PR Account Director

More about the role:

Culture doesn't wait for a briefing. If you can feel where the conversation is heading before it gets there  and turn that instinct into work brands wish they'd thought of,  we should talk. 

Burson is the world's largest communications network. In Sydney, we work like a tight, ambitious creative team with the firepower of WPP behind us — helping some of the most recognised brands on the planet earn their way into culture. 

We're looking for an Account Director to join our Consumer & Brand team: a sharp operator with real cultural instinct, who can turn what's happening in culture into earned ideas that land - while leading clients and inspiring a team along the way. 

What we're looking for:

Someone genuinely plugged into culture and able to spot the signals before they become obvious. You enjoy digesting the news, delving into Reddit, following social media, trends, creators and communities, and bringing your own personal interests and points of view into the creative process. You get a buzz from identifying the pulses that are about to break into popular culture - and using them to spark ideas brands will want to own. 

You know what's cutting through this week, who's driving the conversation and where the next thing is coming from. You've got the taste, curiosity and confidence to turn those observations into sharp, relevant creative thinking that drive impact for clients. What matters is that you're culturally switched-on, always looking beyond the obvious and rarely the last to know. 

What you'll do:

Client leadership 

• Build trusted relationships and become a genuine strategic partner to your clients.
• Lead the development and delivery of integrated, earned-first communications campaigns.
• Provide sharp, proactive counsel on brand, reputation and business challenges.
• Spot emerging opportunities, risks and cultural moments - and guide clients through them.
• Lead media, social and influencer programs, with strong relationships across every channel.
• Turn insight, audience understanding and cultural trends into ideas that earn attention. 

Business & commercial 

• Own planning, budgets, forecasting and financial management across your accounts.
• Keep a close eye on profitability, resourcing and opportunities to grow.
• Contribute to new business — pitches, proposals and the ideas that win.
• Collaborate across the agency to deliver joined-up, integrated solutions. 

Leadership & team development 

• Lead, coach and inspire your team to do the best work of their careers.
• Give regular, honest feedback and back your people's development.
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, high-performance culture.
• Champion Burson's values and add to the energy of the place. 

About you:

• Around 8–10 years' experience in PR, communications or integrated marketing, ideally agency-side. 
• A strong track record across consumer, lifestyle, FMCG, retail or brand programs. 
• A genuine cultural point of view - you're tapped into what Australia is talking about, from the mainstream to the niche, and you bring that instinct into the work. 
• Instinct for earned creative and real fluency in social & influence - you understand how ideas travel through media and creators. 
• Exceptional client and stakeholder management skills. 
• Experience leading and mentoring teams. 
• Solid commercial understanding, including budgets and resourcing. 
• Excellent communication, presentation and storytelling ability. 
• A deep, instinctive understanding of the Australian media, cultural and creator landscape - the references, the nuances and the relationships. 

Why Burson 

• Flexible and hybrid working.
• Global learning and development through Burson and WPP.
• Career pathways across a global network.
• Industry-leading clients and award-winning work.
• A collaborative, inclusive culture, plus wellbeing initiatives and support programs.