a difference in a dynamic organization
• Creative problem solver and decision maker with a proven track record of delivering results
• Proven ability to handle time-sensitive projects and prioritize multiple objectives simultaneously, to work independently, and to drive projects to completion with minimum guidance and acute attention to detail
• Ability to think strategically but act tactically
• Solid leadership and coaching skills
• Must have a valid passport for international travel

Benefits
J/PR offers a competitive benefits package, including:

• Competitive base salary: $98,000 - $110,000, commensurate with experience and location
• Commission
• Year-end Discretionary Bonus
• 401K
• Medical, Dental, Vision, Pet Insurance
• Hotel Trade
• Birthday PTO
• Accrued PTO
• Hybrid office schedule

Applicants for employment in the U.S. must possess work authorization which does not require sponsorship by the employer for a visa.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
J Public Relations (J/PR) strongly supports equal employment opportunity for all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.

HIRING PRACTICES
The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

J/PR recruitment policies are designed to place the most highly qualified persons available in a timely and efficient manner. J/PR may pursue all avenues available, including promotion from within, employee referrals, outside advertising, employment agencies, Internet recruiting, job fairs, college recruiting and search firms.