Public Relations Senior Director - Consumer Brands specialist

A leading public relations and strategic communications firm is seeking a Senior Director with a focus on consumer brand and food & beverage clients to join their New York office.

You'll love this job if you enjoy working in a fast-paced, collaborative, and creative environment. Given the size of the team, you will start contributing on day one to the firm's corporate and consumer brand clients, including major CPG and food/beverage companies, as well as the company's growth and culture.

What you'll do:

Client Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary, day-to-day contact with clients, providing strong counsel, anticipating client needs, and interacting regularly with senior-level client contacts
• Show a high level of integrity in counseling and consulting to develop strong, collaborative relationships with client decision-makers
• Serve as a senior strategic counselor to C-suite and leadership, shaping overarching communications strategy rather than executing against an existing plan
• Oversee account strategy and team structure to ensure client objectives are met and deliverables are high quality and creative
• Own media relations for your client teams, from producing materials that will secure proactive coverage to cultivating relationships with journalists and influencers
• Participate in and conduct media training sessions and media interviews
• Demonstrate ability to effectively develop a full range of materials including strategic plans, press materials, social copy, digital content, client correspondence, and more

Team / Internal Management

• Play a leadership role in agency growth, including mentorship and contribution to broader staffing and account strategy decisions
• Train and acclimate new hires to client teams and projects
• Provide solutions and recommendations to senior staff to leverage opportunities and troubleshoot client-related challenges
• Lead new business efforts, including pitching and closing, in addition to supporting proposal development and research
• Be responsible for reviewing and editing all written materials developed by team
• Deliver constructive and clear feedback to direct reports and junior staff

We're looking for:

• 8-10 years of professional experience at a public relations agency or as part of an in-house communications team, with significant experience on a major consumer packaged goods, food, or beverage brand (e.g., Kellogg's, P&G, or a comparable food/beverage company) required
• Management experience with oversight of direct reports for at least 5 years, including mentoring other managers
• Comfort and experience working alongside high-profile spokespeople or talent as part of a brand's public-facing strategy, including coordinating with personal representatives (agents, managers, publicists) where relevant
• Expertise with traditional and non-traditional PR strategies and tactics
• Demonstrated success in securing top-tier press coverage for a diverse range of clients
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills
• Self-starter and is comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, meeting deadlines, and driving multiple projects across the finish line at once
• Strong aptitude and interest in writing
• Exceptional attention to detail, follow up, and organization skills
• Digital and social media savvy a plus

Consumer Brand Expertise

• Established, active relationships with lifestyle, food, and consumer press (e.g., Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, Good Morning America, Today, NYT Food/Well, AdAge) as well as trade and business outlets covering the CPG/food & beverage industry
• Demonstrated track record of landing feature placements, product features, and brand storytelling in top consumer and trade publications
• Experience managing PR around new product launches, packaging or formula changes, and seasonal/promotional campaigns for a packaged goods or food/beverage brand
• Familiarity with the retail and grocery landscape, including how brand news intersects with retailer relationships and category dynamics
• Experience partnering with marketing, brand, and legal teams to align PR messaging with broader brand campaigns and ensure claims substantiation
• Ability to translate nutrition, sourcing, sustainability, or ingredient-related information into clear, consumer-friendly narratives
• Track record of managing issues or crisis communications relevant to consumer brands (e.g., recalls, supply chain disruptions, ingredient or labeling controversies, executive transitions)
• Experience building spokesperson platforms and securing broadcast/media opportunities for brand executives or culinary/nutrition experts

Compensation range: $135-160K with generous benefits package.