Public Relations Senior Director - Consumer Brands / Food & Bev specialist

Job Description

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.

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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.

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What you'll do:

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Client Responsibilities

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

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

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• 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
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• Management experience with oversight of direct reports for at least 5 years, including mentoring other managers
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• 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
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• Expertise with traditional and non-traditional PR strategies and tactics
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• Demonstrated success in securing top-tier press coverage for a diverse range of clients
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• Excellent verbal and written communications skills
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• Self-starter and is comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, meeting deadlines, and driving multiple projects across the finish line at once
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• Strong aptitude and interest in writing
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• Exceptional attention to detail, follow up, and organization skills
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• Digital and social media savvy a plus
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Consumer Brand Expertise

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• 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
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• Demonstrated track record of landing feature placements, product features, and brand storytelling in top consumer and trade publications
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• Experience managing PR around new product launches, packaging or formula changes, and seasonal/promotional campaigns for a packaged goods or food/beverage brand
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• Familiarity with the retail and grocery landscape, including how brand news intersects with retailer relationships and category dynamics
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• Experience partnering with marketing, brand, and legal teams to align PR messaging with broader brand campaigns and ensure claims substantiation
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• Ability to translate nutrition, sourcing, sustainability, or ingredient-related information into clear, consumer-friendly narratives
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• Track record of managing issues or crisis communications relevant to consumer brands (e.g., recalls, supply chain disruptions, ingredient or labeling controversies, executive transitions)
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• Experience building spokesperson platforms and securing broadcast/media opportunities for brand executives or culinary/nutrition experts
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Compensation range: $135-160K with generous benefits package.