Senior Account Executive, Sports & Entertainment

Job Description

Job DescriptionWe are looking for a Senior Account Executive to join our Sports & Entertainment team!You Will:

• Lead and support media relations programs and activations surrounding campaigns for both Zeno Group and Sports & Entertainment clients across numerous verticals, including but not limited to, Consumer/Brand, Corporate, Healthcare, Technology, etc.
• Lead campaign/activation research and assist in vetting sports and entertainment talent across different territories, including but not limited to, NFL, NCAA, PGA, LPGA, Film/TV, Music, Fashion, Lifestyle, etc.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for clients, providing strategic counsel and maintaining trusted relationships
• Lead and facilitate brainstorms, campaign development and cross-functional collaboration
• Manage account teams and project workflows, ensuring timelines, budgets and deliverables are met
• Demonstrate strong supervisory skills by guiding junior staff with clear expectations, constructive feedback, and support to ensure high-quality work. Coach junior staff, providing feedback, mentorship, and development opportunities.
• Lead earned media outreach and pitch stories to reporters (via email and verbally) across different mediums (i.e., online, print, broadcast and radio) and verticals (i.e., sports, consumer, industry trades, entertainment, music, etc.); Identify opportunities, coordinate media interviews, send timely pitch updates, etc.
• Lead strategic and creative thinking around activations and campaigns through attending brainstorms for a variety of the agency’s consumer clients
• Develo press releases, visuals, media lists, presentations and additional collateral for a variety of clients alongside the full S&E team
• Lead/assist with coordination of talent media interviews, including identifying targets, securing interviews, drafting talking points, staffing interviews and managing logistics
• Support development of talent and influencer agreements and contracts
• Monitor news and industry trends that are relevant to client industries and competitors; Leverage insights to provide strategic thinking and recommendations to client teams
• Support client activations and track media efforts surrounding major media and pop culture moments (i.e., Super Bowl, NFL Draft, remote media tours, award shows, film festivals, etc.)
• Lead the development of the monthly Zeno S&E newsletter to highlight the department’s ongoing work and available talent partnerships
• Lead status grid updates and take notes during weekly client status calls
• Participate in new business opportunities for the S&E team and agency as a whole
• Manage time effectively and meet deadlines, communicate project statuses with team
• Work in conjunction with the S&E team to develop and execute short and long-term plans and goals while tracking progress against goals

About You:

• At least 5+ years of PR or communications experience; Mandatory 3+ years of experience within a PR agency and/or in a related Sports & Entertainment OR Brand/Consumer communications role
• Must be located in or willing to relocate to New York or Washington, D.C. metropolitan areas
• Preferred applicants will have previous experience in earned media, media relations and writing
• Work within the Zeno office at least 2 days a week
• Demonstrates deep knowledge of client businesses, including industry landscape, brand positioning, audience behaviors and competitive threats
• Builds and maintains strong relationships with key media and influencer contacts; drives proactive and reactive media relations strategies
• Proactively contributes bold, creative ideas and participates in solution-driven thinking that challenges the status quo
• Balances thoughtful risk-taking with client needs; encourages peers to be open-minded and adaptive in problem-solving while operating effectively under pressure
• Oversees creation and quality control of press materials, executive messaging, and internal communications
• A proactive, hardworking professional who possesses a solid work ethic and the drive to identify opportunities, solve problems and deliver results independently and in group settings.
• Led communications / marketing team-related administrative tasks, including overseeing agency news monitoring reports
• Enjoy building relationships with internal partners, vendors, and third-party stakeholders, acting as a liaison between agency and client
• Bring a positive, collaborative attitude to the agency and a willingness to work well with other Zeno teams and clients
• Be well-versed in the world of celebrities, pop culture and top-tier influencers and corresponding trends
• Ability to critically think about how trends and news may influence client programming, perceptions, positioning, etc.

Pay range: $67,000 to $78,000 USD An employee’s pay position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, travel requirements, revenue-based metrics, any contractual agreements, and business or organizational needs. The range listed is just one component of DJEH’s total compensation package for employees. Other rewards may include annual bonuses, a Paid Time Off policy, and region-specific benefits.ABOUT USZeno Group is the fiercely independent and global, integrated communications agency, born from PR. We bring together the boldest and brightest talent to help clients across industries and sectors unleash the power of strategic communications. Guided by our "Fearless Pursuit of the Unexpected," we push the boundaries to achieve real business value and societal impact for clients. Winner of the industry’s most coveted awards including the 2024 PRWeek U.S. Outstanding Large Agency of the Year, 2023 PRWeek Purpose Agency of the Year, 2022 PRWeek Global Agency of the Year, 2022 PRovoke Best Large Agency to Work For in North America and a three-time winner of PRWeek’s Best Places to Work. Zeno has also been previously recognized by the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Zeno is a DJE Holdings Company.
ABOUT OUR BENEFITS Healthy, happy employees make Zeno better, so we have programs that support physical, mental and financial wellness. Our culture and benefits are designed to promote flexibility, celebrate diversity and support work/life balance. We offer a variety of medical, dental and vision insurance with prescription plans, as well as short and long-term disability. Our Be Kind to Your Mind program focuses on mental health, providing a paid subscription to Headspace and access to mental health providers and other services through a best-in-class employee assistance program. Employees are encouraged to bring their authentic self to Zeno and participate in our employee resource groups which build communities for sharing and support. And while we love our work, we believe in the restorative power of time off with generous vacation, paid holidays and self-care time. Employees are supported in their pursuit of financial wellness with a 401(k) plan, pretax flexible spending accounts, tuition assistance, life insurance and free access to a certified financial coach. And our unique ZenoFit program provides a monthly allowance to fund activities in your personal life that bring you joy and keep you healthy. These and other benefits are available to non-temporary employees in the US.
Zeno Group is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage racially and ethnically diverse people, members of the LGBTQ community, veterans, parents, individuals with disabilities and members of any and all protected classes to apply.