Account Director, Lifestyle (Contract)

Who are we?

J/PR is a global communications firm specializing in public relations, content creation, and social media. We work with some of the best hotels, resorts and lifestyle brands in the world, including Relais & Chateaux, Vail Resorts Hospitality and Hilton Luxury Brands to name a few. You can see our current client list here. Being a part of this international powerhouse agency will connect you to a roster of distinguished hotels, resorts, restaurants, real estate projects, and destinations across the globe, elevating your career (and your frequent flier status). We tell compelling original stories to connect brands to their target audiences. We’re passionate, professional, and purpose-driven. We're dedicated to our work, the agency, our clients, and each other.

Forbes said, “These are the Women Dictating Where You’re Traveling,” and Inc. Magazine featured J/PR in an article titled, “How Two Millennial-ish Women Built a PR Powerhouse.” This is in addition to numerous awards like PR News Best Places to Work, New York Observer PR Power 50 for five years in a row, The PR Net 100, Forbes Five Star Agency, PR Couture Spotlight Agency of the Year, and Crain’s Best Places to Work (to name a few). 

At J/PR, we’re incredibly intentional about our company culture, and we wholeheartedly believe in a work-life blend, where you'll be empowered to continue learning and growing through travel, mentorship, training, and retreats, along with a connected company culture.

Who are you?

Creative, collaborative, connected, and consumer-savvy. You strive to be your best and help others be their best. You’re driven, dedicated, strategic, and solution-oriented. You bring a time-tested roster of consumer media and influencer relationships, and proven experience developing and implementing successful campaigns for CPG, lifestyle, and consumer brands both big and small. Motivated and passionate, you strive to innovate and elevate client service to a whole new level. If this sounds like you, then please read on!

The Role

As Account Director of Lifestyle, you are running a roster of consumer and lifestyle accounts, driving the overarching account strategy while making sure the team is set up for success and understands their roles and responsibilities. You’re the main client contact for more nuanced conversations related to the team and the work, and you drive the strategy and deliverables, making sure there are results and movement each quarter. At this stage in your career, you are guiding your team to get hits by helping to identify the right media, outlets, and influencers for a story or content and offering feedback and coaching along the way. You also use your close media contacts to get big A-list placements when warranted by the client. You are a driving force behind JPR’s growth in the consumer and lifestyle space, an active generator and participant in new business efforts, and the first to share trends, insights and media or influencer connections in the consumer space.
Please note: This is a 5-month contract position from June to October 2025.

Duties and Responsibilities 

Account + Client Management 

• Lead strategy, creative ideation, and campaigns for a variety of consumer-centric accounts (CPG, health/wellness, wine/spirits, travel/tourism, real estate)
• Act as a trusted and valuable partner to clients, leading challenging conversations as needed; demonstrating leadership with your clients and your teams by providing knowledge and advice
• Create, execute, delegate, & course correct overarching account strategies
• Implement strategies and oversee the performance of KPIs
• Review Harvest reports and team/time management; actively monitor your team’s activity to ensure they stay within budgets and client satisfaction
• Oversee the scopes of work and direct your teams to conduct meaningful work based on the clients’  business goals
• Lead your team by providing clear, focused guidance and resources for day-to-day account success  
• Design “game-changing” campaigns, activations, partnerships, and programming that clients talk about for years to come
• Help out with any task, big or small, to showcase your leadership skills and dedication to the team and your accounts
• Manage conversations with clients relating to contract renewal and ensure conversations are had to address changes in scope
• Understand your client’s business goals and lead account strategy to produce measurable ROI
• Craft a goal-setting process with your clients and lead your team on all aspects of account management to achieve these goals
• Nurture client accounts with proven tactics that result in continued renewal year-over-year
• Identify add-on projects for clients and seek opportunities to expand retainer fees and provide value 

Media Relations

• Success is your team members getting those hits and hitting campaign marks
• Develop creative big-thinking pitches that land feature stories and segments, multi-page spreads in magazines, and in meaningful, unexpected sections
• Nurture your A-list media relationships and network, and draw on those as needed for key placements 
• Guide your teams to proper media and influencers who will execute KPI story ideas or  social coverage
• Remain relevant, always navigating the changing turns of the media industry

New Business

• Provide thought leadership and ideation for new business proposals 
• Attend new business meetings and presentations as the voice and face of account leadership 
• Build and foster your personal network of contacts in our industry, leading to new business leads and commissionable opportunities 
• Be the agency go-to and tastemaker in the consumer space, positioning our brand as a leader in this consumer and lifestyle space
• Attend conferences and events on behalf of J/PR and build your personal network 

Team Leadership

• Leading team / giving expert counsel for teams and clients, making sure everyone's set up for success
• Trusted leader in office with visibility across the agency 
• Mentor and guide your team members as they progress in their careers 
• Motivate your team and keep them happy, engaged and positive
• Manage your team retention by creating opportunities for them to expand and grow
• Manage your direct reports, helping them set goals to continue growing and developing, coaching and offering feedback, and conducting check ins and annual reviews 

J/PR / Industry

• Plan and implement efficient processes, training and systems within the teams; participate in staffing conversations and team development
• Spearhead agency activities, workshops, trainings 

• Champion and promote the J/PR culture 
• Remain on top of industry trends and always be looking to grow your expertise and relationships
• Understand and be able to discuss social media, our capabilities and how social weaves into all of your accounts/campaigns
• Responsible for developing two educational workshops each year for the agency

Other

• And other tasks, projects, or duties as required 

Experience

• College Degree or comparable experience required 
• At least 10 years of public relations experience in the consumer /lifestyle industries
• Agency or in-house experience preferred 
• Must have stellar client and media references
• Must have strong and proven relationships with local, regional and national media contacts
• Must have strong, effective and proven management skills

Requirements

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint & Adobe Suite
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Excellent organizational skills
• Must be able to identify and resolve problems in a timely manner
• High-energy, positive self-starter who is willing to go above and beyond to make a difference in a dynamic organization
• Creative problem solver and decision maker with a proven track record of delivering results
• Proven ability to handle time-sensitive projects and prioritize multiple objectives simultaneously, to work independently, and to drive projects to completion with minimum guidance and acute attention to detail
• Ability to think strategically but act tactically
• Solid leadership and coaching skills