af&co., based in the heart of San Francisco, is a full-service integrated communications agency with a passion for the hospitality industry. Our West Coast based clients include restaurants, hotels, food and beverage brands and special events. We specialize in media relations, influencer relations, marketing, social media and launch strategy, as well as concept development and operational consulting. Our goals are to provide personalized and expert guidance, build brand awareness, and generate results for our clients. We work hard and we love what we do. Our approach for each client is fresh, direct, creative and stylish. We inspire people to love our clients as much as we do! This position is open to individuals who are located on the West Coast. This position requires San Francisco Bay Area residence. For more information, please see our website at www.afandco.com.

The Account Manager, Public Relations position requires four to five years’ experience, with strong public relations expertise, complemented by sharp communication and leadership skills. Account Managers are responsible for achieving and maintaining client satisfaction. A passion for the hospitality industry, food, restaurants and travel, as well as a desire to learn more about marketing and brand strategy, are key to success in this role.

Please note: To better support our clients needs this is a hybrid position that requires residency in the San Francisco Bay Area. The af&co. team primarily works remotely, going into our BART-accessible office downtown San Francisco one day a week. We occasionally support our clients in-person for key events and/or activations.

af&co. Fundamentals: 

We are looking for someone who:

• Possesses a strong portfolio of secured local and national media coverage, particularly focusing on the hospitality industry
• Has strong relationships with West Coast and national media, ideally with a long list of San Francisco Bay Area writers, specifically those that cover hospitality, food and beverage
• Is detail-oriented, creative, empathetic, resourceful, tenacious, strategic, an assertive goal-setter and excellent communicator
• Possesses a keen interest in and passion for food, restaurants, cocktails, travel, and the hospitality arts and culture in general
• Has excellent writing skills, which can be applied creatively and effectively to anything, including an Instagram post, a case study or client newsletter
• Is a natural networker and team player with strong social skills who can juggle multiple projects with finesse
• Is a born story-teller with strong persuasion skills
• Serves as a knowledgeable mentor to junior colleagues
• Fosters a fun, friendly, open, drama-free and efficient work environment
• Brings strategic rigor and a high quality of work to every account or project
• Displays friendliness, courtesy and attentiveness to client needs
• Is highly productive and efficient in time management
• Is adaptable and responds quickly to internal and external communication
• Expertly uses Microsoft Office and Google Calendar, Docs, Sheets and Slides

Responsibilities

A successful Account Manager, Public Relations candidate will be able to do the following for up to
seven clients:

• Manage proactive and reactive communication with each client in a timely manner, ensuring their needs and deadlines are met and tasks are assigned to internal team members
• Lead the charge on drafting integrated quarterly communications plans and creation of creative media relations initiatives that drive relevance and revenue
• Run Key Messaging sessions with new clients and create Key Messaging document
• Ideate, write, edit, and execute pitches and press releases that achieve goals for clients and agency
• Build and oversee the creation of targeted media lists for client pitches
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with both traditional and nontraditional media
• Secure earned media features, mentions and round-ups for clients on a regular basis
• Manage editorial calendar and HARO opportunities for clients, including tracking deadlines, sharing opportunities with other account managers
• Measure ROI and utilize data to make informed strategic or tactical recommendations
• Manage client photo/video shoots as needed
• Oversee creation of timely activity reports each quarter
• Collaborate with account teams on the planning and execution of events for af&co. clients, with oversight by the Leadership Team

Perks

• Working with a fantastic, tight team of communications and marketing pros who are passionate about our industry and clients
• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• Business development bonus
• Paid vacation with additional comp time
• Work from home four days a week
• Five “work from anywhere” days per quarter (working in Pacific Time)
• Partial reimbursement for cell phone service
• Quarterly dining stipend to conduct industry research
• 401K retirement plan with profit sharing 
• Pre-tax transit benefit
• The thrill of working with and experiencing our amazing clients, which often includes enjoying delicious food and beverages!

Salary is based on experience, accomplishments and skills. Please contact Diana Haven, at diana@afandco.com with your resume and a cover letter telling us about:

• Why you think you are a fit for this position
• Salary expectations
• Your restaurant/hotel passion and expertise
• Favorite restaurant/chef and why?

Please include an example of your best public relations work and two to three examples of media placements of which you are most proud, in whatever medium. Finalists will be asked to arrange calls with references.

af&co. is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Job Title: PR & Marketing Intern
Department: Marketing/Public Relations
Reporting To: Account Manager(s)/Intern Manager
Pay and Hours: College credit, 15 hrs/week 
Start Date: January 23rd, 2023

af&co., based in the heart of San Francisco, is a full-service integrated communications agency with a passion for the hospitality industry. Our clients include restaurants, hotels, food and beverage brands and special events. We specialize in media relations, influencer relations, marketing, social media and launch strategy, as well as concept development and operational consulting. We work hard and we love what we do. Our approach for each client is fresh, direct, creative and stylish. We inspire people to love our clients as much as we do! For more information, please see our website at www.afandco.com.

Here’s the Scoop: 

af&co.’s spring Internship is an unpaid program beginning Monday, January 23, 2023 with a potential to extend an additional semester for which you will receive college credit. This is an immersive internship that provides real-world experience for students who are interested in the hospitality industry. Interns are part of the cloth that makes af&co. one of the top PR & Marketing agencies in the Bay Area. Our goals are to provide personalized and expert guidance, build brand awareness, and generate results for our clients. During your time at af&co, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with our team and clients to achieve those results. This is a part-time position, up to 15 hours per week. San Francisco/Bay Area residence is preferred but not required.

Requirements for Position:

• Current college or graduate student
• Detail-oriented, creative, empathetic, resourceful, an excellent communicator
• Keen interest in and passion for food & beverage, restaurants, travel, hospitality
• Excellent written and communication skills
• Willingness to learn, grow and be part of the af&co. team
• Natural team player with strong social skills
• Independent and responsible – ability to manage deadlines and prioritize assignments
• Familiarity with the Bay Area food scene and media (preferred)

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Supports account managers with day-to-day account activities including but not limited to:
  • Demonstrating sincere interest in the clients’ products
  • Assist in preparing regular client meeting agendas, monthly activity reports, and coveragebooks 
  • Scheduling, attending and participating in client meetings and events (if in the Bay Area)
  • Takes meeting notes and shares approved recap with the client team
  • Liaises with vendors, graphic designers and other strategic partners on behalf of client
  • Proactively supports timelines and action steps to drive successful program development
  • Performs background and industry research
  • Communicates in a clear and compelling manner in written, oral and presentation forms
  • Assists in the creation of creative marketing campaigns and initiatives (including coordination of supporting collateral, presentations, invitations, etc.)
  • Supports development and posting of social media content using Sprout Social
    • Utilizes tools such as Canva for graphic creation 
  • Begins to develop strong relationships with local social media influencers for potential partnerships
  • Stays up to date with social media news, F&B publications, and trends and shares knowledge and opportunities with the team
  • Dedicates efforts towards committing local journalists and writer’s contact information to memory 
  • Manages round-ups for upcoming holidays and Bay Area events 

Application Process

Interested? We’d love to know why. Send us a copy of your resume and a brief cover letter stating why you think you’d be a great fit for the role to: rose@afandco.com. Please include your schedule availability beginning Monday, January 23, 2023

af&co. is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.