Account Director - Corporate PR

The Role:

This is a brand new role, as part of our investment in our corporate team, which is a key focus for 2027 and beyond, as we look to grow our corporate offering. This role will give you the chance to be instrumental in shaping the future of corporate at VCCP Roar, alongside a talented team from Roar and the wider VCCP Group.

We have developed a differentiated approach to Corporate Affairs that focuses on redefining corporate influence.  Therefore, we are looking for an experienced and highly motivated Account Director who shares this disruptive mindset. 

Acting as a trusted advisor and confidante, you will lead account teams, build strong client relationships through expert counsel, and drive impactful, best-in-class reputation campaigns. 

Operating in a fast-paced environment, you will manage client programmes ranging from sole corporate reputation work, thought leadership, sustainability, and issues management to cross-practice and integrated VCCP campaigns.

Duties and Responsibilities: 

Media relations & content creation

• Demonstrate sound strategic direction on all account activity, driving proactive media stories, reactive responses, profiling, and crisis/issues management across top-tier print, broadcast, digital, as well as social media where necessary.

• Build and maintain strong senior media contacts across target sectors to benefit client outcomes.

• Manage the end-to-end production of campaign assets and written content (press releases, thought leadership features, blogs, scripts, and reports), maintaining strict quality control and clear briefing direction.

• Adeptly handle challenging news agenda items and crisis enquiries, reacting swiftly while bringing in senior leadership when necessary.

Client management & account handling

• Build and hold strong relationships with clients through an in-depth understanding of their brand, commercial objectives, and industry landscape.

• Provide expert counsel on corporate reputation, ESG/sustainability, B2B comms, and messaging, offering solutions that anticipate client challenges.

• Lead the delivery of client campaigns from start to finish, managing account workflows to ensure projects consistently meet or exceed agreed KPIs and quality standards.

• Oversee account financial management, working with senior leaders on budget tracking, service level management, and maintaining campaign profitability.

• Establish best-practice client reporting frameworks, evaluation metrics, and regular updates.

Leadership & agency culture

• Embody the agency’s principles, setting best-practice delivery standards and fostering a positive, high-performing culture.

• Motivate, mentor, and line-manage junior account team members, delegating effectively to support their career progression and ensure work quality.

• Lead client meetings, brainstorms, and reviews with strong presentation and facilitation skills.

• Proactively monitor team resource requirements and flag capacity or operational needs to senior management.

• Stay up to date with broader corporate, digital, and industry developments to help keep the agency at the forefront of the communications landscape.

Business growth

• Proactively identify opportunities for organic business growth by recognising client needs, upselling services, and leveraging VCCP’s wider digital, social, and creative capabilities.

• Play a key role in pitch teams - leading section development for proposals and presenting persuasively to prospective clients.

• Contribute to agency brand awareness by developing client case studies, credentials, and award entries.

Skills Required: 

• Proven experience working in an agency environment, operating at Senior Account Manager (SAM) or Account Director (AD) level.

• Strong credentials across corporate PR disciplines (e.g., reputation management, B2B comms, thought leadership, crisis & issues management, and sustainability).

• Demonstrable track record across key corporate sectors (such as FMCG, retail, energy, real estate, transport, technology, or professional services).

• Strong commercial acumen with experience managing account budgets, scope, and service levels effectively.

• Excellent presentation, communication, negotiation, and strategic writing skills.

About you:

• A passion for all things corporate and business, with a deep curiosity about reputation management, corporate leadership, and the news agenda.

• Thrive on working in a high-energy, fast-paced environment where no two days are the same.

• Be proactive with a can-do attitude – eager to get your sleeves rolled up and learn.

• Strive for excellence, proud of your work with meticulous attention to detail.

• Demonstrate a strong sense of accountability in your work with both your colleagues and clients

• Friendly, approachable, perceptive, and empathetic , quickly establishing trust with both clients and internal teams.

• A natural self-starter who excels both independently and as part of an integrated, cross-discipline team.

VCCP DE&I STATEMENT

We believe that DE&I is about creating a strong culture of inclusion within our agency, where everyone can thrive and be their authentic self. VCCP is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or ethnicity. If you require any adjustments during the application or interview process, please let us know via [email protected].

CRIMINAL RECORDS INFORMATION

As part of our onboarding process, you will be required to complete a Criminal Records Declaration regarding any unspent convictions. For roles in finance, HR, Legal, IT or senior management, we may be required to verify your declaration with a basic DBS check, as well as an Adverse Finance and ID check.