Vice President, Strategy & Operations

Vice President, Strategy & Operations
Hybrid role based in Rosemont, IL

About Us:
Morreale Communications is an award-winning woman-owned public relations firm with a specialty focus in the areas of Transportation & Infrastructure, Health & Wellness, Energy & Utilities and Public Affairs. We pride ourselves in our commitment to excellence, innovation, and integrity in all aspects of our operations.

We are seeking a goal-oriented, experienced operations and people leader who leads with strategy and follows through with great attention to detail and measurable outcomes. Candidates must be able to demonstrate evidence of prior success driving operational initiatives and metrics and be able to describe the work they did to achieve those results. As we continue our growth, this position will advise and council our project teams, with an eye on goal setting, accountability and metrics driven solutions for our project team and clients. This position is part of the firm’s executive leadership team, and will contribute to maintaining a strong company culture, staff mentorship, developing new business initiatives, and leading the implementation of seamless project controls.

Direct Reports for this role currently include:

• Vice President, Transportation, Infrastructure, and Mobility
• Vice President, Strategic Communications
• Sr Director, Creative Strategy and Integrated Marketing
• Human Resources Business Partner
• Manager, Proposals and New Business Pursuits
• Other leadership roles to be determined in the future as needed

Position Requirements

Operations

• Partner with leadership to drive the behaviors, decisions, and actions that advance firm objectives and business-unit goals
• Serve as a strategic, results-oriented, growth-focused collaborator, influencer, and communicator who motivates teams and fosters alignment
• Establish Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to streamline operations, enhance efficiency, ensure clarity and consistency across project teams, and maintain accountability
• Develop the Annual Operating Plan and lead multi-year strategic planning initiatives
• Develop a dashboard that provides real time insight to team members on their key performance indicators
• Facilitate regular leadership meetings and oversee company operations within the EOS framework
• Identify organizational challenges, recommend solutions, and implement improvements to increase operational efficiency
• Oversee BigTime software and partner with staff to ensure timely and accurate integration of project data, resource planning, and timesheet submission and approval process
• Demonstrate strong business acumen and a deep understanding of key business priorities and performance drivers
• In partnership with Finance and Accounting, lead monthly project-health reviews to ensure projects remain on scope, schedule, and budget
• Ensure project team members are meeting their utilization rate goals
• Ensure all business certifications and licenses are current and recommend additional certifications that support strategic growth
• Introduce innovative ideas, trends, and best practices that enhance revenue, employee engagement, and professional development
• Manage annual growth targets, including revenue and staffing levels, ensuring talent resources align with current and emerging business needs

Finance and Accounting

• Partner with Finance to drive company financial targets and ensure we meet or exceed organizational goals
• Manage the company’s overhead rate, financial disclosures, and required government reporting
• Lead the development of company forecasts, projections, and billability targets
• Oversee the annual company budgeting process
• Track and manage company-wide and project-level financial performance
• Monitor staff utilization and billability to ensure alignment with financial objectives

People

• Effectively manage, motivate, and mentor Morreale staff by clearly communicating expectations and providing thoughtful feedback that drives project excellence and alignment with company goals, objectives, and core values
• Manage direct reports by setting clear expectations, tracking KPIs, and motivating and inspiring high performance
• Partner with Human Resources to manage the full employee lifecycle, proactively identifying staffing needs and opportunities for improvement

New Business Development and Client Retention

• Lead the new business team to ensure strategic pursuit of opportunities including developing a streamlined decision-making process for pursuing new business, partnering with new business leads to submit innovative and winning proposals, facilitate debriefs, and quantify the cost of winning new business
• Drive organic growth within the current client portfolio by identifying cross-selling opportunities and expanding contract values
• Partner with Sr Director of Creative Strategy and Integrated Marketing to establish the Production Suite as its own revenue-driving vertical
• Identify opportunities and support new business initiatives that align with the firm’s strategic plan
• Partner with firm’s senior leadership to engage clients in biannual check-ins and end of year client satisfaction survey
• Leverage a strong network to cultivate new clients and serve as a brand champion, representing the firm at industry events

The ideal candidate is:

• Experienced leading a mid-sized Public Relations agency
• Experienced successfully leading new business teams and pursuits
• A natural motivator and leader grounded in process and metrics
• A natural multi-tasker who brings solutions and can prioritize competing interests
• Driven to succeed

Position Requirements:

• 15+ years of experience in Public Relations with experience in the areas of communications, government, transportation, energy, and/or healthcare
• Previous experience working in a fast-paced agency environment
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field
• Ability to work in person a minimum of three times per week in our office in Rosemont, attend client and networking engagements, and travel as needed

What we offer:

• Competitive medical, dental, vision and life insurance benefits
• 401k program with safe harbor match and discretionary profit sharing
• Paid time off
• Paid maternity leave
• Hybrid working environment

Commitment to Morreale Core Values
View our Core Values video  here !
Our core values represent the beliefs, philosophies and principles that define who we are and how we do business. We are looking for a candidate who demonstrates commitment and character to upholding the Morreale Core Values in all they do:

• Accountability: Own it and honor our commitment to others.
• Diversity: Embrace diverse perspectives and foster a culture of inclusion.
• Excellence: Think big. Be bold and make every action count.
• Integrity: Be honest, respectful, and trustworthy. Always do the right thing.
• Collaboration: Stronger together. Elevate each other’s unique abilities to build on our collective strength.

About Morreale 
Founded in 2006, Morreale Communications is a leading strategic communications agency working at the intersection of business, media, policy and people. Driven by the desire to empower our clients by elevating their voices during times of change, crisis and opportunity, Morreale offers an integrated suite of solutions. Core capabilities include strategic message development, stakeholder engagement, branding and creative strategy, digital & social communications, diversity & inclusion, policy strategy and media relations. Morreale is a certified WBE/WBENC agency bringing unrivaled experience from a wide range of backgrounds to provide deep insights and counsel to our clients.

Joining Morreale Communications offers an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful impact in a dynamic and collaborative environment. If you are a strategic thinker with a passion for public affairs and a drive for excellence, we invite you to apply to our open position and become part of our dedicated team.

Morreale Communications is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We encourage applications from qualified individuals of all backgrounds.

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter outlining your qualifications and interest in the position. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.