PR & Marketing Sr. Account Director

Do you thrive at the intersection of strategy, leadership, and growth? Are you excited by the challenge of guiding ambitious clients and helping shape the future of an established, yet evolving, agency? If you’re a seasoned PR and marketing leader with a strong B2B tech network and a passion for accelerating both client success and agency growth, we’d love to hear from you. At Sterling, we partner with bold innovators — cleantech leaders, healthtech pioneers, AI disruptors, nonprofits, and more — to tell stories that matter. As Sr. Director, you’ll play a pivotal role in driving new business, leading accounts, and shaping agency direction as part of the leadership team. What you’ll do • Drive Sterling’s business development efforts by cultivating opportunities, leading proposal development, and tapping into your B2B tech network. • Provide senior counsel to multiple clients, acting as a trusted advisor to VP-level and C-suite leaders. • Lead and mentor account teams, ensuring client satisfaction, program success, and agency profitability. • Shape agency strategy and operations, from account staffing and budgeting to marketing and service mix. • Represent Sterling at industry events, expanding our network and nurturing long-term relationships. • Foster a culture of collaboration, curiosity, and accountability across the agency. What we’re looking for • 12–15 years of progressive experience in public relations or marketing, with a strong track record in B2B technology sectors. • At least 8 years of experience in a PR/marketing agency environment, including recent agency management (team development, financial management, and operational efficiency contributions) in addition to client counsel. • Large and vibrant professional network in the B2B tech sector, and the ability to tap into those connections for BD. • Collaborative leadership style focused on continuous improvement. • Desire and ability to mentor and grow junior staff members. • Demonstrated proficiency with a variety of current PR/marketing tools (e.g., Agility PR, Hubspot, Riverside, MailChimp, Canva). • A strong LinkedIn presence and deep understanding of how to leverage the platform. • Minimum of a bachelor's degree in communications, business, journalism, English, or a related field. What awaits you at Sterling This is a hands-on strategic leadership role with room to shape both client impact and the agency’s future direction. You’ll join a collaborative, cohesive senior team — colleagues who know how to support each other while pushing for bold ideas and lasting results. For the right leader, this position offers more than a seat at the executive table; it will provide a pathway to agency ownership as well. You’ll have the opportunity to mentor rising talent, influence Sterling’s direction, and contribute to the next chapter of an agency with deep tech roots, happy clients, and strong momentum. The base compensation range for this role is $135,000–$150,000, complemented by excellent healthcare options, flex-time off with no annual limits and a culture that values real work/life balance. Location Sterling is a remote-first agency with team members across the West Coast and Hawai‘i. While our team is distributed, our ideal candidate would be based in or near the San Francisco Bay Area, where several of our core clients are located and where in-person leadership and networking are most critical. That said, we are open to candidates in the Pacific and Hawai‘i time zones who can collaborate seamlessly across our hubs in San Diego, Bend, Maui, and the Bay Area. Before you apply We ask that candidates carefully review the qualifications outlined in this post before submitting an application. This role requires specific experience in agency leadership, B2B technology, and ideally a presence in the Bay Area. To keep the process fair and focused, we’ll only be following up with candidates who clearly meet the criteria. If that’s you, we look forward to hearing your story. Apply tot his job