Vice President, Public Affairs & Crisis Communications, Relate, Ruder Finn

Ruder Finn; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 115,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary + Bonus

Benefits package (Health, Dental, VIsn

Cell phone allowance

Generous PTO and parental leave

Learning & development

Workplace flexibility

Social gatherings

Job summary

Ruder Finn seeks a Vice President to lead the Relate team, guiding public affairs, crisis communications, and media relations for energy, health, and corporate reputation accounts. The role requires strategic counsel to senior executives in a high-stakes environment and a passion for proactive, impactful communications.

The VP will manage complex client programs, collaborate with policy stakeholders, and shape messaging across diverse audiences while advancing the agency’s growth and client

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in public relations with emphasis on public affairs, crisis communications, and media relations in the energy/electric/utility sector.
• Strong writing, presentation, and verbal communication skills.
• Deep knowledge of political, economic, and media landscape with experience managing high-profile issues.
• Proven ability to advise senior-level executives on complex communications strategies and media engagement.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with journalists, policymakers, regulators, and community stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the senior strategic advisor to clients on public affairs, reputation management, and crisis response
• Lead the development and execution of high-impact communications strategies in response to evolving issues, including infrastructure updates, political developments, and public sentiment
• Cultivate and manage strong relationships with media, government stakeholders, and community leaders
• Provide proactive and reactive media relations counsel, including message development, press materials, media training, and interview preparation
• Monitor emerging risks and issues, lead rapid response efforts, and manage crisis communications plans
• Collaborate with internal client teams and executive leadership to align messaging with business objectives and public expectations
• Identify opportunities for earned media and stakeholder engagement that reinforce client goals and transparency
• Stay ahead of trends in energy, government policy, and public opinion that may impact the sector or client operations
• Represent Ruder Finn’s values in client engagement, contributing to new business development and organic growth opportunities

Skills

Writing

Presentation

Verbal communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree or higher in communications, public affairs, political science, journalism, or a related field

Job description

Ruder Finn is seeking a highly qualified Vice President (VP) to join our Relate team. At Relate, we integrate people, purpose, and policy by working collaboratively with businesses, governments, and NGOs. Our team develops and executes programs and communications that engage key audiences on critical topics such as environmental sustainability, social impact, advocacy, and public affairs.

The VP will have expertise in the energy/electric/utility industry, health and corporate reputation, public affairs, issues/crisis communications, and media relations to lead strategic counsel and execution for a portfolio of accounts. This leadership role will focus on managing complex communications needs in a highly visible and dynamic environment, serving as a key partner to the clients and within our agency team.

The ideal candidate will bring a proven track record in high-stakes communications, be well-versed in the regulatory and media landscape, and demonstrate a passion for delivering impactful strategies under pressure.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the senior strategic advisor to clients on public affairs, reputation management, and crisis response
• Lead the development and execution of high-impact communications strategies in response to evolving issues, including infrastructure updates, political developments, and public sentiment
• Cultivate and manage strong relationships with media, government stakeholders, and community leaders
• Provide proactive and reactive media relations counsel, including message development, press materials, media training, and interview preparation
• Monitor emerging risks and issues, lead rapid response efforts, and manage crisis communications plans
• Collaborate with internal client teams and executive leadership to align messaging with business objectives and public expectations
• Identify opportunities for earned media and stakeholder engagement that reinforce client goals and transparency
• Stay ahead of trends in energy, government policy, and public opinion that may impact the sector or client operations
• Represent Ruder Finn’s values in client engagement, contributing to new business development and organic growth opportunities

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in communications, public affairs, political science, journalism, or a related field
• Minimum of 8+ years of experience in public relations, with a strong emphasis on public affairs, crisis communications, and media relations and experience working in the energy/electrical/utility vertical
• Exceptional writing, presentation, and verbal communication skills
• Deep knowledge of political, economic, and media landscape, with experience managing sensitive, high-profile issues
• Demonstrated success in advising senior-level executives on complex communications strategies and media engagement
• Proven ability to build and maintain relationships with journalists, policymakers, regulators, and community stakeholders
• Passion for serving the public and navigating nuanced, multicultural contexts

Benefits & More

• You will receive a competitive base salary and bonus opportunity
• You will also be able to enroll in our Health, Dental, Vision, company paid Life Insurance, Flexible Spending Account, as well as 401k (match) plan
• Monthly allowance for cell phone, office equipment, etc.
• Generous PTO policy with paid maternity/paternity leave
• Professional learning and development opportunities
• Workplace flexibility
• On-site and off-site social gatherings

The anticipated salary range for this position, at the time of posting, is $115,000 – $150,000. The salary of the applicant selected for this role will be based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, education, internal equity, geography, relevant years of experience, certifications, skills, abilities of the selected applicant, and other job-related qualifications. In addition, a range of medical, dental, vision, disability, 401(k) matching, paid time off, and/or other benefits also are available by the company.

Ruder Finn provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Ruder Finn will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. Ruder Finn believes that diversity and inclusion among our employees is critical to our success as a global company, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.