Account Director

ACCOUNT DIRECTOR JOB POSTING

About Zapwater

Zapwater Communications seeks an enthusiastic and proactive ACCOUNT DIRECTOR to join its collaborative, creative and innovative Media Relations team with an emphasis on travel and/or consumer (home, outdoors, design) clients.

Zapwater Communications is an award-winning (Six-Time Finalist for Agency of the Year and Five-time PRNET 100 Agency) integrated communications agency with offices in Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami. The brands we serve center around the lifestyle categories of travel (including airlines, hotels, destinations and attractions), home design and real estate, and consumer and beauty. Our teams are specialists in their fields – they know the platforms, the media, the influencers and the delivery needed to achieve heightened awareness and connect with customers.

Our employees love working at Zapwater because of the people and our flexible office environment. Here are just a few of the benefits we offer:

- Annual Base Salary between $92,500-$120,000 . There are two pay periods per month, once on the 15th and once on the last day of the month; either the 30th or 31st.

- Annual Merit Increase – A discretionary annual salary increase based on prior year individual
performance, the company’s overall performance, and external economic factors. Any
increase would be given in conjunction with an annual performance review provided by April 1 of the subsequent year.

- Annual Performance Bonus – A discretionary annual bonus awarded based on the
achievement of professional development goals as well as the company’s overall
All goals should be set and forms should be submitted to Carolyn Gordon by
February 28th for that calendar year. Any bonus will be paid out in the second quarter of the
subsequent calendar year (between April 1 and June 30). For the first year of employment,
any bonus would be prorated based on the employee’s start date. Lastly, person(s) must be
employed at the time of payout or all bonus monies will be forfeited. The breakdown is as
follows:
Ø
75% is based on company performance. Zapwater’s overall goals are based on the
company’s net profit as well as client retention and satisfaction.
Ø
25% is based on professional development goals set by you and your direct
supervisor. These goals are specific to individual growth and career development.

- New Client Commission – Commission of 5% of the client’s monthly retainer awarded for a
maximum of one (1) year. Person(s) must be employed at the time of payout or all
commission monies will be forfeited.

- Insurance – Zapwater offers health, dental, vision, life, short and long-term disability
The benefit offerings and employee contribution to the above referenced plans
are evaluated annually. Currently, employees contribute 25% to the health, dental, and vision
benefit cost and Zapwater contributes the remaining 75%. Zapwater pays 100%
of the life and disability premiums. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois  is the provider and you
are eligible for enrollment after ninety (90) days of employment.

- Retirement Plan – Zapwater currently has a 401(k) retirement plan with T. Rowe
Enrollment in the plan and eligibility for the employer match begins after ninety (90)
days of employment. The Zapwater employer contribution is a match of 100% of the first 3%
of salary deferral plus 50% of the next 2% of salary deferral. The matching contribution is
100% vested at all times.

- Expenses - Cell phone paid for by Zapwater Communications

- Schedule – Flexible

- Paid Time Off (PTO) - Three (3) weeks per calendar year. The first year’s
PTO will be prorated based on start date. In addition, the office is closed the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. After five (5) years of employment, an
additional week of vacation/personal time will be awarded for a total of four (4) weeks per
calendar year.

- Work From Home (WFH) – We offer all our employees forty (40) WFH days a year. No more than five (5) WFH days can be used consecutively.

- Summer Fridays – Zapwater offers “Summer Fridays” from Memorial Day through Labor
Office hours on Fridays are 9AM to 1PM. Employees are responsible for adjusting the
work week to accommodate the half day.

- Sick Time – Unlimited. Sick Days are granted on an As-Needed basis. They are not accrued,
and therefore cannot be carried forward on paid out upon employment termination.

- Volunteer Program - Upon completion of one-year employment, you will be entitled to an
additional week of vacation to be used volunteering for an organization of your choice.

- Travel Lifestyle Network (TLN) – As members of a global PR and marketing agency alliance, Zapwater offers the experience of travel to a partner office to work for one (1) week after one (1) year of employment

- Professional Development – Zapwater encourages professional development and supports
staff by covering the cost of membership to Professional Associations and continuing

Account Director (7+ years of experience)

An Account Director at Zapwater Communications will lead day-to-day operations, serve as senior client contact and execute strategic public relations programming. This person is a key member of the leadership team and will continue to position the agency for growth and success. The overall objective of this position is to  m anage and potentially grow client accounts through effective use of human capital and financial metrics .

Responsibilities include:

Account Leadership and Client Management

- Act as the senior engagement lead on almost all accounts

- Maintains client relationship

- Takes responsibility for account outcomes (including if includes a social component if the most senior team member)

- Conceptualize advanced, integrated and innovative publicity campaigns

- Provide guidance in developing and presenting new industry insights and business trends for client

- Apply extensive experience and understanding of traditional and emerging communications trends and technologies to elevate strategy

- Pitch high-level media such as national business desks and broadcast outlets

- Oversee and monitor ongoing campaign performance to ensure programs are executed properly and according to client scope and expectations

- Conduct post-campaign analysis and provide recommendations for future initiatives

- Develop, mentor and manage team members

- Provide continual informal feedback as well as perform timely performance reviews, as necessary, to ensure professional development of staff

- Supervise, maintain and lead account dynamic, both internally and externally

- Review and ensure quality of all outbound materials including press releases, company collateral, corporate web site copy, e-mail campaigns, etc.

- Maximize individual performance and productivity through time management

- Display financial acumen and budgeting practices

- Be accountable for and maximize profitability at the account level through evaluation of project and retainer fees and implementation of appropriate account staffing structure

- Create, approve, communicate, analyze and report results of internal and external budgets

- A valid passport and travel will be required for client meetings, events, press trips, etc.

Business Development

- Drive organic growth and identify ongoing opportunities for existing client development

- Identify, pursue, negotiate and drive new business development and strategic partnerships that expand our reach and/or increase our revenue

- Assist with brainstorming better business practices for new business documents and presentations

- Provide strategic leadership, direction and management for business development and marketing functions by choosing industries and markets for the agency to pursue

- Create new business proposals as well as negotiate rates and positioning