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Director for Comms & Crisis
Riyadh Edelman – Corporate / Full-Time / Hybrid Edelman is a new kind of agency, at the intersection of PR, Advertising, Social, Digital, Earned Media and Experiential. We blur the lines between each medium to create smart, innovative, and powerful work that gets people talking and engaging with brands in new ways. You will be challenged to push convention and your creativity to find modern ways to drive consumer behavior in today’s socially charged, digital environment. We are passionate, unconventional, and driven by a desire to do the best work possible. We get results for our clients and have the trophies to prove it. We are tough on work. We are kind to each other. Our 6,000 people in more than 60 offices globally deliver communications strategies that give our clients the confidence to lead, act with certainty and earn the lasting trust of their stakeholders.
Your Role: You will lead our existing client work and pursue new business in the Middle East. And a proven track record of advising Senior Executives in a crisis context is required. You will be responsible in advising large global brands on brand-related reputational risk areas. As a result, experience advising these types of organisations is needed. In addition, a proven track record of advising on areas such as societal issues, sustainability and marketing risks is also required. You will also involve in new business development, providing strategic counsel to both clients and peers, developing crisis management protocols, delivering training and coaching to C-suite. Your expertise will be crucial in safeguarding our clients' reputations and guiding them through complex issues that may arise in the ever-evolving global landscape. KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
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Leadership and Commercial acumen: + Develop innovative crisis management strategies, frameworks and IP that are leading industry best practices, considering the unique needs and challenges of different countries and industries within the Middle East, and then subsequently across EMEA region.
+ Demonstrate initiative and enterprise, contributing materially to the team’s new business targets.
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Client Relationship Management: + Lead high-level crisis management engagements for key clients, ensuring effective communication, risk assessment, and reputation management.
+ Act as a trusted advisor to clients, understanding their specific crisis management needs and providing strategic counsel during times of crisis.
+ Develop and deliver training, simulations and coaching programmes for clients at a senior level
+ Foster long-term relationships with clients, proactively identifying potential risks and developing crisis response plans tailored to their organisations.
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Crisis Response + Oversee crisis response efforts on specific clients as the need arises, guiding the team in assessing, planning, and executing comprehensive crisis communication strategies.
+ Provide senior counsel to clients and be able to work and think in a multi-stakeholder environment.
+ Stay abreast of emerging crises, industry trends, and global events that may impact clients' reputations, providing real-time counsel and rapid response strategies.
+ Advise on messaging, media relations, and digital communications strategies to effectively manage and mitigate the impact of crises.
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Team Management and Development + Create a climate that encourages entrepreneurial behaviour, learning, and collaboration within the Middle East crisis team.
+ Ensure constant professional development of the team, consistently holding self and team accountable for behaviour and performance.
+ Demonstrate behaviours consistent with Edelman’s values.
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Business Development and Thought Leadership + Enhance the company's reputation as a thought leader in crisis management through speaking engagements, industry conference participation, and publication of articles or whitepapers.
The ideal candidate for this role will have/be:
+ Bachelor's degree (or Master's degree) or equivalent work experience in public relations, communications, journalism, law or a related field.
+ Experience (10+ years) in crisis communications and reputation management.
+ Comfortable and experienced working with multiple stakeholder groups including regulators, politicians, consumers, shareholders, suppliers, employees and media.
+ Proven track record of successfully managing high-profile crises for multinational corporations or prominent organisations on a global level.
+ Exceptional leadership skills, with the ability to inspire and guide a diverse team.
+ Strong strategic thinking and analytical skills, with the ability to anticipate risks, develop proactive crisis plans, and make critical decisions under pressure.
+ Experienced in coaching and training senior leadership teams.
+ Ability to grasp and assimilate complex situations and develop strategies in an efficient and effective way.
+ Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong client relationships and effectively engage with stakeholders at all levels.
+ Deep knowledge of crisis communication tools, social media platforms, and digital communication strategies.
+ Demonstrated experience in business development, including client acquisition and relationship management.
+ An opportunity to shape your future and work with some of the smartest and most energetic people in the PR industry, who will nurture, challenge and enable you.
+ We offer hybrid work environment where you can work from home 2x in a week.
+ Big potential for personal growth, training, and further development of skills
+ A dynamic, collaborative and inclusive culture, where diversity is embraced – and you are celebrated and appreciated for who you are.
+ A huge variety of virtual learning and development resources to support your personal and professional growth.
If this sounds like the role for you, please apply now for immediate consideration.
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for more information and take a peek behind the scenes of our Global operation in the Middle East.
