Public Relations Account Director

About Milan Public Relations
Milan Public Relations is a Raleigh-based strategic communications firm helping organizations navigate the moments that shape their reputations.
Led by nationally recognized public relations strategist and former television news anchor Mikaya Thurmond, Milan PR works with corporate, nonprofit ,and mission-driven organizations across public relations, executive visibility, earned media, and crisis and reputation management.
We are growing, and we’re looking for an experienced communications professional who can help lead the work.
The Role
The Account Director will serve as a senior day-to-day leader for several Milan PR clients, overseeing strategy, execution, and client relationships from start to finish.
This is not a role for someone who needs a detailed task list to move work forward. We’re looking for someone who can walk into a client meeting, understand the larger communications objective, anticipate what needs to happen next, and lead the team in getting it done.
You’ll work closely with Milan PR’s CEO while managing client relationships, reviewing team deliverables, directing media strategy, and helping ensure every account receives thoughtful, proactive counsel.
What You’ll Do
Lead strategy and day-to-day management for a portfolio of client accounts.
Serve as a trusted client contact, leading meetings, anticipating needs and keeping work moving.
Develop and oversee media relations strategies, pitches, messaging, communications plans and executive visibility opportunities.
Review team deliverables for strategy, accuracy, quality and judgment before they reach the CEO or client.
Manage and mentor junior team members and contractors, providing clear direction, feedback and accountability.
Identify emerging reputation issues, media opportunities and client concerns early, escalating high-stakes matters when appropriate.
Manage account priorities, deadlines and budgets while ensuring clients receive consistent, proactive service.
Partner with the CEO on major strategy, crisis communications and reputation-management assignments.
What We’re Looking For
Approximately 7+ years of public relations, corporate communications, agency or newsroom experience.
Demonstrated experience independently managing sophisticated client or stakeholder relationships.
Excellent news judgment and a strong understanding of earned media.
Strong writing, editing and messaging skills across executive communications, media materials and strategic content.
Exceptional judgment, organization and attention to detail.
Experience supervising employees, contractors or account teams.
The confidence to make decisions independently and the judgment to know when an issue requires senior escalation.
A service-first mindset and ability to communicate with clients thoughtfully, professionally and proactively.
Agency experience is strongly preferred. Experience in corporate communications, crisis communications, executive positioning or a newsroom is a plus.
Who Will Thrive Here
You are strategic without losing sight of execution.
You notice the detail everyone else missed.
You don’t wait for a client to ask what comes next.
You can distinguish between something that needs to be handled, something that needs to be improved and something that needs to be escalated immediately.
Most importantly, you care deeply about the quality of both the work and the client experience.
Why Milan PR
This is an opportunity to join Milan PR during an important stage of growth and have a meaningful role in shaping what comes next. You’ll work directly with senior leadership, counsel organizations doing consequential work and have significant ownership over your accounts. As the firm grows, there will also be opportunities for expanded leadership and responsibility.
Milan Public Relations is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome candidates from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.

Work arrangement
No