Associate Director, Smithfield

Edelman was established in 1952 and today is the world’s largest communications firm. A family-owned company, we deliver innovative solutions that build trust and engagement with a particular focus on an 'earned creative ideas' approach to create impactful campaigns.

Celebrating 20 years in 2025, Edelman Japan blends local cultural understanding with global expertise to offer strategic communications solutions for both domestic and international audiences. Our culture thrives on three promises: boldness, empathy, progress, and curiosity.

About the Role

Serves as a deputy to the Senior Vice President in growing Edelman Smithfield Japan’s financial portfolio. The Associate Director plays a senior client-facing role, leading complex financial communications programs. This position combines strategic advisory work with team leadership, media engagement, and business development support and includes contributing to Edleman Japan’s Corporate Accounts. The Associate Director is expected to act as a trusted counselor to senior client executives while ensuring high-quality execution across accounts.

Key Qualifications

10-15+ years of experience in public relations, strategic communications, or related fields with five or more in the financial industry

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, Communications, Journalism, Business, or a related field

Strong understanding of capital markets, financial statements, and corporate governance

Proven experience advising senior executives and managing complex client relationships

Demonstrated leadership and people-management experience

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Strong judgment and ability to perform under pressure

Proven experience leading and/or playing a key role on accounts

Strong financial management experience, including contribution margin accountability

Experience managing high-performing teams

Experience working with multinational and Japanese clients

Key Responsibilities

Serve as a senior advisor to clients on financial communications, investor relations support, corporate reputation, and transaction-related messaging

Lead the development of integrated communications strategies for earnings, M&A, IPOs, restructurings, crises, and regulatory issues

Day-to-day management of assigned client accounts, ensuring delivery against strategic objectives, timelines, and budgets

Oversee preparation of core materials, including press releases, financial communications plans, Q&A documents, investor presentations, and talking points

Contribute to overall business strategy and practice development

Build and maintain senior client, media and industry relationships and networks

Lead, mentor, and develop mid- and junior-level team members

Key Requirements

Business-level English and professional-level Japanese proficiency

Strong executive presence and senior client advisory capability

Commercially driven with strong business acumen

Excellent presentation and persuasive writing skills

Strategic thinker with strong decision-making ability

High accountability, leadership maturity, and collaborative mindset

If you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t perfectly align with every qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

At Edelman, we understand diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) transform our colleagues, our company, our clients, and our communities.We are in relentless pursuit ofan equitableand inspiring workplace that is respectful of all, reflects andrepresentsthe world in which we live, and fosters trust, collaboration and belonging.

We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t perfectly align with every qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.