Vice President, Consumer Lifestyle - New York City (Remote)

About DeVries:
DeVries is a global, culture-first communications agency that blends the dynamism of a boutique firm with a worldwide reach. Headquartered in New York City, we have offices across North America, Europe, and Asia, dedicated to decoding culture and driving sustained influence for brands. We are seeking a Vice President to join our consumer lifestyle team.

The Role:
As a Vice President, you will play a critical role in shaping the future and long-term success of DeVries Public Relations. You will be responsible for managing client relationships and teams, ensuring the delivery of high-quality work on time and within budget. The ideal candidate possesses a proven track record of developing and executing successful public relations strategies and programs.

This position is currently remote.

Primary Responsibilities:

Client Management:

• Serve as senior strategic counsel to clients.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with senior stakeholders.
• Manage daily client communications.
• Establish quality standards and ensure client satisfaction.
• Develop long-term plans and program recommendations.
• Address client issues and challenges proactively.
• Oversee client relations, review meetings, and client budget approvals.
• Develop and deliver compelling client presentations.

Media and Influencer Relations:

• Craft relevant stories across all media types.
• Evaluate and train team members on pitching skills.
• Demonstrate deep knowledge of client-relevant media landscapes.
• Maintain a roster of key media contacts.
• Possess baseline knowledge of social platforms and the paid/owned/earned model.
• Guide high-profile influencer strategy recommendations, establishing criteria and ensuring alignment with client objectives.
• Understand the digital influencer landscape, including selection, collaboration, and activation.
• Manage internal and external spokespeople.
• Develop and manage brand relationships and presence through earned influencer programs.

Written & Oral Skills:

• Convey ideas and recommendations strategically and compellingly.
• Supervise team writing and editing, providing training.
• Ensure final review and control over all presentations, memos, and client materials.
• Collaborate with senior management on strategic and creative recommendations.
• Deliver plan/idea presentations with a compelling speaking style.

Budgeting:

• Understand DeVries’ business model and staffing.
• Manage client revenues up to $1M.
• Identify organic growth opportunities.
• Create and execute accurate budget estimates for programs.
• Manage overall budgets (fee and OOP tracking).
• Authorize billing invoices and follow up on past-due accounts.

Team Management:

• Elevate successes and challenges to supervisors.
• Provide leadership, direction, and guidance to account teams.
• Develop and coach account teams for peak performance.
• Collaborate with peers to advance agency mission, goals, and culture.
• Serve as the key contact for internal staff issues.
• Ensure high-quality work from teams to meet client expectations.
• Provide ongoing communication and feedback during account reviews and staff meetings.
• Structure and staff project teams, including resume review and interviewing.
• Ensure adherence to agency time reporting and financial guidelines.
• Conduct performance reviews and make recommendations for salary increases and promotions.
• Serve as a role model for team members.

New Business Development:

• Actively participate in new business initiatives and pitch development.
• Leverage a strong network to identify opportunities.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree.
• 9+ years of related professional experience.
• Proven ability to translate ideas into workable plans.
• Adept at delegating project ownership to junior team members.
• Demonstrated ability to resolve conflict.
• Skilled in mobilizing and motivating teams.
• Expertise in working independently.
• Excellent oral and written business communication skills.
• Aptitude for financial analysis.
• Ability to complete challenging projects within set parameters.
• Exceptional judgment in interactions with team members, clients, and vendors.
• Aptitude for successfully selling additional services or negotiating funding.
• Commitment and dedication to agency success and personal career growth.
• Desire for continuous learning and self-development.
• Ability to anticipate client and team needs.
• Strong attention to detail and quality.
• Excellent problem-solving capabilities.
• Ability to impress new business prospects.

DeVries is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.