Associate Director - Public Affairs

at  APCO Worldwide

APCO Italy is hiring an Associate Director to join our fast-growing public affairs team. We are looking for an ambitious, enthusiastic, and talented professional to join our team based just a few minutes’ walk from Palazzo Montecitorio.
We work with high-profile companies and organisations spanning energy, transport, health, tech, sustainability, manufacturing, retail, AI, and professional services. Candidates with an interest in these sectors would be welcomed. You will have strong expertise navigating Italian policy issues on behalf of clients in an advisory setting and a deep understanding of developments across the Italian political spectrum.
The ideal candidate would need to have a minimum of seven years of relevant experience in consultancy, in-house, Italian political institutions, or within trade associations/think tanks.
You will be self-directed, proactive, and motivated to win for your clients every day. You will have experience leading teams and managing work streams while also serving as senior counsel on major projects. You will have a desire to learn and grow – both across industries/sectors and communication mediums, such as traditional media, social/digital media, issues advocacy, grassroots, and stakeholder communications. You know how to work with clients and have a positive, proactive attitude that wins the confidence of clients and inspires teams.
By joining our team, you will be working with colleagues across APCO Worldwide’s international network of 32 offices who are open, collaborative, collegiate, supportive and diverse.

Key responsibilities would include:

• Developing and implementing public affairs, lobbying and advocacy plans
• Managing client accounts, including day-to-day management, and coordinating, as required, with other APCO offices.
• Identifying and pursuing ways to grow existing accounts; ensuring that all project deadlines are met; conducting research and analysing issues that may impact the client’s business.
• Managing work activities and resources within agreed upon budgets, identifying the client’s objectives, developing public affairs plans and campaigns to properly scoping and pricing work.
• Investing significant time in identifying and pursuing new business opportunities.
• Delegating and managing work of more junior staff; following up on progress and completion; mentoring more junior staff; managing and conducting performance appraisals for designated staff; managing internal communications with project team and other staff