Associate, Crisis Communications

Weber Shandwick•New York, NY

37d•$52,000 - $60,000

About The Position

Weber Shandwick’s Global Crisis team helps leading organizations across the world both manage breaking negative issues and events affecting reputation and develop the internal culture and infrastructure needed to predict, prepare, and navigate them effectively. From conspiracy theories, environmental incidents and multinational bankruptcies to executive controversies and sweeping product recalls to high-profile litigation and fake news, we live at the front lines of media, culture, and conversation. Whether it is a program affecting internal stakeholders or an external effort to protect or defend an organization’s reputation, we work together with colleagues from around the country and globe daily, supplying crisis counsel to clients across industries and sectors, making deep curiosity a requisite for this position. Candidate Qualities As an Associate, you will have the unique opportunity to help drive communications around these challenging and exciting projects. You will be a day-to-day leader among the team’s Associate-level staff, working directly with senior leadership to help drive research, develop materials, staff projects, scope work, manage vendors, track budget and balance multiple shifting priorities in real-time. The ideal candidate will have excellent writing skills and the ability to perform in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment. You will be intimately familiar with current events and news trends and be able to translate that knowledge into actionable insights for clients. This extends to social and digital communications: you must have true analytical fluency in this area. A strong academic record is necessary, and experience in issues management is a bonus – but candidates of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Our Team Our team is a group of smart, analytical and hardworking people who care deeply about helping lead our clients through a crisis to make a positive impact on society. We are on the front lines of some of the biggest, most complex issues – and the nature of our work requires an ability and eagerness to juggle multiple responsibilities and work on multi-office client teams. You will have the opportunity to play a leading role in driving both ongoing client engagements and discrete projects.

Requirements

Strong writing skills and meticulous attention to detail
Strong understanding of social analytics
Full analytical fluency in all social/digital platforms
Crisis communications, issues management, and/or public affairs experience
Sharp curiosity and an analytical mind
Ability to provide strategic and actionable recommendations based on research
Highly effective oral and written communication skills
Familiarity with corporate financials
Ability to prioritize multiple tasks and manage deadlines in a consistent manner
Resourceful, effective problem solver
Comfortable asking for help from and providing direction to team members
Ability to take ownership, manage and see projects through from start to finish
Proactive self-starter and a quick learner
Strong work ethic
1-3 years of professional experience: in an agency/strategic consulting firm, political campaign or organization, law or similar setting
BA or BS, preferably in Political Science, history, journalism, International Relations or similar fields -Knowledge of basic PR skills and client service
Fluent in Microsoft Suite (e.g., Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and proficiency in research, media and social monitoring platforms (e.g., Brandwatch, Sysomos, Cision, Muckrack, TV Eyes, Critical Mention, Lexis-Nexis)

Responsibilities

Serves as key team member to support a range of complex, high-profile corporate issues /crisis communications situations (i.e., cybersecurity issues, product safety issues and recalls, mergers and acquisitions, executive leadership changes, IPOs etc.)
Supports development of press releases, crisis plans, media strategies, reactive media statements, talking points, FAQs, memos, crisis simulations and other deliverables as needed
Supports monitoring and triaging of client issues
Conducts pressing research on a wide range of issues, review and prepare executive summaries and/or analyses detailing clear and concise findings, distill complex and substantial amounts of information into concise summaries and insights; begin to propose strategic and actionable recommendations
Provides input during development of projects based on insights and knowledge of client preferences
Prepares for and takes part in client meetings, including accurately capturing notes, agenda action items, call recaps, updating trackers, timelines and status documents
Serves as role model to team members, producing high quality work and continually updating manager on activity progress
Actively builds own knowledge, contributes to inclusive team culture and consistently displays behaviors that support integration
Participates in our A-Team's On-Duty rotational schedule covering evening and weekend hours, to handle critical client reports, ad-hoc research, and support emergent crises.

Benefits

Medical
Dental
Vision
401k (with employer match)
Tuition Reimbursement
Juice Money - $60 monthly reimbursement to be used towards purchases that nourish your health, mind, body, and soul
MyDays – Flexible holiday schedules
Short-Term Disability
Paid Employee Family Leave
Family Building Benefit