Account Director, Public Relations

Brilliant • New York, NY

21h • $95,000 - $110,000 • Remote

About The Position

Brilliant is hiring a full-time Account Director to lead integrated programs for the agency’s largest clients. The role owns strategy, creative direction, and client relationships from planning through delivery, and reports into earned media leadership. It combines strategic counsel, creative campaign development, team leadership, and coordination across PR, influencer, affiliate, paid media, social, and events. The Account Director is expected to lead hands-on, including personally pitching media, securing top-tier coverage, and using AI and other new tools to improve the work.

Brilliant is a fully remote performance marketing agency founded in 2008, with expertise in family-focused brands and integrated full-funnel campaigns. The agency describes its culture as fast-moving and high-performing, while emphasizing collaboration and team culture. The role includes account and budget ownership, client presentations, campaign management, media and influencer activations, new business contributions, and mentorship of team members.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, or a related field.
• 10 or more years of agency experience in the consumer, lifestyle, or CPG space.
• Demonstrated experience as a day-to-day client lead, rather than solely as a contributor.
• Experience managing and developing people.
• Working knowledge of at least a few of earned media, influencer, affiliate, paid media, and events.
• Strong, current media relationships and a portfolio of top-tier placements personally secured.
• Hands-on experience writing pitches and press materials that get picked up.
• Fluency with media databases and monitoring tools such as MuckRack, Cision, or Qwoted.
• Comfort using AI tools day to day, with examples of how they have been used.
• Willingness to try new technologies and adopt new tools quickly.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate in a team environment and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Proactive, self-starter attitude and passion for staying ahead of trends.

Nice To Haves

• Affiliate platform experience with LTK, ShopMy, or Impact.
• Experience in baby, parenting, toys, or wellness categories.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the senior day-to-day contact for the agency’s largest integrated accounts and provide strategic counsel to clients.
• Present recommendations, plans, and results to client leadership.
• Own account health, including scope, budget, and renewal conversations alongside agency leadership.
• Develop and implement public relations strategies aligned with client business goals.
• Create campaigns such as product launches, brand moments, media and influencer events, and creative mailers.
• Identify fresh angles and trend-jacking opportunities and coordinate integrated plans with influencer, paid, social, and affiliate teams.
• Own earned media strategy, including story angles, target outlets, and pitching calendars.
• Personally pitch media and secure top-tier national coverage.
• Build and maintain relationships with editors, producers, freelancers, and influencers in the consumer and family space.
• Direct media list development and review team pitches for quality before distribution.
• Coach junior staff on pitch writing, follow-up, and developing media relationships.
• Lead media training and develop briefing documents for client spokespeople and experts.
• Monitor trends and competitor coverage, identify timely opportunities, and prioritize the team's pitching effort.
• Oversee client media awards programs and set submission strategy.
• Supervise and mentor team members, delegate meaningful work, provide timely constructive feedback, and foster a productive remote environment.
• Manage campaign and account timelines across workstreams; track deliverables, budgets, staffing, and responsibilities; ensure quality and on-time delivery; and flag risks and staffing gaps.
• Use AI tools such as ChatGPT and Claude for research, drafting, monitoring, and reporting; test new software and platforms and share effective practices with the team.
• Stay current on how search and AI affect brand discovery and incorporate that knowledge into client plans.
• Contribute strategy and creative thinking to new business pitches, help build and present pitch materials, and identify organic growth opportunities in existing accounts.
• Lead virtual or live media and influencer events and other activations, develop decks, and lead client presentations.

Benefits

• Unlimited PTO.
• Paid time off between Christmas and New Year's.
• Fabulous Fridays, with the office closing at 3 p.m.
• 401(k) with a 3% company match after the initial three months.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Medical and Dependent Care FSA.
• Company-paid life insurance.
• Company-paid long-term disability.
• A six-month performance review; employees who meet all agreed-upon goals are eligible for a $5,000 base salary increase.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior