Assistant Account Executive, Burson Global Marketing & Communications

Burson; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 35,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Burson, part of WPP, is a global communications leader shaping how brands build reputation. This role supports external communications, media management, and events, offering hands-on agency experience and exposure to senior leaders.

You’ll work from Burson’s hybrid model, gaining experience across messaging, content development, and industry activations while contributing to Burson’s brand and client programs.

Qualifications

• Six months of PR experience or internships; agency experience is a plus.
• Based in New York with a hybrid in-office model, three days per week at the NYC office (3WTC).
• Exposure to in-house or agency-side marketing and communications.
• Excellent written and verbal communication across formats.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• Comfort working with senior leaders and handling time-critical requests.
• Proficiency in Word, PowerPoint, Excel and basic project-management tools.
• Hands-on experience with AI and willingness to learn as tools evolve.

Responsibilities

• Track category trends to sharpen communications strategies and outreach.
• Draft and edit content packages for press releases, pitches, bylines, and presentations.
• Translate messages for different audiences without losing Burson’s brand voice.
• Review local materials to ensure alignment with brand voice and messaging guidelines.
• Support design of events and external marketing activations across markets.

Skills

Communication skills

Microsoft Office

AI experience

Event planning

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Burson, part of WPP, is the global communications leader built to create value for clients through reputation. With highly specialized teams, industry-leading technologies and breakthrough creative, we help brands and businesses redefine reputation as a competitive advantage so they can lead today and into the future. When you work at Burson, you are part of a global community of lifelong learners who thrive at the edge of innovation.

WPP (LSE/NYSE: WPP) is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. We unitecutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counselin a single company –powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open,to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. For more information, visit WPP.com

In this role, you’ll help shape how Burson shows up in the world. You’ll support brand and content development, external communications and marketing activations at major industry events including Davos and Cannes. You’ll also gain hands‑on experience in agency‑side marketing and communications while working with the team that built the Burson brand from the ground up.

What you'll do:

This role is ideal for a curious, driven self‑starter, with a creative spirit and attention to detail; an early career communicator who is eager to help develop a brand from the inside out. You’ll work closely with senior leaders – including the EVP, External Marketing; Global Head of Communications; and Global Chief Brand and Corporate Strategy Officer – and collaborate with colleagues across creative, digital, operations, disciplines and markets. Much like Burson builds reputation at scale for its global client partners, this role is focused on helping to develop and deliver integrated programs that advance Burson’s strategic priorities and strengthen its own brand reputation.

External Communications

• Track category trends to sharpen our communications strategies, messaging, content development and outreach.
• Draft and edit content packages that support all of our earned efforts – from press releases and pitches to bylines and presentations.
• Translate one message into many, tailoring content and messaging for different audiences, channels and markets without losing the thread to Burson’s brand voice.
• Review local market, practice group and Burson Group brand materials to ensure they align with Burson’s brand voice, tone and messaging guidelines.
• Show up with ideas, news angles and relevant industry perspectives.
• Keep multiple workstreams moving at once.

Media Management

• Help design and shape how AI transforms our communications workflows and infrastructure, serving as an early adopter and proof point for Burson’s innovation tools and services across media intelligence, outreach and reporting.
• Use real-time media intelligence and AI‑supported monitoring tools to flag coverage, surface emerging narratives and identify story opportunities as they happen.
• Build and maintain a living map of journalists, publications, podcasts, newsletters and emerging channels, tracking beats and interests to sharpen where and how we pitch.
• Draft and execute targeted pitches, coordinate follow‑up and track outcomes.
• Partner with social and owned‑channel colleagues to extend the life of earned coverage – turning placements into content that performs across platforms and formats.
• Keep a daily pulse on the industry, including competitor coverage, Burson’s earned media and the broader conversation. Flag trends, risks and opportunities for the team.
• Turn outreach and coverage data into insight by tracking results, distilling takeaways and using what you learn to sharpen future strategy. “It felt like a good week” is a mood, not a measurement framework.

Events and External Marketing

• Partner with cross‑functional teams to plan and deliver events and external marketing activations aligned with Burson’s broader brand and communications strategy.
• Develop event timelines, project plans, guest lists, invitations, agendas, speaker materials, briefing documents and other logistical deliverables.
• Support thought leadership and practice marketing campaigns from conception through launch, coordinating with stakeholders across the organization to keep materials, timelines and deliverables on track.
• Coordinate with creative, digital, operations, regional teams, external vendors and partners to help ensure event materials and deliverables are completed accurately and on schedule.
• Cultivate relationships with vendors and partners through timely, relevant and professional engagement.
• Provide on‑site and virtual support for events, including registration, run‑of‑show coordination, stakeholder communications, troubleshooting and post‑event follow‑ups. The event may be on a world stage, but someone still needs to know where the name badges are.
• Assist with post‑event reporting, coverage tracking, attendee communications and evaluation of event outcomes.
• At least six months of experience, including internships, in the PR field. Agency experience is a plus.
• Based in New York and the ability to work within Burson’s hybrid in‑office model, with at least three days per week in the Burson NYC office at 3WTC.
• Exposure to – or genuine curiosity about – in‑house or agency‑side marketing and communications. Important plot point: this is not a client‑facing agency role.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills that can flex across formats.
• Sharp organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
• Comfort working with senior leaders, with the ability and speed to manage time‑critical requests.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, PowerPoint and Excel, as well as basic project‑management tools.
• Hands‑on experience with AI and a willingness to keep learning as the tools – and the conversation around them – continue to evolve.

#LI-LE1

Burson is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

Individual compensation varies based on job‑related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications. We offer a competitive benefits package;

The base salary for this position at the time of this posting may range between:

$35,000 — $75,000 USD

You belong at Burson:

Our vision is for Burson to be the leading ‘academy company’ for creative communications professionals and emerging leaders. We provide a dynamic environment where ambitious colleagues come to elevate their skills, expand their networks, and ultimately, produce the best solutions for today’s leading brands. Our commitment to your growth is reflected in our robust benefits and people programs, which include professional development opportunities, mentorship programs with industry leaders, a vibrant and inclusive company culture fostering collaboration and innovation and packages designed to reward and retain top talent. We invest in our people because we believe their success is our success.

At Burson, we’re an agency of learn‑it‑alls. We recognize that the things we do best, creativity and communications, require a level of nuanced understanding. That’s why it’s imperative for us to hire extraordinarily talented people of all backgrounds and identities. Without that we can’t do the essential work of inspiring bold ideas, fostering constructive dialogue, cultivating meaningful experiences, and driving innovation and creativity for our partners. Your unique point of view—your talent—is what makes you a #BursonPerson, and it’s how we deliver exceptional results for our clients, together.

We believe the best work happens when we’re together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That’s why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.