Vice President, Brand Experience, Ruder Finn

Ruder Finn•Chicago, IL

3d•$115,000 - $140,000

About The Position

At Ruder Finn, Brand Experience is where bold ideas meet business impact. We create integrated campaigns that connect brands with people through culture, creativity, earned influence, and unforgettable experiences. We believe the best work comes from curious minds, collaborative teams, and people who aren't afraid to challenge convention – or have some fun while doing it. We're looking for a Vice President to lead client partnerships and integrated marketing communications programs for consumer brands across food, wellness, lifestyle, CPG, and retail brands. This is a leadership role for someone who thrives at the intersection of strategy, creativity, and execution. You'll serve as a trusted advisor to clients, inspire teams to think bigger, and guide programs that seamlessly bring together storytelling, media relations, influencer marketing, experiential activations, social, partnerships, and brand moments that spark conversation and drive results. The ideal candidate is an exceptional client counselor, a collaborative leader, and a strategic thinker who knows how to navigate complexity while keeping teams energized and focused. You'll oversee account growth, lead integrated planning, manage scopes and operations, mentor rising talent, and champion work that pushes beyond the expected. Just as importantly, you'll help shape the culture of our practice. We value people who ask great questions, embrace new perspectives, experiment with fresh ideas, and believe that the strongest teams are built on trust, generosity, and a shared sense of purpose. We work hard, celebrate wins, learn from every challenge, and genuinely enjoy creating great work together. If you're energized by fast-moving brands, love turning insights into experiences, and want to help define what's next for modern brand communications, we'd love to meet you.

Requirements

A bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, marketing, or a related field preferred
8+ years of experience leading integrated consumer communications programs, with a strong understanding of how client strategy, media, creative ideas, and account operations come together to drive results
Proven track record of managing client relationships, building trust with senior stakeholders, and serving as a day-to-day strategic lead across complex, fast-moving accounts
Ability to translate client business priorities into smart communications strategies, clear workstreams, and actionable plans for the team
Strong consumer brand experience across categories such as CPG, food, wellness, lifestyle, parenting, retail, or consumer tech
Tapped into trends, communities, and cultural moments before they hit the mainstream, and know how to turn emerging stories into timely, ownable client opportunities
Ability to make a story sing by identifying what makes an idea culturally relevant, media-worthy, and shareable
Personal contribution to standout pitches, campaigns, or creative concepts, with demonstrable results
Strong media instincts and experience partnering closely with media specialists, creative teams, and clients to develop earned-first ideas that break through
Experience contributing to new business pitches and comfort bringing strategic thinking, creative ideas, category knowledge, and a strong point of view to the process
Organizationally strong: ability to plan, delegate, prioritize, and manage account operations effectively so work moves forward and nothing slips through the cracks
Scrappy and nimble, thriving in fast-moving environments where priorities shift and ability to pivot quickly while keeping clients and teams aligned
Strong people leader who enjoys mentoring junior talent, creating clarity, building momentum, and driving accountability across the team
Curious and comfortable integrating AI tools into communications planning, workflows, and team processes

Responsibilities

Serve as the strategic lead and day-to-day client partner across your account portfolio, bringing clear thinking, proactive recommendations, and trusted counsel that moves client business forward
Lead account strategy and execution across client priorities, ensuring programs are connected to the broader brand story, business goals, cultural moments, and measurable outcomes
Act as a senior counselor to clients, bringing a strong point of view, thoughtful recommendations, and steady guidance in real time
Own account health across staffing, workflow, budgets, projections, timelines, deliverables, and team priorities, ensuring work is well-run, well-resourced, and aligned to client expectations
Anticipate client needs, identify opportunities, solve challenges quickly, and bring answers — not just updates — to every interaction
Guide integrated earned media strategy for your portfolio, ensuring angles, pitches, and coverage support larger client objectives and brand narratives
Oversee the development of creative story angles and strategic pivots when the news cycle shifts, helping teams find fresh, relevant ways in
Provide senior-level guidance on media outreach across journalists, producers, editors, podcasters, Substack authors, bloggers, and relevant creators, while coaching teams to pitch with confidence and purpose
Build and maintain strong relationships across key media verticals, including consumer lifestyle, parenting, food, wellness, and broadcast, while helping junior team members grow their own networks
Bring a solutions-oriented mindset to every assignment, turning friction into opportunity, removing roadblocks, and pushing client programs forward with confidence
Manage, mentor, and develop junior team members, helping them strengthen client judgment, account management skills, strategic thinking, media instincts, and executive presence
Collaborate closely with internal creative, strategy, media, and account teams to ensure all work ladders up to the larger client strategy and delivers against shared goals
Contribute meaningfully to new business by bringing smart ideas, client leadership instincts, relevant category experience, and a strong understanding of what makes programs compelling and achievable