About Accion

Accion is a global nonprofit committed to creating a financially inclusive world, with a trailblazing legacy in microfinance and fintech impact investing. We catalyze financial service providers to deliver high-quality, affordable solutions at scale for the 1.8 billion people who are left out of, or poorly served by, the financial sector. For more than 60 years, Accion has helped tens of millions of people through our work with more than 200 partners in 63 countries. More at http://www.accion.org. 

Position Summary 

Accion’s global communications team seeks a Director of Public Relations to work with its expert investment, advisory, and research teams, and their partners, around the world to raise the organization’s profile as a leader in financial inclusion, impact investing, and fintech. They will develop and implement Accion’s PR strategy, leading media engagement; securing high profile opportunities at industry events; and overseeing investment announcements and research launches. This is a key role working with partners and clients around the world, showcasing the impact of Accion’s work to improve the lives of underserved people by building innovative and responsible financial solutions.

The ideal candidate brings 12 years of experience, including a global outlook, and demonstrated experience designing and delivering strategy, and in media relations, working in a diverse environment. They will be eager to join a talented team that works at the cutting edge of financial inclusion across startups, financial technology, research and international development.

The role reports to Accion’s Chief Communications Officer.

Position Responsibilities

Public relations strategy (20%)

• Lead development and implementation of Accion’s public relations strategy, with a specific focus on thought leadership positioning in the United States and across Accion’s regional hubs, working closely with the Chief Communications Officer and other team members.
• Work closely with Accion’s investment, advisory, and research teams to identify and execute high profile positioning opportunities to amplify the impact of the organization’s work.
• Put in place clear, measurable, and ambitious Key Performance Indicators (KPIs); track and report against metrics; adapt strategy to increase impact.

Media relations (35%)

• Lead earned media strategy, identifying, and securing opportunities to drive media coverage of Accion’s work and raise its profile as a leader in the financial inclusion space. This will cover all areas of the organization’s work, ranging from profiling Accion’s work alongside its portfolio companies to provide innovative and responsible financial services to underserved people around the world, to our research on consumer protection, women’s access to finance, and other areas.
• Work with Accion and Center for Financial Inclusion teams to identify and develop media focused content that positions Accion and its experts as leaders in the financial inclusion space and beyond.
• Oversee announcements of key Accion investments, partnerships and launch of new reports and other research products.
• Proactively lead efforts to garner media coverage; direct and respond to incoming media inquiries.
• Secure and amplify placement of Accion-authored content in third party media outlets.
• Work with Senior Specialist to deliver press releases, briefings, op-Eds and other external facing content.
• Provide strategic counsel to the Chief Communications Officer and other members of Accion’s leadership on crisis communication and overall reputation management.

Partnerships and events (35%)

• Lead development of Accion’s events positioning strategy, identifying and securing opportunities to profile Accion and its experts as speakers, panelists, and moderators at leading industry events across fintech, impact investing, financial inclusion and international development.
• Identify and secure opportunities to maximize Accion speakers’ engagement at key industry events through supplementary content and interview opportunities, working across the Communications Team to ensure high quality content that brings Accion’s brand to life.
• Drive the development of new communications partnerships to advance our impact goals.
• Lead and/or represent the communications team in key partnerships initiatives. Examples may include Accion’s engagement with the Partnership for Central America.
• Lead development of Accion’s speaker bureau, ensuring relevant staff are trained and well prepared for speaking engagements.

General responsibilities (10%)

• Serve as a resource for program teams on event strategy and engagement.
• Ensure strong coordination and collaboration across Accion’s Communications Team, as well as with program and core functional teams.
• Supervise one FTE (Senior Specialist), ensuring clear objectives and KPIs are in place, identifying appropriate career growth opportunities.
• Manage media and events budget, which covers earned and paid media, collaborating closely with colleagues in Communications Team on owned channels.

Position Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Strong working knowledge of the media and events landscape.
• At least 12 years of relevant work experience.
• Working knowledge of, and experience working in, areas such as economic development, impact investing, financial inclusion, inclusive fintech, international development, or a related sector.
• Demonstrated experience working with journalists, particularly top-tier media with global reach and in-market press in at least some of the markets in which Accion works (United States, southeast Asia and India, sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America), and securing coverage.
• Confident pitching to journalists and event organizers to secure strategic placements.
• Experience providing advice and coaching to senior staff and experts for media and events engagement.
• Strong writing skills.
• Strong diplomacy skills and the ability to work effectively with people at all levels of the organization across teams, geographies, and cultures.
• Ability to translate complex information into plain language for audiences that range from the general public to industry experts to media.
• Personnel and project management experience, and a commitment to fostering an inclusive and collaborative team environment.
• Spanish language an advantage.
• Interested in our mission and working globally.
• Willingness to embody our values of excellence, respect and passion for social change.

Travel Requirements

Up to 10% travel