Freelance Consumer PR Senior Account Director

About Us

M+C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment is a full-service, earned-first agency operating across Consumer PR, Creator & Influencer, Partnership Marketing, Social, Experiential, Sport, and Entertainment.

We bring a deep bench of experience in lifestyle, sport, entertainment, fashion, technology, and CPG — with ambitions to expand into many other categories. Our approach blends always-on brand communications with big creative campaigns, from strategy and ideation through design, production, execution, and social amplification. Our PR, marketing, and influencer specialists work seamlessly with our in-house studio to deliver content across every medium, from film and photography to print, experiential, and beyond.

About the Role
M+C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment is seeking an experienced Senior Account Director to join our Consumer PR team on a fixed-term maternity leave contract from January 2027 through approximately August 2027.

This role is ideal for a strategic communications leader who can quickly step into a fast-paced client portfolio, provide senior counsel, lead integrated communications programs, and manage teams with confidence and autonomy. The successful candidate will bring deep experience across consumer brands, earned media, influencer marketing, and integrated campaigns, along with a strong understanding of culture and the evolving media landscape.

As a Senior Account Director, you will be responsible for overseeing multiple accounts, driving strategic thinking, maintaining senior client relationships, mentoring teams, and ensuring flawless execution across all workstreams. You will serve as a trusted advisor to clients and a key leader within the agency during this coverage period.

Core requirements include:

• Act as a senior strategic leader across multiple client accounts

• Confidently lead client relationships and provide day-to-day senior counsel

• Mentor, coach, and develop junior and mid-level team members

• Collaborate effectively with agency leadership and cross-functional teams

• Demonstrate strong commercial acumen and understanding of account profitability

• Bring a proactive, solutions-oriented mindset and ability to navigate complex challenges

• Maintain exceptional organizational skills while managing concurrent priorities

• Stay connected to culture, trends, media, creator ecosystems, and emerging platforms

Key Responsibilities:

Client Leadership & Strategy

• Lead strategic development and execution of integrated communications campaigns from planning through delivery

• Serve as senior day-to-day client lead across assigned accounts

• Provide ongoing strategic counsel across communications, culture, earned media, creators, partnerships, and brand storytelling

• Identify opportunities that drive client business objectives and proactively recommend solutions

• Develop integrated plans and creative communications ideas rooted in cultural relevance

Team Leadership

• Manage and mentor account teams, fostering growth, accountability, and collaboration

• Delegate responsibilities appropriately while maintaining oversight of all deliverables

• Ensure project timelines, budgets, staffing plans, and workflows are managed effectively

• Support team development through regular feedback, coaching, and problem-solving

Media & Communications

• Maintain strong relationships with top-tier consumer, lifestyle, business, entertainment, and trade media

• Lead media strategy and oversee execution of proactive and reactive communications programs

• Guide development of press materials including messaging, media strategies, briefing documents, executive thought leadership content, and press releases

• Oversee media relations efforts to secure impactful coverage and meaningful storytelling opportunities

Operational Excellence

• Oversee account finances, including budgeting, forecasting, fee management, and reconciliation

• Ensure teams maintain strong account management fundamentals, including status reporting, budget tracking, timelines, and project documentation

• Establish campaign KPIs and ensure measurement frameworks are in place to demonstrate impact

• Identify potential account challenges and proactively develop solutions

Experience Required

• 8-12+ years of agency experience in public relations, integrated communications, or marketing communications

• Proven experience leading consumer communications programs for national and global brands

• Strong earned media background with demonstrated success securing high-impact coverage

• Experience managing multiple client relationships simultaneously

• Track record of developing and leading high-performing teams

• Strong financial management experience, including budgeting and forecasting

• Excellent presentation, communication, and writing skills

• The ideal candidate will have experience leading communications programs for spirits and beverage brands. Creator marketing, sport and music experience is a plus.

ABOUT M+C SAATCHI GROUP

M+C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment, NA as part of M+C Saatchi Group has pledged its commitment to create a company that values difference, with an inclusive culture. As part of this M+C Saatchi Group continues to be an Equal Opportunity Employer which does not and shall not discriminate, celebrates diversity and bases all hiring and promotion decisions solely on merit, without regard for any personal characteristics.

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