Sr. Account Executive, Public Relations

We’re seeking qualified candidates for a full-time Public Relations Senior Account Executive position within our Washington, DC office. As a Sr. Account Executive, you’ll work with REQ’s Public Relations team to deliver top results to our clients. 

We build brands online, and we're proud to work with some of the best technology and consumer brands, non-profits, advocacy groups, small businesses, associations, and influential people. Our diverse client base means a variety of fascinating challenges and learning experiences for you. Expect stimulating projects, educational opportunities, involvement in strategy, and a fun team that values your contributions.

At REQ, we’d like to think everyone is looking for an opportunity where they can feel empowered, contribute real results and grow their skills and smarts every day. In this role, we try to provide just that.

No day is ever the same. Senior Account Executives work on multiple client accounts and learn directly from REQ’s PR team’s more senior staff. From the start, Senior Account Executives work closely with their clients on a daily basis and contribute to integrated communications programs in meaningful ways, including client relations, media and analyst relations, digital marketing, industry research, writing, content creation, and tracking and measuring account activities and results. Whether our team is helping an established company differentiate its story or launching an unknown startup, our work is customized to each client and always interesting.

Responsibilities:

• Understand the top business objectives of assigned clients.
• Exhibit comprehension of the technology and business issues connected to assigned accounts.
• Track, understand, and brief team members on external issues and events facing the client, including those of competitors.
• Present a steady stream of creative ideas to account teams and clients to keep accounts fresh.
• Ability to secure media placements for press releases, editorial calendar opportunities, and proactive pitches.
• Formulate pitch strategies and produce media communications (releases, pitches, etc.) that demonstrate comprehension of client messages, business, and technology content, and salient news angles.
• Manage the creation of targeted media lists and speaking and awards databases.
• Manage the weekly client report ensuring timeliness and accuracy.
• Have a clear understanding of the informational needs of reporters and how to shape client stories to speak to those needs.
• Understand the process of developing long-term relationships with reporters and influencers.
• Exhibit a broad knowledge of relevant reporters, publications and opinion influencers related to core accounts.
• Understand and use social media for business including blogging and social networks.
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of key publication formats and deadlines.
• Strong knowledge of and experience with social media, community building, and inbound marketing.
• Possess excellent writing skills. Can tackle in-depth topics and write succinctly, efficiently, and with impact.
• Demonstrate a mastery of client relations in approach, tone and professionalism. Be able to counsel clients with confidence around areas of account ownership (e.g. speaking and awards).
• Understand when to escalate issues (or potential issues) to the account lead.
• Serve as a strong second on accounts and manage client relations in the account lead's absence.
• Confidently participate in kick-off and in-person client meetings.
• Understand the infrastructure of the agency, including, but not limited to: workflow planning and PR plans.
• Develop mastery of REQs tools and take primary responsibility for using these tools (timekeeping, media databases, etc.).
• Regularly network, representing REQ the PR and tech communities.

Qualifications:

• A four-year college degree is mandatory.
• 3-5 years of direct public relations, journalism or marketing work experience or relevant internships.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Interest in the technology industry with digital marketing/social media know-how.
• Knowledge about social media platforms.
• Exceptional organization and project management skills.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Initiative to ask questions, pick up the phone, take action and think ahead.
• Ability to thrive under pressure with minimal direct supervision and adapt to changing priorities quickly.
• Creative, solutions-oriented thinker with the capacity to approach problems from multiple perspectives.
• Proficiency in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• DC metro area candidates only.

No contractors or recruiters, please.

REQ is an equal opportunity employer and seeks qualified candidates regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, or age.