Jobs · Business Development · Illinois

Account Director/Vice President, Consumer Brand- Agriculture and Commodities

Burson · Chicago, IL · 4 wk ago
Business DevelopmentFull-time

About the role

Burson is looking for a talented, highly motivated Account Director or Vice President with strong writing and earned media experience to join our growing team.

This role is a unique opportunity to work on a premier, global account promoting a U.S. commodity both domestically and on a world stage. If you have an active interest in agriculture and sustainability, fashion retail, consumer education, or supply chain communications, and want to do creative, integrated work that drives measurable global impact, we want to hear from you.

This can be a hybrid or fully remote role in US EST and CST time zones.

Responsibilities

  • Serve as a trusted day-to-day contact and strategic advisor, building strong, trust-based client relationships and anticipating both the spoken and unspoken needs of the account.
  • Provide thoughtful, proactive counsel on program strategy, messaging, and industry and market dynamics — and recognize client issues or risks early, responding quickly to protect client interests.
  • Helps to lead and contribute to annual program and project planning, and own the quality control of deliverables so work consistently meets or exceeds client expectations.
  • Manage workflow, timelines, and competing priorities across a fast-paced, multi-program account, ensuring seamless, on-deadline delivery.
  • Mentor and guide junior team members, providing clear direction and constructive feedback.
  • Contribute to new business and organic growth by surfacing opportunities within the account and supporting proposals and pitches.
  • Multi-Audience Copywriting & Content Creation: Set the editorial direction for—and personally craft—a wide range of deliverables, from member spotlights (farmers, supply chain partners, global brands) to educational one-pagers, FAQs, newsletters, and website copy.
  • Earned Media: Shape and drive media strategy across earned, owned, and paid, securing high-impact placements in print, digital, and broadcast outlets.
  • Visual Storytelling & Design: Translate complex ideas into polished, high-impact presentations and collateral using Canva or Adobe Creative Suite.
  • Audience Translation: Flex voice and tone to land with audiences ranging from consumers to supply chain partners and executives.
  • Continuous Learning: Dive into the technical details sustainable agriculture, environmental footprints (water, soil, carbon emissions), and supply chain logistics to keep all content scientifically credible yet accessible.

Requirements

  • Education: Undergraduate degree in PR, Communications, Marketing, Journalism, or commensurate work experience.
  • Experience: 10+ years of communications/PR experience (agency experience is highly preferred; in-house experience in a relevant sector is also welcome).
  • Industry Knowledge: Prior experience or a demonstrated, active interest in sustainability, agriculture, fashion retail, corporate ESG, or supply chain logistics.
  • Versatile Writer: A proven portfolio of writing for different audiences with distinct voices, showing an ability to make technical or data-heavy topics easy to understand, as well as examples of successful earned media placement.
  • Tech & Design Savvy: Hands-on experience and strong proficiency with:
    • Microsoft Office (with a strong emphasis on designing high-quality PowerPoint decks)
    • Canva and/or Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop)

Qualifications

  • A curious, proactive self-starter who doesn’t wait to be told what to do, has exceptional attention to detail, and thrives in a collaborative, team-first environment.
  • Bonus Area: Experience with event organization.

Skills

  • Strong writing and earned media experience.
  • Ability to translate complex concepts into compelling, humanized narratives for a wide variety of audiences.
  • Hands-on experience and strong proficiency with Microsoft Office, Canva, and Adobe Creative Suite.
  • Proven portfolio of writing for different audiences with distinct voices.
  • Experience with event organization (bonus area).

Benefits

Individual compensation varies based on job-related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications. We offer a competitive benefits package; click here for more details: https://mybenefits.wpp.com/public/welcome.

We are an equal opportunity employer and consider applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

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