Public Affairs Strategist

RESPONSIBILITIES
The successful candidate will be responsible for applying deep public affairs expertise to advance client reputations, deliver exceptional PR programs, and mentor colleagues in their area of specialty. This person will lead projects and accounts, provide trusted counsel, and collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams to deliver integrated strategies.


Team and Agency Leadership

• Serve as a day-to-day lead public affairs expert on accounts, ensuring client satisfaction and team performance. 

• Inspire and mentor junior team members in building PR craft skills. 

• Model Jackson Spalding’s vision and values in every client interaction and internal collaboration. 

• Act as the go-to public affairs expert in specialty areas such as government relations, stakeholder engagement, issues and crisis management, and media relations. 

• Maintain relationships with local, state and regional political leaders as dictated by agency needs and client responsibilities. 

Client Leadership and Counsel 

• Serve as a trusted advisor to clients, offering proactive and reactive public affairs counsel. 

• Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with clients and specialty area stakeholders (e.g., media, community stakeholders, etc). 

• Translate client goals into actionable PR and PA strategies that advance reputation and deliver measurable impact. 

• Anticipate client needs and provide thoughtful recommendations that drive team performance and results. 

Strategic Planning and Execution 

• Lead PR and PA projects and campaigns from strategy through execution, involving multi-disciplinary teams. 

• Apply public affairs expertise in specialty area to develop and deliver high-quality work products (e.g., messaging documents, crisis plans, stakeholder engagement plans, etc.). 

• Leverage monitoring, analytics, and reporting tools to evaluate results and optimize strategies. 

• Stay attuned to trends, issues, and opportunities that shape client and industry landscapes. 

• Leverage relationships to open doors, gain insights and inform strategies for clients.

Project and Team Management 

• Craft and oversee deliverables such as written communications, events, trainings, or campaigns, ensuring accuracy and excellence. 

• Coordinate cross-functional contributors to deliver client-ready outputs on time and on budget. 

• Manage results and reporting for assigned accounts. 

Business Development 

• Support business development by contributing PR and PA insights to proposals, research, case studies, and presentations. 

• Strengthen agency reputation by building external relationships relevant to public affairs. 

 
REQUIRED SKILLS 

The ideal candidate has 5-10 years of experience in public or government affairs and demonstrates leadership, counsel, and executional excellence. Required experience includes, but is not limited to: 

• Demonstrated success delivering public affairs, reputational and issues management results  

• Ability to provide day-to-day client advisement and translate business goals into strategic recommendations

• Knowledge of public meetings, public disclosure, sunshine laws, state and local lawmaking process, local and state politics generally 

• Existing relationships with local and state political leaders, government affairs professionals, and state and local government and economic development leaders 

• Ability to build new relationships with the above depending on client needs 

• Excellent oral, written, and presentation skills

• Ability to develop a broad range of client materials, including communications plans, (e.g., messaging documents, crisis plans, stakeholder engagement plans, etc.) 

• Experience managing projects and teams, with strong organizational and problem-solving skills

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and remain calm under pressure. 

EDUCATION 

• Bachelor’s Degree is required. 

 
BENEFITS  

We believe that great work starts by taking care of our people. Below are just some of the benefits provided to JSers.   

• Best-in-class health care insurance  

• Profit sharing  

• Unlimited sick days   

• 401k match + personal financial planning  

Hybrid work environment: JSers work Monday & Fridays remotely and work in-office on Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday, allowing JSers to work in our incredible workspaces and at home.

 
ABOUT JACKSON SPALDING  
Jackson Spalding is an award-winning agency known for integrating public relations and marketing strategies to help clients build their brands, protect their brands and capture demand. Jackson Spalding drives reputation and revenue for brands like Chick-fil-A, The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Air Lines, L.L.Bean, Norfolk Southern and Orkin, among others. The agency’s work for B2C and B2B clients has been recognized by PRSA, AMA, The ADDY Awards, The Telly Awards and many more. Founded in 1995, the proudly independent agency serves local and global clients from its offices in Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles and Athens, Ga. Learn more at jacksonspalding.com. 

EEO  
At Jackson Spalding, we embrace and celebrate our differences. They are what inspire, unite, and motivate us to strive for a better way. In alignment with our purpose to cultivate meaningful relationships rooted in mutual respect, we are dedicated to fostering a sense of belonging throughout our agency. Jackson Spalding is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in any aspect of employment against any person on account of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.