Senior Account Executive (Hybrid Remote)

Zilker Media; Austin (TX); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental Insurance

Life insurance

401(k) plan

Profit sharing

Unlimited PTO

Summer Fridays

Professional development budget

Job summary

Zilker Media is seeking a Senior Account Executive in Austin to drive media relations, secure broad coverage, and grow client visibility across national, regional and local media. You will craft compelling pitches, secure speaking engagements, and ghostwrite executive content that aligns with clients’ business goals.

The role emphasizes strong client relationships, strategic consulting, and a results-driven approach.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of full-time PR/media relations experience; agency experience is required.
• A track record of securing real, meaningful media coverage.
• Strong writing skills, from pitches to longform ghostwritten pieces.
• A genuine ability to build relationships with clients – and show them results.
• Curiosity about (or experience with) GEO and how earned media shapes visibility in AI search.
• Sharp business acumen. You get how PR moves the needle for a client’s business.
• Strong project management chops; nothing falls through the cracks on your watch.

Responsibilities

• Drive media relations and results. Build relationships with reporters, editors and producers; pitch strong stories; secure consistent national, regional and local coverage.
• Go beyond the placement. Land speaking engagements, award wins and conference opportunities for clients – not just press hits.
• Own the client relationship. Report on results, consult on strategy and keep the trains running on time.
• Understand the 'why.' Know each client’s business goals and connect the dots between your PR work and their bottom line.
• Write. Craft sharp pitches and tailored client communications, plus ghostwrite longform content – executive op-eds – that supports media relations goals.
• Work across industries. We’re industry-agnostic, with clients in healthcare, financial, B2G, defense, AEC and professional services.

Skills

Writing skills

Relationship building

Project management

GEO awareness

Business acumen

Job description

Zilker Media is an award-winning boutique PR firm building brands for some of the world's top executives, thought leaders and companies. We're proud to be:

• Named to the 2026 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America
• Named to Inc.'s 2026 Best Workplaces list
• A 2026 Best Place to Work (Austin Business Journal)
• Home to publicists who regularly land on the Michael Smart Best Pitch of the Year and Qwoted 100 lists

We're looking for a Senior Account Executive with real agency chops – someone who builds strong media relationships, gets results and knows how to bring clients along for the ride.

What You’ll Do

• Drive media relations and results. Build relationships with reporters, editors and producers; pitch strong stories; secure consistent national, regional and local coverage.
• Go beyond the placement. Land speaking engagements, award wins and conference opportunities for clients – not just press hits.
• Own the client relationship. Report on results, consult on strategy and keep the trains running on time. Clients should feel like you understand their business as well as they do.
• Understand the \"why.\" Know each client’s business goals and connect the dots between your PR work and their bottom line.
• Write. Craft sharp pitches and tailored client communications , plus ghostwrite longform content – think executive op-eds – that supports media relations goals.
• Work across industries. We’re industry-agnostic, with clients in healthcare, financial, B2G, defense, AEC and professional services. We especially want to hear from candidates with experience in one or more of these spaces.
• Explore GEO. Help clients build visibility in AI-powered search and answer engines (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews) by connecting earned media strategy to Generative Engine Optimization.

What We’re Looking For

• 3-5 years of full-time PR/media relations experience – agency experience is required
• A track record of securing real, meaningful media coverage
• Strong writing skills, from pitches to longform ghostwritten pieces
• A genuine ability to build relationships with clients – and show them results
• Curiosity about (or experience with) GEO and how earned media shapes visibility in AI search
• Sharp business acumen. You get how PR moves the needle for a client’s business
• Strong project management chops; nothing falls through the cracks on your watch

We’re a professional services firm. That means we show up like professionals: reliable, sharp and easy to work with, for clients and teammates alike.

Must be based in the Austin, TX area. We’re in the office ~2 days/week, remote the rest.

Culture & Benefits

Flexibility

• Hybrid schedule – office ~2 days/week
• Unlimited PTO (minimum 2 weeks required)
• Standard holidays + office closed Christmas-New’s (~19 days/year total)
• Summer Fridays
• Flexible scheduling around your workflow

Growth

• Professional development budget
• Real feedback and open dialogue at every level
• Room to innovate and make an impact

Benefits

• 60% employer-contributed medical insurance
• 100% employer-contributed dental, vision, and life insurance
• 401(k) option
• Profit-sharing eligibility after one year

Good Vibes

• Optional participation in the Good Vibes Initiative, our philanthropic arm
• We work hard – and we have fun doing it