Vice President, Crisis and Issues

MikeWorldWide; New York (NY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited PTO

Pre-PTO

Mental Health Awareness Days

Friday Freeze

Summer Fridays

Professional Trainings and Workshops

Phone and Wellness Stipend

Holidays off between Christmas Eve and

Job summary

MikeWorldWide in New York, NY seeks an experienced Account Leader to drive day-to-day operations for a Fortune 100 client, ensuring quality and innovation. You will manage competing deadlines, provide strategic counsel on employee communications, and deepen client relationships while mentoring staff.

The role requires 8–10+ years in a PR agency, strong project management, remote team leadership, crisis communications, and the ability to navigate legal feedback and multi-location teams.

Qualifications

• 8–10+ years in a public relations agency.
• Excellent project management with high attention to detail.
• 3+ years leading a diverse remote team.
• Crisis communications experience including labor relations and employee comms.
• Ability to work with legal counsel and deliver high-impact messaging.
• Executive presence and ability to present to internal and external audiences.
• Comfort with rapidly changing situations and managing feedback from multiple contacts.
• Ability to manage up to agency and client leadership with good judgment.
• Discretion and confidentiality on sensitive client matters.
• Ability to multi-task and move quickly on client needs.
• Balance client and agency needs across locations.
• Experience working with colleagues in multiple locations.
• Professional demeanor and strong interpersonal skills.
• Microsoft Office familiarity.
• Travel 1–3 times a quarter.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operational and financial performance for a Fortune 100 client with quality and innovation.
• Manage competing client deadlines to produce thoughtful, excellent work.
• Provide strategic counsel on employee communications and messaging.
• Develop client relationships and SME knowledge across business processes.
• Oversee staff development through mentorship and annual reviews.
• Navigate legal feedback while delivering high-impact messaging.
• Lead new business development and cross-practice collaboration.
• Partner with clients to tailor work to their business needs.

Skills

Crisis communications

Remote team leadership

Strategic counsel

Employee communications

Client relationships

Public relations

Microsoft Office

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Primary Responsibilities:

• Lead day-to-day operational and financial performance of Fortune 100 client, ensuring consistent quality and innovative work
• Strong project management skills required to manage competing client deadlines to produce thoughtful, excellent work
• Provide strategic counsel to client on best-in-class and emerging channels for employee communications, ways to simplify and tighten messaging to core audiences, strategic use of social, SEO, and other communications vehicles
• Learn all aspects of client business, develop strong relationships with multiple client contacts and develop deep institutional and category expertise to serve as the SME on client business, processes and voice across all aspects of the work
• Develop and deepen client relationship
• Anticipate potential risks and issues and help client navigate challenges
• Navigate complex subject matters and ensure message resonance from a variety of client stakeholders
• Oversee the professional development of staff and those on account teams through mentorship and motivation, and annual reviews
• Identify ways to engage, empower, and inspire employees through an often-remote work environment
• Actively participate in growing the Corporate Reputation practice and MikeWorldWide business by partnering with senior leadership or leading new and organic business development, RFP development, and acquiring new clients
• Work as a partner to your clients, understanding their business needs and adapting MWW teams and work as needed to deliver best-in-class and innovative work

What You Have to Have (Education & Experience Requirements and Success Factors):

• At least 8-10+ years of experience serving in a full-time role in a public relations agency
• Excellent project management skills and highly detail-oriented with proven ability to comprehend complex subjects
• A minimum of 3 years of experience leading and managing a diverse and remote team
• Experience in crisis communications, including labor relations and employee communications, is required.
• Ability to work closely with legal counsel and navigate legal feedback and guidance while still delivering compelling, high impact messaging and written content
• Strong executive presence, including confidence in presenting ideas and providing counsel to internal and external audiences
• Comfort with rapidly changing situations and managing feedback from multiple points of contact
• Exhibit good judgment and effectiveness in “managing up” to agency and client leadership
• Conduct work with absolute discretion and confidentiality on sensitive client matters
• Ability to multi-task and move quickly and decisively on client and team needs
• Ability to balance the needs of the client and the needs of the agency
• Experience working with colleagues in multiple locations
• Maintain a professional, client-ready demeanor and presence; keep a high standard of etiquette in all communications and interactions
• Comprehensive understanding of Microsoft Office Suite
• Ability to travel as necessary contingent on client and new business needs (roughly 1-3 times a quarter)

Success Factors and Other Details:

• Maintain a thorough understanding of clients’ businesses and industries, and the industry issues that directly and indirectly affect the client
• Hunger to secure media hits and deepen understanding of all types of media, from trade and regional to top-tier, broadcast and podcasts
• Ability to think strategically, creatively and proactively; exhibit a facility for problem solving
• Intellectual curiosity and desire to pursue knowledge and professional development
• Team oriented with the proven ability to work both collaboratively and independently
• Interest in coaching and training up the next generation of agency talent – serve as a mentor and hands-on teacher to junior members of the team
• Participate in agency development by working collaboratively across all practice areas
• Cultivate and exhibit strong presentation and interpersonal skills
• Consistently strive for personal excellence with both client deliverables and within your team, enabling MWW to maintain a competitive advantage by providing exceptional value and service
• We are open to this role being based in NYC, Washington DC or Chicago

We believe in flexibility and have the structure to make that our reality. MWWLife is our robust suite of benefits, programs, and incentives designed to support our employees’ experience during every phase of their careers. Forged in the spirit of flexibility and growth, it’s about the freedom to live your best life, both personally and professionally, and embodies the culture of caring that we cultivate at MikeWorldWide.

Highlights Include:

• Unlimited PTO
• Pre-PTO
• Mental Health Awareness Days
• Friday Freeze
• Summer Fridays
• Professional Trainings and Workshops
• Phone and Mental Health/Wellness Stipend
• Offices are closed between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day

Our Values:

At MWW, our values are what set us apart and give us the energy to move forward with confidence and excellence.

• Passion: We have a real passion for what we do. It’s why we get up every day and it’s what drives us to work harder, care more and execute flawlessly.
• Inclusivity: We’re inclusive – for real. Our respect and appreciation for diverse backgrounds and perspectives lead us to greater innovation, enhanced creativity, and richer experiences.
• Curiosity: Our endless curiosity opens us up to new ideas, collaboration, and growth. It drives our desire to immerse ourselves in the knowledge of others and the culture of the world about us.
• Empathy: Our authentic empathy gives us a sense of understanding which transforms our work, enhances our ability to deliver for clients and elevates us from colleagues to family
• Independence: Our hard-earned independence gives us the freedom and flexibility to dream big, take risks and do what’s right – for our clients, our agency and each other
• Initiative: We have a spirited initiative – we’re fast, focused and fearless. It’s that confidence and pride in our ability to deliver exceptional work for exceptional clients.

Our Philosophy:

At MikeWorldWide, we are built to care. We care about each other, our clients, our work and our world. We have an inherent collective empathy that informs our ideas, energizes our work and elevates us from likable colleagues to beloved family.

We’re an independent agency and we care a lot about that. Our independence gives us the freedom and flexibility to dream big, take the risks worth taking, and to do the work worth caring about. Most importantly, it lets us do what’s right for our employees, our families and friends, and, of course, our clients.

Creating authentic and lasting connections for our clients—and the people who value those clients—is why we exist. We want them to be loved because their success is ours. And so, for them, we create work that people care about because now, more than ever, CARING COUNTS.

We celebrate diversity in our employees and partners, and we're committed to building a safe and inclusive workplace environment where we all can feel comfortable and thrive while we bring our best ideas to life. We're proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and we encourage future MWW families from traditionally underrepresented and underserved communities to apply.