Associate Director, Corporate Advisory

About the role

We. Corporate Advisors is the advisory practice of We. Communications, built in Asia for the region's realities. As Associate Director, you will lead client relationships and day-to-day delivery across a portfolio of complex, high-profile mandates, turning political, policy, geopolitical, media and stakeholder developments into clear counsel. The role sits at the intersection of corporate advisory and strategic communications, working with senior client stakeholders, shaping account strategy, leading teams and translating intelligence into action.

Key responsibilities

• Act as the day-to-day strategic lead for a portfolio of accounts, building trusted relationships with senior stakeholders and taking ownership of account health, delivery quality and partnership growth.
• Develop and deliver advice on corporate reputation, positioning, stakeholder strategy and issues of business significance.
• Lead monitoring and interpretation of policy, regulatory and geopolitical developments across Asia and relevant global markets, producing concise intelligence, scenarios, risk assessments and recommendations.
• Shape earned-media strategy and senior executive engagement programmes, from narrative development and journalist mapping to briefing and proactive media engagement.
• Set the strategic direction for accounts, coordinate across disciplines and markets, and ensure outputs are evidence-based and aligned to client objectives.
• Lead and develop account teams, coach junior colleagues and review work to strengthen advisory, writing and client-management skills.
• Support commercial performance through scope, budget and resource management, and identify opportunities to expand the work.

Required profile

• Seasoned corporate communications, public affairs, strategic communications or corporate advisory professional, typically 6-10+ years' relevant experience, calibrated to depth of client leadership, counsel and team-management experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading significant client or stakeholder relationships and advising senior executives on complex, fast-moving mandates across Asia.
• Strong policy and geopolitical literacy, with experience monitoring developments across Asia.
• Proven strategic media-relations capability, including editorial judgement, media strategy, senior spokesperson counsel and relationships with business, financial, technology and/or policy media.
• Relevant sector experience in one or more of: financial information, financial markets and enterprise technology; data centres, cloud or digital infrastructure; philanthropy, foundations, international development or social impact; science, technology, innovation, research institutions or government-linked organisations.
• Experience managing and developing teams, and commercial awareness in scoping, resourcing and growing relationships.