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In today’s environment, attention is earned through credibility, relevance, and action. Organisations are navigating increasingly complex stakeholder landscapes, evolving media dynamics, and heightened expectations around reputation, leadership visibility, and business impact. Edelman works at the intersection of earned creativity, strategic communications, and trust - helping brands and organisations tell stories that matter and earn influence where it counts.
The Associate Client Director is a senior communications lead responsible for driving integrated earned media and reputation programs for clients across corporate, B2B, and technology sectors. This role combines strategic communications counsel, media expertise, operational leadership, and strong client management to deliver high-impact work across campaigns, executive profiling, thought leadership, announcements, and always-on communications programs.
Working closely with senior leaders and integrated specialist teams, the Associate Client Director will lead day-to-day client relationships, oversee complex account workflows, and ensure programs are delivered with strategic rigour, operational excellence, and commercial accountability. The successful candidate will bring strong media instincts, excellent program management capability, and the ability to navigate fast-moving stakeholder environments with confidence, calm, and collaboration.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES AND REQUIREMENTS
Serve as a senior day-to-day strategic partner to clients, leading programs across modern earned media, reputation, corporate communications, executive visibility, and thought leadership.
Shape narratives, storylines, and media recommendations grounded in a strong understanding of client business priorities, audiences, and the broader Australian media landscape.
Lead integrated account planning, building clear workback schedules, action trackers, ownership maps, and delivery plans across campaigns, announcements, executive visibility programs, and always-on media activity.
Bring strong program and project management discipline, proactively managing timelines, dependencies, approvals, blockers, and stakeholder inputs to keep complex workstreams moving at pace.
Create operational rigour across accounts, ensuring priorities, actions, deadlines, and follow-ups are clearly documented, visible to the team, and consistently progressed.
Lead account planning and program design informed by the full B2B spectrum, from the needs and behaviours of SMBs through to the complex decision-making processes of large enterprises.
Drive strong earned and media outcomes through active journalist relationships, credible strategic counsel, and smart angle development.
Write and oversee high-quality communications materials including media releases, pitches, messaging frameworks, op-eds, executive briefing documents, and thought leadership content.
Confidently pitch stories to journalists and editors, tailoring angles to priority outlets, verticals, and audience interest
Monitor issues, trends, competitor activity, and industry developments to identify proactive and reactive communications opportunities.
Manage team workflows, deliverables, and deadlines to ensure consistent quality, accountability, and seamless delivery across accounts.
Demonstrate smart time management and prioritisation, balancing competing deadlines, knowing when to escalate issues, and bringing structure and calm to busy periods so high-quality work is consistently delivered.
Be a collaborative team player, working closely with colleagues across levels and functions, supporting junior team members, and contributing to a positive, solutions-focused team culture.
Provide clear guidance, mentoring, and support to junior team members, helping strengthen media instincts, communications craft, client service, and confidence.
Support senior leaders in forecasting, budgeting, scopes of work, and overall account health.
EXPERIENCE AND EXPECTATIONS
At least 8+ years of relevant experience in Communications Marketing and/or related fields, including research, management consulting, media or publishing
Strong earned media operator with deep knowledge of the Australian media landscape and what drives coverage today.
Experienced in B2B communications and comfortable navigating complex business environments, stakeholder groups, decision-making structures, and technical subject matter.
Highly organised with strong program management instincts and the ability to manage multiple concurrent workstreams with confidence and precision.
Excellent writer, storyteller, and strategic thinker with proven pitching success and strong editorial judgement.
Calm under pressure, solutions-oriented, and proactive in identifying risks, resolving blockers, and driving momentum.
Collaborative and commercially minded, with strong attention to detail and a commitment to delivery excellence.
Edelman is committed to creating equality and diversity in our workforce. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, nationality, disability gender or age. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply.
Edelman Sydney, New South Wales, AUS Office
Sydney, Australia
