Account Director, Direct Impact (Public Relations & Public Affairs)

District of Columbia, USA (Hybrid)

$60K/yr – $140K/yrSenior Level6+ years expFull time

Posted 6 weeks ago

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Job Summary

Own a public affairs leadership role that blends policy storytelling with coalition growth, shaping campaigns, media, and stakeholder strategy.

  • Lead integrated campaigns spanning government relations, grassroots advocacy, and strategic communications to drive policy and reputational outcomes.
  • Provide senior counsel on federal, state, and local issues, translating complex policy into clear narratives for policymakers and media.
  • Build coalitions, manage media outreach, and run rapid-response programs with cross-functional teams to deliver measurable impact.

Job Description

Responsibilities - Lead the development and execution of integrated public affairs campaigns that combine government relations, stakeholder engagement, grassroots advocacy, and strategic communications. - Provide senior-level strategic counsel to clients navigating legislative, regulatory, and reputational issues at the federal, state, and local levels. - Be aware of industry organizations, advocacy groups, community partners, media, and other key external stakeholders to support strategic communications and public affairs initiatives. - Drive earned media strategies in support of public affairs objectives, including media outreach, messaging, thought leadership, and rapid response communications. - Oversee coalition-building efforts, community engagement initiatives, and public-facing events that advance client priorities. - Collaborate with cross-functional teams across Burson to deliver integrated campaigns spanning public affairs, media relations, digital, and research. - Identify opportunities to expand client relationships and contribute to business development efforts. - Mentor junior team members while fostering a collaborative and high-performing team environment. Requirements - 6+ years of experience in public affairs, government relations, strategic communications, public relations, or political communications. - Agency experience is strongly preferred, ideally supporting corporate, advocacy, or issue-based campaigns. - Previous experience working on Capitol Hill, in a congressional office, or within a government or public policy environment is highly preferred. - Demonstrated experience developing and executing public affairs strategies that engage policymakers, stakeholders, media, and grassroots audiences. - Strong understanding of the public affairs, policy, and communications landscape, with the ability to translate complex issues into clear, compelling narratives for diverse audiences. - Experience supporting clients in technology, financial services, corporate affairs, or other highly regulated industries is preferred. - Excellent writing, presentation, and client counseling skills with the ability to distill complex policy issues into compelling communications. - Proven ability to manage multiple workstreams and thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. - A collaborative mindset and passion for helping organizations influence policy, build trust, and drive meaningful impact. Nice_to_have - Experience working on Capitol Hill or within government highly preferred. - Agency experience in public affairs or strategic communications is a plus. - Experience supporting corporate, advocacy, or issue-based campaigns is preferred. Benefits - a competitive benefits package; click here for more details: https://mybenefits.wpp.com/public/welcome . - Our vision is for Burson to be the leading ‘academy company’ for creative communications professionals and emerging leaders. We provide a dynamic environment where ambitious colleagues come to elevate their skills, expand their networks, and ultimately, produce the best solutions for today’s leading brands. Our commitment to your growth is reflected in our robust benefits and people programs, which include professional development opportunities, mentorship programs with industry leaders, a vibrant and inclusive company culture fostering collaboration and innovation and packages designed to reward and retain top talent. We invest in our people because we believe their success is our success. - Burson is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers. - We are hybrid with teams in the office around four days a week; accommodations or flexibility can be discussed during interview.
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Burson

Burson is the global leader in communications, purpose-built to create value for our clients through reputation. We reinvent how reputation creates competitive advantage for our clients, so they can lead today and far into the future.

New York, New York, US
3.6K employees (764 in marketing)

Traffic Signals

Monthly Visitors
92.5K
Traffic Source Mix
Search
40.5%
Direct
44.5%
Referral
8.4%
Social
5%
Paid
1.2%

Headcount Trend

Current headcount: ~3.7K

Marketing Team

Marketing Team Size
604 (16% of company)
Median Career Experience
14 years
Median Tenure
2.2 years
Marketing Roles Posted (Last 30 Days)
3

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