Account Director, Consumer Brand - Burson

Who we are:

Burson, part of WPP, is the global communications leader built to create value for clients through reputation. With highly specialized teams, industry-leading technologies and breakthrough creative, we help brands and businesses redefine reputation as a competitive advantage so they can lead today and into the future. When you work at Burson, you are part of a global community of lifelong learners who thrive at the edge of innovation.

WPP (LSE/NYSE: WPP) is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company – powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. For more information, visit WPP.com

For more information visit bursonglobal.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.

More about the role:

We’re looking for an Account Director to support integrated consumer communications across two major global brands. This role is ideal for someone who has worked on large, complex client business and knows how to bring together media relations, product launches, events, influencer activations, and day-to-day client leadership.

You’ll support both immediate launch activity and longer-term brand programs. The work moves quickly and often involves multiple concurrent workstreams, stakeholders, and deadlines, so we’re looking for someone who is comfortable navigating complexity, setting priorities, and keeping teams and clients moving forward.

Strong earned-media instincts are important, as is hands-on experience bringing consumer products and campaigns to market. You should be equally comfortable developing a media strategy, managing a launch event, overseeing an influencer activation, leading a client call, and guiding a team through execution.

Experience in health or wellness is helpful, but experience managing sophisticated, high-profile consumer communications for a large national or global client is more important.

The ability to travel for events is required.

This is a hybrid role based in New York.

What you'll do:

• Lead multiple workstreams across large, complex client accounts, ensuring priorities, timelines, teams, and deliverables remain on track.

• Lead the planning and execution of consumer product launches and integrated communications programs.

• Develop and execute earned-media strategies, including media narratives, pitches, press materials, media targets, and ongoing opportunities that sustain momentum beyond launch.

• Serve as a trusted day-to-day client partner, leading client conversations, presenting recommendations, anticipating needs, and helping clients navigate fast-moving communications priorities.

• Plan and execute launch events, media events, influencer activations, and consumer-facing experiences, including on-the-ground event support when needed.

• Partner across media, influencer, social, creative, and other disciplines to ensure programs connect across channels and deliver against client objectives.

• Provide strong project and account leadership across multiple simultaneous initiatives, stakeholders, and deadlines.

• Lead and mentor junior team members, providing clear direction, reviewing work, and helping develop their client-service and communications skills.

• Bring an understanding of news, culture, social trends, influencers, and consumer behavior into strategic recommendations.

• Identify opportunities to deepen and expand client relationships and the work we deliver.

Experience that contributes to success:

• Significant account management experience within communications or public relations, ideally supporting a large national or global consumer-facing client.

• Demonstrated ability to manage complex, fast-moving accounts with multiple simultaneous workstreams and stakeholders.

• Strong media relations and earned-media experience, with the judgment and relationships necessary to develop and execute effective media strategies.

• Experience leading consumer product launches from strategy through execution.

• Experience planning and executing events, media moments, influencer activations, and consumer-facing programs.

• Strong client-management skills, including experience leading client calls, presenting recommendations, managing expectations, and providing proactive counsel.

• Experience leading account teams and managing or mentoring junior team members.

• Ability to work across integrated teams and disciplines while maintaining a clear view of priorities and deliverables.

• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and judgment in a high-volume, fast-paced client environment.

• Curiosity about culture, consumer behavior, social trends, and the changing media landscape.

• Experience in health, wellness, nutrition, or related categories is a plus, but not required.

• Ability to travel for launch events anticipated for the end of Q4 and beginning of Q1.

Burson is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

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Individual compensation varies based on job-related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications. We offer a competitive benefits package; click here for more details: https://mybenefits.wpp.com/public/welcome.

The base salary for this position at the time of this posting may range between:

$60,000—$140,000 USD

You belong at Burson:

Our vision is for Burson to be the leading ‘academy company’ for creative communications professionals and emerging leaders. We provide a dynamic environment where ambitious colleagues come to elevate their skills, expand their networks, and ultimately, produce the best solutions for today’s leading brands. Our commitment to your growth is reflected in our robust benefits and people programs, which include professional development opportunities, mentorship programs with industry leaders, a vibrant and inclusive company culture fostering collaboration and innovation and packages designed to reward and retain top talent. We invest in our people because we believe their success is our success.

At Burson, we’re an agency of learn-it-alls. We recognize that the things we do best, creativity and communications, require a level of nuanced understanding. That’s why it’s imperative for us to hire extraordinarily talented people of all backgrounds and identities. Without that we can’t do the essential work of inspiring bold ideas, fostering constructive dialogue, cultivating meaningful experiences, and driving innovation and creativity for our partners. Your unique point of view—your talent—is what makes you a #BursonPerson, and it’s how we deliver exceptional results for our clients, together.

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

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