Senior PR Account Executive

Company Description

An award-winning global public relations firm focused on building influence to deliver meaningful impact on business and the world.

We are strategists, storytellers and creators.

We are a global collective of modern communicators who are building the brands and leaders of tomorrow. Our business is making our clients – of all shapes and sizes – more influential. And our passion is shaping and evolving – with every step we take – the public relations industry and what we can accomplish.

Job Description

Job description

As a Senior Account Executive at MSL, you are becoming a media relations expert, working to seamlessly manage media relationships and interviews. You own the reporting process and ensure your manager receives accurate, quality reports on time, and that clients receive regular, accurate coverage updates. You are starting to build good relationships with your clients, and write quality content beyond media pitches and emails. In addition, you provide guidance to your team’s Intern/AA (if applicable).

Core capabilities

• Media relations: Display an excellent knowledge of the South African media landscape (and an interest in the broader African media landscape), develop solid media relationships, and own the effective running of your team’s entire media relations process.
• Pitching skills: Demonstrate an ability to effectively identify angles, write and pitch relevant stories to targeted media, displaying creativity and an understanding of newsworthiness in the process.
• Media lists: Work with Intern/AA (if applicable) to ensure media lists are regularly updated, inform the broader agency of media changes, compile tailored media lists per client content piece, and keep master client media lists updated.
• MSL Newsdesk: Participate in daily newsdesk/media meetings and write up relevant news and angles in email format to share with clients (with your AD’s/AM’s approval); take notes in Newsroom meeting if asked.
• Research: Demonstrate effective research skills, and assimilation and presentation of information.
• Writing: Start to develop media pitch and release writing skills, beyond email communication.
• Project management skills: Build ability to take responsibility for specific projects from start-to-finish (if required).

Client services

• Client knowledge: Demonstrate constant efforts to grow your understanding of clients’ business and knowledge of competitors, for effective idea generation.
• Client relations: Demonstrate and build on personalised, friendly rapports with clients, and show a growing ability to manage their expectations.
• Creativity: Confidently contribute own ideas to planning or brainstorm meetings.

Agency operations

• Coverage: With Intern/AA, take ownership of daily coverage tracking for reports and timeous client coverage updates.
• Reporting: Ensure quality, timeous monthly reports are delivered to clients.
• Timesheets: Demonstrate effective time recording and reporting (daily, accurate data logged on Chase, as per Groupe deadlines).
• Respect: Acknowledge and respond to instructions from senior staff as soon as possible (email, instant message or spoken).
• Know the agency and Publicis Groupe Africa (PGA): Demonstrate familiarity with both MSL and PGA's organisational structures and offerings.

People development

• Begin to build supervisory skills by coaching and assisting graduates/interns/AA (if applicable).
• Assist your fellow AEs with skill development and peer-to-peer mentorship.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or Diploma required 
• 2-3+ years’ experience within a Public Relations agency
• Extremely proficient in & Microsoft Office (PowerPoint, Excel, Word)
• Excellent verbal and written communication
• Meticulous attention to detail, resourceful, with a can-do attitude
• Team player who thrives within a dynamic, fast-growing company
• Good time management to meet deadlines and complete deliverables

Additional Information

Personal attributes
• Quality: Consistently deliver quality work to professional, MSL standards.
• Detail-orientated: Execute unwavering attention to detail in all aspects, including documents,
presentations, emails and all other communiques.
• Proactive upskilling: Display a basic understanding of content for all clients (even beyond your
portfolio) and clients’ industries, staying abreast of the broader news environment and spotting
opportunities for media conversation building.
• Proactive learning: Regularly make use of the Marcel Classes portal (and other internal training
sessions) to upskill yourself, taking initiative and responsibility for your learning journey.
• Profile: Manage and build your own profile within your team and the broader agency.
• Taking initiative: Demonstrate consistent, proactive, positive contribution at all times, as well as a
self-starter approach to your work.
• Communication skills: Demonstrate excellent face-to-face, telephonic and email etiquette (internal
and external).
• Time management: Effectively use and manage your own time to meet deadlines and help
Intern/AA (if applicable) to manage their time, always informing your team if you are falling behind
on a task before it is due.
• Prioritisation: Demonstrate an excellent ability to prioritise tasks and apply urgency where needed.