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Director, Account Leader

Chicago, Illinois, United States

 

Director, Catalyst /Account Leader 

Please note: This is a hybrid role located in Chicago, IL. You will have an opportunity to collaborate in-person two to three days a week at our Chicago office while maintaining flexibility for remote work.  

 

Golin Chicago is looking for an experienced Director to join a dynamic team supporting industry leading spirits brands.  

 

Golin has been on a winning streak of recognition: PRWeek’s Best Place to Work, Provoke Media’s Global Agency of the Year, PRWeek’s Large Agency of the year and winning two Grand Prix at Cannes.   

 

Riding the wave of recognition and award-winning work, the Director has an incredible opportunity to have a seat at the table with our client, shaping strategy with senior leadership, managing branded influencer campaigns, as well as traditional media campaigns that helps promote and protect the brand in Chicago and keep Golin on top.   

 

It’s an exciting time for the agency to continue to deliver impactful earned work that builds brands and reputations, and we know other brands can benefit from the award-winning work we create.  

 

You will work with an integrated group of specialists to deliver strategic, creative and relevant communications solutions across influencer, media relations and experiential work to address our client's key business challenges.  

 

You will oversee communications between internal teams and two fantastic clients to drive brand awareness, working with a collaborative team that rolls up their sleeves at all levels to produce great work! 

 

Ready to “Go All In” with us? Here are the details:   

 

Exciting Opportunities: 

  • Lead high-profile events and activations with media and influencers. 
  • Enjoy travel opportunities, including press trips to Mexico and visits to distilleries. 
  • Host exclusive dinners with renowned partners to enhance brand experiences. 
  • Oversee daily account operations for two major client accounts at Golin Chicago 

 

Travel Opportunities: 

  • The role offers chances to travel – whether it’s press trips to Mexico’s distilleries or organizing exclusive dinners with Michelin partners! 

 

Engaging Events & Activations: 

  • You’ll be at the center of dynamic activations, from influencer events to creative engagements that bring the brands to life. 

 

Vibrant Client Interactions: 

  • Working across two major accounts means you’ll be involved in high-profile events and activations that keep the spirit of the brands fresh and innovative. 

 

What You'll Do:  

  • Oversee the daily operations and strategic direction for two high-profile accounts, ensuring that both internal teams and external clients feel supported and confident in our partnership.  
  • Lead high-profile events and campaigns with media and influencers –which will include domestic and international travel!  
  • Energize and manage a diverse, high-performing team, keeping everyone aligned on objectives and focused on delivering exceptional results.  
  • Drive project management across various campaigns—from ideation to activation—while maintaining strict oversight of timelines, scope, quality, and budget tracking. 
  • Quickly assess challenges and develop creative, effective solutions that meet business goals and maintain campaign momentum. 
  • Oversee initiatives that include PR and media activations, ensuring seamless coordination among creative, strategy, and media teams. Occasional travel for campaign activations may be required. 

 

Who You Are:   

  • You have 7+ years in a PR agency or related communications environment with a solid background in both creative and operational leadership.  
  • You’re known for delivering high-impact work in high-pressure, fast-paced settings, and you have a knack for turning around underperforming teams. 
  • You bring a strong financial acumen, capable of managing complex budgets ($1M+) with transparency and efficiency. 
  • You’re quick on your feet, and always ready to develop innovative solutions that balance strategic thinking with creative execution.  
  • Your leadership style is both personable and decisive, enabling you to build rapport with clients and inspire teams across all levels. 

 

Qualifications:   

  • Bachelor’s Degree in a related field. 
  • Demonstrated success managing large, multi-faceted accounts with a mix of creative and operational responsibilities. 
  • Exceptional project management and organizational skills, with the ability to oversee multiple projects simultaneously. 
  • Proven track record in financial management, budget oversight, and resource allocation. 
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills with an eye for detail. 
  • Agency experience required. 
  • Experience mentoring junior team members and fostering a collaborative team environment. 
  • (Bonus) Familiarity with the spirits industry or related regulated markets is a plus! 

 

About Us:  

Golin is a global public relations agency that helps companies create change that matters. Together, we discover powerful human truths that bind us, create with bravery and collaborate inclusively and obsessively. Golin’s 1700+ global employees operate across 50+ offices worldwide, allowing us to provide our clients with comprehensive solutions for multi-market, regional and global communications programs.  

Golin is a progressive public relations agency designed to reach a profoundly diverse market. Inclusion is a core value for Golin, and we are focused on establishing a culture that is intentionally inclusive, potently diverse, and uncompromisingly equitable.    

Our expertise ranges from brand-building and cutting-edge digital content to corporate reputation, healthcare advocacy and measurement. Golin aligns earned-first, data-driven creative with the customer journey through our collaborative integrated team model.   

We tend to Go All In, in everything we do. We’re especially committed to going all in for our people, with a comprehensive benefits and time off program. Our culture is built around happy people who are the best at what we do!   

 

Golin has included the base salary range or hourly rate for this role. Actual compensation offered within the range will depend upon, among other factors: a candidate’s skills, qualifications, and experience; actual ranges for current or former employees in the role; and market considerations.  Salary Range: $94,000 – $165,000  

Any request to schedule an interview and any legitimate offer of employment will only come from an authorized representative of Golin. We will never require an applicant to provide sensitive personally identifiable information in order to conduct an interview.  

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.  

 

We make our careers website accessible to any and all users. If you need an accommodation to participate in the application process, please contact us at JobAppAccommodation@ipgdxtra.com. This email address is not for general employment inquiries or vendors; rather it is strictly for applicants who require special assistance accessing our employment website. Due to volume, messages sent to this email address that are not related to an accommodation cannot be answered.

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