ABOUT JENNER & BLOCK
Jenner & Block LLP is a law firm with global reach, with offices in Century City, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. The firm is known for its prominent and successful litigation practice, global investigations practice, regulatory and government controversies work, and experience handling sophisticated and high-profile corporate transactions. Its clients include Fortune 100 companies, technology companies, large privately held corporations, emerging companies, Native American tribes, and venture capital and private equity investors. The American Lawyer has recognized Jenner & Block as the No. 1 pro bono firm in the United States 10 times.
Overview
The Associate Director of Public Relations is responsible leading the firm’s strategic approach and execution of external media and public relations activities, including raising visibility around lawyer achievements, client matter and pro bono wins, and firm performance; identifying opportunities to position lawyers for commentary on breaking news and legal developments; managing crisis communications, and more. They will advise firm leadership on key media issues, opportunities, and considerations.
The Associate Director will oversee a team of direct and indirect reports, as well as external agency resources, and work to increase awareness and elevate the firm’s standing in the legal and business market. Reporting to the Director of Strategic Marketing & Communications (SMC), they will collaborate to ensure public relations activities are strategically integrated with broader marketing and client development efforts and aligned with the firm’s strategic plan.
Join a collaborative and supportive team within a firm that truly lives and breathes its values every day; from proudly counseling high profile clients to providing significant and meaningful pro bono representation to treating every member of the firm as a valued part of the team, Jenner & Block is an extraordinary place to work.
Primary Responsibilities
- Media relations: Develop and maintain effective relationships with editors, publishers, and reporters, locally and nationally, who cover the firm, the legal profession, or firm clients’ business sectors. Proactively identify news, topics, and opportunities to drive media coverage. Manage external PR agencies and other vendor relationships to ensure and measure efficacy and value. Manage firm, office, practice area, client team, industry group, and individual lawyer media relations efforts.
- Executive Counsel and Reputation Management: Advise firm leaders on ongoing communications opportunities, strategy, execution, and reputational issues and considerations. Act as firm’s primary “crisis communications” executive, in coordination with the CMO, SMC Director, firm leadership, and outside agencies, as appropriate.
- Coaching and Training: Coach firm, practice, and office leadership, and individual lawyers and teams on media relations and presentation skills, including prepping for media interviews. Deliver training to key internal audiences to strengthen the firm’s overall communications, media, and PR acumen.
- Systems, Processes, and Policies: Review, evaluate, and refine existing PR systems, processes, and policies to elevate PR team offering, and enhance the firm’s go-to-market opportunities in alignment with firm strategy and department goals.
- Opportunity Spotting and Collaboration: Partner within the Marketing Department and with other departments (Recruiting, Alumni Relations, Pro Bono, Diversity & Inclusion) to coordinate and execute on key initiatives that align with firm strategy.
- Tracking and measurement: Maintain tracking and measurement tools to provide real-time data on communications opportunities, activities, and effectiveness.
- Budget Management: Oversee PR budget, in coordination with CMO, SMC Director, and Finance team.
- Lateral Partner Promotion and Integration: Work with Lateral Recruiting team to facilitate impactful promotion and integration of lateral partners upon arrival, and coordination with Client Development team to provide seamless support for laterals.
- Team Development: Manage and mentor PR team members in the writing, design, management, and execution of the full range of the firm’s PR activities, in addition to providing professional development training and opportunities.
Qualifications and Other Requisites
- The Associate Director should have an advanced degree, preferably an MBA or JD, or equivalent work experience, with 12 or more years of public relations experience in a professional services industry.
- Must have demonstrated expertise in media and public relations.
- Must have established relationships with relevant media.
- Act as a key strategic partner, able to translate the firm strategy into a market/media strategy.
- Demonstrate the executive presence necessary to command the respect of firm leadership.
Expected Core Competencies
- Solid team player with ability to work with a multi-disciplinary team focused on collaboration.
- Demonstrate proactivity in working with stakeholders on planning and opportunity spotting.
- Possess strong verbal, written, and technological skills (e.g., Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Asana, MuckRack).
- Self-starter, motivated individual willing to go the extra mile to get the job done.
- Detail-oriented and attuned to nuances conveyed by information.
- Highly organized and possess strong creative abilities.
- Able to multitask, prioritize, and manage competing deadlines and busy/unresponsive internal clients.
- Strong project management skills and follow through: ability to manage, direct work effort, and mentor peers and subordinates working both onsite and remotely.
- Solution-oriented: able to identify, analyze, and trouble-shoot problems, and develop proactive solutions.
- Quickly understand and embrace the firm’s culture, goals, service, and strategy, and convey it to the market.
- Demonstrate an ability to work both independently and take direction from leadership, as required.
Jenner & Block offers a comprehensive benefits program, which includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k), and paid time off, in addition to other offerings.
Jenner & Block LLP is an equal opportunity employer. Recruitment and employment decisions are not made on the basis of an individual’s race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability or medical condition, genetic information, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity and/or expression, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions, arrest record, matriculation, personal appearance, political affiliation, marital, parental, veteran, military, or order of protection status, or any other protected status or that of their relatives, friends, or associates.
