Vice President, OnBoard (Public Relations)

SBS Comms•Boston, MA

1d•$160,000 - $200,000•Remote

About The Position

SBS Comms is a communications agency for visionaries, helping ambitious companies break through and own their story. Their approach is built for today’s fast-paced media landscape, favoring speed over perfection, quality over quantity, and progress over paperwork. With 60+ strategists coast-to-coast and hubs in New York, San Francisco, Boston, Southern California, and Chicago, SBS partners with venture-backed companies across various sectors including AI, space, fintech, crypto, defense, cybersecurity, and health. OnBoard is SBS’s dedicated program for early-stage startups. Clients in this program are often founders doing PR for the first time, receiving the same caliber of counsel, creativity, and media results as established brands. At OnBoard, a smaller budget does not mean a lower bar. They are looking for a VP to help lead this program, seeking a 'startup whisperer' who understands what makes a founder and a company genuinely interesting and can elevate an unknown startup into conversations with industry leaders.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree
At least 10 years client or agency PR/communications experience, with significant experience working with early-stage startups and founders
Demonstrated ability to drive meaningful media results, including landing top-tier coverage for companies no one has heard of yet
Plugged into the daily tech news cycle, with a sharp sense of what makes a startup or founder newsworthy
A trusted advisor who delivers strong, candid counsel (even when it’s not what founders want to hear)
A patient, resourceful teacher who enjoys guiding first-time early-stage startups and founders through PR
Excellent presentation and verbal communication skills
Detail oriented and focus on setting and managing to a high bar
A creative mindset
Brilliant writing skills
Demonstrated ability to grow account teams/client relationships and agencies/companies
Experience or demonstrated expertise in talent development across all levels - from the most junior to senior leaders
Experience or demonstrated ability to manage multiple key stakeholders (clients, partners, customers, other agencies, etc.)
Ability to set appropriate client expectations and provide thoughtful analysis on PR outcomes
Business acumen with the ability to represent the agency across a range of key audiences

Responsibilities

Help lead the OnBoard program, owning a portfolio of startup clients and contributing to the program’s strategy and growth
Help build, grow and mentor a dedicated team of startup specialists
Manage key founder and client relationships, contracts and budgets
Guide founders through PR, from setting expectations to preparing them as spokespeople
Manage the development of goals/KPIs/business objectives with client
Provide strategic counsel on media plans/campaigns
Provide analysis of PR objectives and outcomes
Drive media results through outreach and creative story ideation
Provide strategic counsel on written content (ideation/execution/amplification)
Maintain quality standards across OnBoard accounts
Spearhead key initiatives, programs and events for agency development i.e. agency marketing, employee onboarding/recruitment, off-sites, etc.
Lead skills and professional development across the agency
Coach and mentor internal team members, conducting annual performance reviews
Champion the agency values/brand both inside and outside the company
Act as an integral member of the senior management team, making strategic decisions that set the appropriate direction for the agency, its accounts and its people