Senior Director, M&A and Activism Communications

About the role

We are currently looking for a Senior Director to join our M&A, Activism and Governance team. The Senior Director will be expected to develop and execute client engagements related to friendly and hostile M&A, IPOs, spin-offs, strategic partnerships, joint ventures, activism defense preparation, proxy contests, short attacks, ESG activism and shareholder proposals, among other special situations.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute client engagements related to M&A, activism and governance
• Serve as a lead project manager on high-intensity, fast-moving situations
• Coordinate across functional areas (PR, IR, digital, public affairs, global regions, etc.)
• Write and revise a range of key documents such as strategy memos, multi-stakeholder communications, social media copy, press releases and investor presentations
• Engage with sell-side analysts and investors on behalf of clients
• Collaborate with equivalent practitioners from legal, financial and proxy advisers
• Perform detailed and accurate research to underpin all client projects and deliverables
• Develop and deliver best practice policies and programs
• Support the development of the practice itself by being an enthusiastic partner, staying up to speed on emerging best practices, demonstrating creativity in how the team can evolve and helping the team stay informed on competitor activity
• Market the practice through thought leadership, research, prospecting or networking

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• 5+ years of relevant post-graduate professional experience
• Agency background with a focus on capital markets, corporate communications or investor relations, strongly preferred
• Excellent written and oral presentation skills – both in a large group and smaller meetings
• Proven advanced writing skills, particularly with complex documents and persuasive messaging such as proposals, press releases, op-eds, research reports, etc.
• Ability to concisely articulate and competently support a company’s core narrative
• Analytical skills to identify and diagnose key issues, misperceptions and factors impacting a company’s perception (valuation, governance, reputation) as well as the communications solutions to fix/mitigate them
• Demonstrated history of project management during a major corporate event
• Developed ability to multi-task across client programs, firm initiatives and sales opportunities
• Recognize, explore and use a broad range of ideas and practices, think logically and creatively without influence from personal bias
• Capacity to adjust behavior to meet client needs and personalities and to establish positive relationships with a wide variety of individuals both internally and externally
• Execute a project from concept to conclusion and assist with managing all levels of employees, including support staff, peers and senior managers
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Effectively utilize AI tools to enhance productivity
• Demonstrated accuracy and attention to detail
• Proficient skills in Word, PowerPoint and Excel
• Proficient in Factset, Ipreo, Factiva and Refinitiv