Vice President

Spitfire seeks an imaginative and passionate senior leader with experience working on environmental issues that understands the fast-paced client environment, welcomes complex communication challenges, and believes in the value of relationships. This position is based in California. Previous firm experience is required.

About Spitfire

Spitfire is recognized as a national leader in public interest communication – a field where professionals harness the power of branding, messaging, social media, advertising and more to drive social change. As a woman-owned firm, Spitfire’s values are rooted in one core principle: everyone belongs and has the power to spark change. Our purpose at Spitfire is to advance racial, economic, and climate justice, protect democracy and expand opportunity. Our work mirrors this. We’re relentless in our pursuit of opportunities to represent the best interests of people and the planet, whether that takes us into communities, across the country or around the world. Our team of professionals stands ready to bring — and tap into — diverse perspectives, experiences and expertise to tackle the most critical social and environmental issues of our time.

The opportunity

Vice presidents at Spitfire set our bar for outstanding client service. They serve as top strategists, motivators of teams and client whisperers. They craft messages that get traction, create communication plans that are smart and actionable, devise campaign plans that win, run client accounts that get renewed and train teammates to be top-notch communicators.

As leaders in the firm, they contribute to making our workplace culture positive, diverse, equitable and inclusive. Staff trust them to advocate on their behalf. They understand how the business runs and play their part in making us a healthy company that is a great place to work.

A Vice President is a member of the Spitfire senior staff and contributes to achieving our goals.  They will pursue and secure new business opportunities, contribute ideas into the overall management and wellbeing of the firm, mentor and manage staff, and identify and implement new ways to be the best communicators and social change strategists in the business.

Vice presidents work as functional managers and matrix-style project managers and have the opportunity to work with many members of the Spitfire team. Vice presidents also work in collaboration with our clients to help them outsmart their toughest challenges. A successful vice president demonstrates proficiency in completing the following activities.

Responsibilities

• Lead effective client teams that generate results and high client satisfaction, have well-directed team members who perform well and feel valued, and come in on budget.
• Mentor and develop staff assigned to you, offering growth opportunities that advance their careers, retain top performers and help manage workflow effectively.
• Implement firm policies around recruiting, staffing, training and account management that result in top-notch client service as well as a positive work environment that rewards and retains staff.
• Successfully run multiple accounts at any given time.
• Identify new business opportunities, participate in new business pitches, create and land new business proposals and expand existing accounts.
• Develop and conduct well-evaluated capacity-building trainings on strategic communications planning, messaging, media relations, etc. and consistently receive excellent evaluation scores.
• Contribute to a positive workplace culture and address any issues proactively that are creating barriers to an optimal work environment for all staff.
• Serve as a member of the senior team, attending senior staff meetings, offering ideas, insights and recommendations on firm policies, staffing, client service, new business and other topics that ultimately improve the overall quality of the firm.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate for this role will be an entrepreneurial and thoughtful problem-solver who is dedicated to tackling some of the more pressing challenges of the social sector. They will be a thought leader for teams, a trusted advisor to clients, and see the potential for impact through helping clients achieve their communications vision. They will not shy away from challenging conversations, both within the firm and with clients, and have a desire to build a portfolio of high-impact work and a distinctive and leverageable area of knowledge. While no one candidate will possess every quality outlined for this position, a successful candidate will bring many of the following professional qualifications and personal attributes:

Passion for the Mission

• Embodiment of the values and mission of Spitfire to inspire and motivate others to action.
• Implement firm policies around recruiting, staffing, training and account management that result in top-notch client service as well as a positive work environment.
• A strategic and enterprising mindset to lead with diversity, equity and inclusion values
• Contribute to a positive workplace culture and a feeling of welcoming and belonging for all staff.

Strategic Communications Expert

• Leadership experience within strategic communications, such as campaign planning, message development, training, earned media strategies, digital organizing and outreach, and individual and organizational profile building.
• Track record of working with individuals and organizations to help them achieve greater impact in the communications and campaigns space with an EDI lens.
• Will be innovative, curious and experienced in establishing strong working relationships to further a client’s goals.
• Develop and conduct well-evaluated capacity-building training on strategic communications planning, messaging, media relations, etc.

Collaborator and Key Partner

• Lead effective client teams that generate results and high client satisfaction with well-directed team members who perform well and feel valued.
• Experience in collaborating within a team and with key partners.
• Identify new business opportunities, participate in new business pitches, create and land new business proposals and expand existing accounts.
• Enthusiastically represent the organization to existing and potential clients.

In addition, strong candidates will offer:

• Experience managing/leading teams, including mentoring and coaching more junior team members.
• Ability to inspire trust, to guide and facilitate complex discussions, and to move from ideas to action.
• Demonstrated commitment to collaboration and the values of equity, diversity and inclusion.
• Minimum of 10 years of public relations, communications, campaign, advocacy, public affairs or related experience; previous agency experience required.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Spitfire Strategies is committed to maintaining and promoting a workforce that reflects diversity at all levels of the organization. We strive to build a work environment that stimulates positive change and more fully reflects the clients we serve. We are an equal opportunity employer. We recognize the importance of not viewing individuals based on a single identity, and we thrive on being equitable in our recruitment process as well as in our efforts to be inclusive of all employees.

Spitfire encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, veteran status, marital status, disability (including mental disabilities, learning disabilities and history of disabilities), genetic information, record of arrest or conviction or any other basis prohibited by applicable federal, state, or local law. If you are driven to pursue social justice, fight xenophobia, support an equitable society for all people and defend human rights, we encourage you to apply.