Vice President, Crisis & Risk Communications

Edelman•Chicago, IL

1d•$105,000 - $155,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Vice President will work closely with senior company leaders to counsel clients, including food and beverage clients, on complex crises and issues affecting trust and reputation. The role also contributes to growing the practice’s client roster and developing crisis specialties, offerings, and capabilities. It involves leading accounts addressing important current issues and applying critical thinking to risk mitigation and crisis response. The Global Crisis & Reputation Risk practice advises corporations, governments, institutions, and senior leaders on crises such as cybersecurity and data security incidents, data privacy matters, physical security risks, corporate malfeasance, societal issues, litigation, ethics and integrity matters, product and service risks, regulatory scrutiny, financial issues, and events affecting trust, reputation, and business continuity. Its work spans the crisis lifecycle, including preparedness, engagement, and recovery. The Vice President will strategically lead crisis account work, oversee account-team operations and financial performance, counsel clients, direct communications planning and materials, coach junior staff, lead new business development, oversee writing and media relations, and manage budgets and billing. The position is based in Chicago and requires a hybrid schedule of three days per week in the Chicago office or at client sites, as well as travel as needed and responsiveness outside regular hours when breaking issues arise.

Requirements

At least 8 years of crisis management experience.
Experience running integrated account work, managing a team, and growing account work with clients.
Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
Ability to work a hybrid schedule with three days per week in the Chicago office or on site with clients.
Excellent client relationship skills and experience advising on strategy, approach, and execution.
Strong organizational, scheduling, time-management, and project-management skills, including the ability to manage multiple deadlines simultaneously.
Ability to adapt in a fast-changing landscape and work in a fast-paced environment.
Media relations and message development skills to lead plan execution, crisis-response messaging, and client storytelling.
Experience contributing to new business and driving proposal development and team opportunities.
Sound judgment and proven problem-solving skills.
Ability to develop and coach a team while leading work.
Ability to secure new business and contribute to or lead new business pitches.
Ability to travel as needed.
Willingness to respond outside regular work hours as needed to manage breaking issues.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of and experience with consumer/CPG clients or food-sector experience.
Ability to provide sound communications counsel in legally sensitive, fast-moving, high-pressure environments.
Track record of growing profitable programs that advance client business goals.

Responsibilities

Strategically drive and develop crisis account work.
Lead the operational and financial performance of account teams, ensuring quality work, effective processes, and timely, strategic handling of client requests.
Counsel clients thoughtfully based on their business goals and respond promptly to client feedback.
Work with clients to develop communications plans and materials.
Oversee and coach junior staff by providing clear, consistent feedback and advancing work product.
Lead new business development, use the global network to grow the firm’s food and beverage offering, expand existing relationships, and develop new relationships.
Demonstrate advanced writing skills and supervise the writing of others.
Set and lead traditional and social strategic media relations.
Manage billing and budgets.
Contribute to the development of crisis specialties, offerings, and capabilities.
Lead accounts involving complex crises and issues affecting trust and reputation.
Travel as needed and respond outside regular work hours when necessary to manage breaking issues.