Fractional PR Director

At PACO COLLECTIVE, we build brands. Brands that breathe inclusivity and diversity. Brands that live, experience, and connect with the audiences that they serve. Because our mission is to create work that’s not only relevant to the various cultures that we are a part of, but work that also helps strengthen our communities, while reinventing the consumer experience to create change that really matters. And the way we are going to accomplish this is by challenging the status quo, the way we think, and the way we do things, over, and over again. That’s our way.

We are a collective of creators, thinkers, and strategists; made up of people from all backgrounds and cultures working together to harness creativity, culture and innovation to drive value for our clients while having fun doing it. A place where we value our people above anything else, where we embrace free thinking and the opportunity to make mistakes and learn from it. A place that values the constant pursuit of creating the possible and the impossible. Because we are all one, and as one we move forward.

Position Summary:

As a Public Relations Account Director, you strategically anticipate our client’s needs and share your masterful conflict-resolution skills. You will drive the strategy and development of PR and/or outreach programs, provide strategic/solid thinking to both clients and the agency, with exceptional coordination across departments. You must possess a mastery of all core public relations skills, including writing, editing, media relations, pitch development, and message development. You’ll also have experience in developing communications plans, activations and stellar account management and client relationship skills. You have a keen eye for emerging earned media opportunities and thrive on generating increased publicity for clients as well as PACO. You never shy away from letting your leadership shine both within our walls and outside of them.

Essential Functions:

• Manage clients: their people, their work and their budgets with a strong attention to detail.
• Share everything from your writing and PR insights to your presentation chops and best practices of PR that ensure quality results.
• Juggle multiple accounts, teams, and constant collaboration with our creative, media and digital departments.
• Demonstrate how you love to think above and beyond expectations on tasks, as well as seek out new PR opportunities for clients, PACO and your team alike.
• Understand that no day is the same. Sometimes you’ll take the lead overseeing content ideation and creation while others you’ll be hands-on writing articles and messaging or researching digital and video content.
• Have a slight obsession with an on-time, on-budget, on-strategy work life.
• Demonstrate success with a variety of public relations efforts including external communications planning, internal communications, media relations, community outreach, issues management and media relations.
• Multitask across multiple client accounts and projects under deadline.
• Seek out new business opportunities with new and existing clients and plays a supportive role in their development.
• Represent the agency at industry functions, promoting the agency at every opportunity and be fully familiar with agency credentials and specialties.
• Providing strategic counsel and developing integrated and measurable public relations and outreach programs.
• Manage partner relations as it relates to PR’s involvement with product launches, community and/or experiential events and other program initiatives. Includes managing brand ambassadors as appropriate.
• Develop messaging and draft stakeholder communications, including press releases, speeches, presentations, pitch materials, etc.
• Develop and implement executive visibility/thought leadership campaigns.
• Respond appropriately and immediately to client requests and concerns, and keeping clients informed of the status of projects.
• Prepare month-end overviews of client’s current activities and plans for future development of accounts.
• Develop and nurture media and blogger relationships with national, regional and trade media.
• Identify and quickly grasp new technologies and account duties.
• Supervise and mentor mid-to-entry level team members.
• Work to manage client budgets, preparation of monthly revenue forecasts and oversee preparation of client estimates and invoices.
• Foster positive relationships with team and clients including the mentoring and development of junior staff.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bilingual (Spanish/English), written and oral fluency is strongly preferred
• 8-10 years of agency experience preferred
• Experience with both hyper local and national or global clients is a plus
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Strong social media acumen required
• Working knowledge of digital media
• Robust analytical thinking skills
• Dynamic presentation skills
• Extremely organized
• Detail-oriented
• Highly-honed interpersonal skills
• This is a part-time role; approximately 20 to 30 hours per week
• Chicago based candidates preferred to work hybrid schedule, however, will consider remote applicants as well

PACO Perks

• Amazing PACO office space in the Ukrainian Village neighborhood
• Dogs (or whatever animal is your pet, except lions) at work
• PACO outings, movie days, lunches, happy hours, and volunteer days (PACommunity)
• We close shop at 2pm on Fridays. Every Friday. Not just during the summer!

PACO Collective