Assistant Account Executive, Corporate & Public Affairs - Burson

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

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Mentorship programs

Professional development opportunities

Benefits package

Job summary

Burson, a global communications leader, is seeking an Assistant Account Executive to support corporate, consumer, and financial services clients. You’ll gain hands‑on experience in media relations, influencer engagement, and reputation initiatives within a fast‑paced agency environment.

The role emphasizes strong writing, research, and collaboration skills, with exposure to senior leadership and multi‑industry campaigns. A hybrid work approach and robust benefits are offered.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations, Communications, Journalism or related field.
• 0–1 years of internship or entry-level experience in PR, communications, or agency environment.
• Strong writing, editing, proofreading, and research skills.
• Understanding of the current media landscape across national and digital outlets.
• Familiarity with media monitoring tools such as Muck Rack, Brandwatch, NewsWhip.
• Ability to manage multiple projects with tight deadlines.
• Professional interpersonal and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively across teams and functions.
• Interest in corporate reputation and complex communications challenges.

Responsibilities

• Conduct daily media monitoring across national and regional outlets and prepare reports.
• Track emerging coverage and social conversations for insights and issue awareness.
• Support media and influencer relations; research reporters and build media lists.
• Draft and edit media pitches, press releases, and briefing documents under guidance.
• Support campaigns and cross‑functional workstreams in corporate, consumer, and financial services.
• Attend meetings, capture notes, and contribute ideas for client work.
• Assist with research, case studies, and client presentations.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional colleagues and external partners to ensure quality delivery.

Skills

Media monitoring

Writing

Editing

Research

Public relations

Deadline management

Communication

Team collaboration

Pitch development

Campaign support

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations, Communications, Journalism

Tools

Muck Rack

Brandwatch

NewsWhip

Job description

Who We Are

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.

Who We Are

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 For more information visit bursonglobal.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.

More About The Role

Burson is seeking an Assistant Account Executive to support a portfolio of corporate, consumer, and financial services clients across multiple industries. This role provides hands‑on experience supporting integrated communications programs, including media relations, influencer engagement, stakeholder communications, and corporate reputation initiatives. The ideal candidate is highly organized, curious, and eager to learn, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams in a fast‑paced, collaborative agency environment. This position offers exposure to cross‑functional account teams, senior leadership, and high‑impact communications work.

What You’ll Do

• Conduct daily media monitoring across national, regional, trade, and digital outlets; prepare and distribute monitoring reports and status updates on consistent timelines.
• Track and flag emerging coverage, trends, and social conversations to support proactive insights development and issue awareness.
• Support media and influencer relations efforts by researching reporters and creators, building and maintaining media lists, and assisting with pitch development.
• Draft and edit communications materials including media pitches, press releases, briefing documents, campaign summaries, status reports, and trend reports under senior guidance.
• Support integrated communications programs across corporate, consumer, and financial services workstreams, including campaign activations and tentpole moments.
• Participate in internal and client meetings, capturing notes, action items, and next steps; contribute ideas and observations when appropriate.
• Assist with research, case studies, and materials for client presentations, new business proposals, pitches, and award submissions.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional colleagues and external partners to support high‑quality client delivery and day‑to‑day account coordination.

Experience That Contributes To Success

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations, Communications, Journalism, or a related field.
• 0‑1 years of internship or entry‑level experience in public relations, communications, corporate affairs, public policy, or an agency environment.
• Strong writing, editing, proofreading, and research skills.
• Understanding of the current media landscape, including national, regional, trade, and digital outlets.
• Familiarity with media monitoring tools such as MuckRack, Brandwatch, NewsWhip, or similar platforms.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while meeting tight deadlines.
• Professional interpersonal and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively across teams and functions.
• Interest in corporate reputation, issues management, and complex communications challenges.

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; click here for more details: https://mybenefits.wpp.com/public/welcome.

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.