Associate Director, Brand

The Associate Director, reporting to the Japan Brand Practice Lead, will work in close partnership with the APAC/global brand team, and other key Practice and teams in Japan to advance the vision for the Brand Practice and assist Edelman Japan in moving its strategic course now and in the future, while maintaining and expanding our current client pool and on-going and expected projects. As a member of the Japan Leadership Team, the Associate Director will be expected to make a mark in the brand stakes as well as to spearhead innovations able to deliver sustainable growth and drive distinction for the business; a successful track record of winning pitches is a must. Associate Director will work in collaboration with senior team colleagues to identify and implement entrepreneurial and operations initiatives capable of delivering fame for the wider business and, using key insights and IP to build strong strategic platforms, have the competence to present to and influence top-tier clients. About the Brand PracticeAs the world’s largest communications firm, Edelman is the foremost expert on helping companies and brands build trust with their key constituencies. At the core of this mission lies our industry-leading Brand practice, a diverse team of experts at the intersection of brands, business, and consumer behavior who build powerful brand stories and award-winning campaigns using rich human data. We drive creative ideas that earn media and consumer attention, are inspired by culture, are made social by design, and are genuinely agile. We help our clients move people to share and act, and we’ve done so for over 60 years. In Japan, the brand is the largest practice with deep expertise in F&B. There are opportunities to increase the portfolio in technology, health & wellness and with “Japan Inc. clients.”

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree is required, with a focus on Business, Communications, or Marketing preferred.
• 8+ years relevant experience in client-facing work in communications and/or marketing industries, and/or related fields, including research, advertising, management consulting, public affairs, government/electoral campaigns, media, or publishing.
• An industry-relevant profile, highly connected and respected leader.
• Proven track record of winning and/or building business, building effective interpersonal relationships, and successfully navigating matrixed organizations.
• Deep experience as a key client account leader adept at managing, mentoring, and motivating large teams.
• Proven leadership skills with the ability to inspire and unite teams behind a central concept, with experience of successfully selling in those concepts to clients and seeing them through to execution.
• Creative storyteller with a natural curiosity in the arts and broader cultural life and societal trends is preferred.
• Use of digital and other technologies for storytelling and communications is also preferred.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment and with people at all levels in an organization.
• Strong presentation skills: ability to articulate smart and sometimes complex solutions in a straightforward, lucid, polished, and persuasive manner.
• Line manager experience. Good knowledge of Japan's Legal requirements as a line manager.
• Excellent skills in the Microsoft suite of tools - PowerPoint, Excel, Word, and Teams.
• Goal-oriented, results-driven, proactive, and has a strong work ethic.
• Ability to represent the agency in a polished and intelligent manner.
• Ability to effectively prioritize and solve complex problems while making decisions with an entrepreneurial mindset.
• Standardizes processes when applicable.
• Brings together the right talent across team, practice, specialty, and function, collaborating with all.
• Passionate about driving the future of communications and vision for EJKK.

Key Responsibilities

• Industry Leader - demonstrates detailed knowledge of the client’s business and Edelman’s and applies it to inform integrated strategies and solutions.
• Client Master - establishes a position of trusted advisor by demonstrating strong strategic and executional value.
• Relationship Builder - earns and builds trust with clients and key stakeholders.
• Expertise Integrator- builds integrated teams that evolve Edelman’s strategic thinking and produce great work with shared accountability and alignment.
• Values-Driven Leader- embodies Edelman’s values and creates a team culture that encourages excellence, courage, inclusion, and integrity.
• Talent Developer - recruits, engages, retains, and builds a pipeline of talent and creates an environment for them to grow and thrive
• Growth Minded - seeks ways to solve for clients and drive growth in our business and our people.
• Quality Driver -ensures client satisfaction with their Edelman experience.
• Financials Pro - demonstrates strong and effective financial management that mitigates risk, and drives growth and long-term value for the client and Edelman.
• Visionary – communicates a compelling and inspired vision of future possibilities and direction to the team, creates a climate that encourages entrepreneurial behaviour, learning and ethical conduct.

Edelman is a global communications firm that partners with businesses and organizations to evolve, promote and protect their brands and reputations. Our 6,000 people in more than 60 offices deliver communications strategies that give our clients the confidence to lead and act with certainty, earning the trust of their stakeholders. Our honors include the Cannes Lions Grand Prix for PR; Advertising Age’s 2019 A-List; the Holmes Report’s 2018 Global Digital Agency of the Year; and, five times, Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work. Since our founding in 1952, we have remained an independent, family-run business. Edelman owns specialty companies Edelman Data & Intelligence (DxI) and United Entertainment Group (entertainment, sports, lifestyle).
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