Client Lead (Director)

About Purple Strategies

Purple Strategies is a corporate reputation and strategy firm that combines the creativity and discipline of brand communications with the speed and strategy of political campaigns to help leverage or reduce pressure on a business, brand or issue. We help build and defend reputation and brand value and serve Fortune 500 companies, associations, nonprofits and some of the most recognizable brands in the world. 

Purple helps the world’s most important organizations address their toughest challenges. We operate in a highly collaborative environment and apply integrated, team-based approaches to help clients: 

• ANTICIPATE reputation challenges and opportunities;
• COMPEL change through business actions and transformation; and
• NAVIGATE reputation issues, acute crises, key business choices and policy/regulatory changes to inform decision-making.

About The Position

Purple is actively seeking a Senior Director to join its Client and Campaign Expertise Group in early 2024. The Senior Director serves as Client Lead and has primary responsibility for developing and managing multifaceted engagement programs that help solve our clients’ complex challenges. This is a Senior Director Level role that is responsible for owning senior client relationships, cultivating trust between our clients and Purple, and building high-functioning Purple client teams. They collaborate closely with team members across research, creative, strategy, communications, and paid media to ensure the flawless, on-time and high impact delivery of campaign components. The role requires a candidate comfortable driving strategic engagement program development as well as managing tactical day-to-day campaign deliverables.

In This Position, You Will

• Work with Client Principals and expertise leaders on client teams to identify clients’ desired outcome and develop multi-faceted engagement programs to achieve the client’s desired outcomes, objectives and goals. 
• Lead the client team’s work overall by establishing what success looks like for Purple in the context of a client relationship, setting clear client team delivery benchmarks, establishing consistent roles and responsibilities that ensure focus area alignment, and maintaining a high standard of work through the implementation of team management standard operating procedures for the duration of a client relationship. 
• Develop insights-based engagement programs that leverage appropriate voices, target audiences, stakeholders and customized assets.
• Identify appropriate engagement program deliverables, assets, and content to support an integrated channel strategy to successfully execute the client campaign plan. 
• Assertively lead clients and manage day-to-day client engagement from concept to execution, maintaining high quality output and progress to strategic goals. 
• Develop a wide range of communication materials such as memos, campaign plans, PowerPoint presentations, press releases, talking points, opinion editorials, speeches. 
• Proactively manage the firm’s resources and act as resource for firm leadership; leading client teams, reporting on resource use, and managing team finances. 
• Work with client teams and firm leadership to expand opportunities with current clients and identify opportunities with prospective clients; provide content for business development proposals as necessary. 
• Support firm leadership in managing and directing client teams, including recruiting, hiring, guiding, coaching, setting goals, training, developing, monitoring and assessing performance, and maintaining a positive employee experience. 
• Serve as a direct manager of more junior colleagues, developing growth paths, providing coaching and feedback, and communicating with Purple’s leadership about colleague performance. 

Qualifications and Experience You Need To Be Successful In This Role

• Bachelor’s degree and minimum of 12 years of statewide/national political campaign experience and/or related professional services and strategic communications experience. 
• Familiarity with all aspects of communications campaigns including public opinion research, media planning (traditional and digital), creative development, media relations, digital engagement strategy and budget management. 
• Excellent communication, critical thinking, networking and client relationship skills. 
• Superior writing skills and mastery of Microsoft PowerPoint 
• Distinct attention to detail, superior multitasking skills, master of prioritization techniques, and ability to identify and communicate items needing further attention. 
• Team-player attitude and a drive to find solutions and effectuate change rapidly. 
• Leadership skills; experience leading all levels of employees; creative, energetic, detail-oriented and possesses an entrepreneurial spirit. 
• Strong preference for proven business development skills to include successful client pitches and relationship development. 
• Embodiment of Purple’s values: Adaptable, Collaborative, Curious, Innovative, Industrious, Respectful. 

Work Location  

This is a full-time position based in either our Alexandria, VA headquarters or our Chicago, IL office. Purple Strategies offers a hybrid model and seeks employees who are comfortable working in the office for a portion of their workweek. Purple values the camaraderie, connection, inclusion and professional development that in-person interactions provide, yet still recognizes the importance of flexibility and balance in our employees’ lives.

How To Apply

Please submit your resume and cover letter online at purplestrategies.com/join-our-team/   

Purple is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, age, or other legally protected characteristics.