Senior Vice President, Crisis & Risk Communications - Data, Security, and Privacy

We are in relentless pursuit of an equitable and inspiring workplace that is respectful of all, reflects and represents the world in which we live, and fosters trust, collaboration and belonging. Consistent with this approach, we hire the best qualified candidates for all positions. The Global Crisis & Reputation Risk practice is one of the most respected and largest in the world, serving clients on complex crises and with 100+ practitioners in more than 60 countries. The capabilities and diversity of talent have also grown to include former management consultants, digital leaders, sector experts, research and analytics specialists, and senior crisis counselors. The Crisis & Reputation Risk team advises leading corporations, governments and institutions and their senior leaders on a broad range of crises including cybersecurity and data security incidents, data privacy matters, physical security risks, corporate malfeasance, societal issues, litigation, ethics and integrity matters, product and service risks, regulatory scrutiny, financial issues and other events that affect trust, reputation and business continuity.   We are currently looking for a senior-level crisis management professional to join our team. In this role as Senior Vice President, Crisis & Reputation Risk you will work on and help grow Data Security & Privacy (DSP) work , which supports clients as they prepare for, manage and recover from cybersecurity, data security and privacy risks and incidents. A successful candidate will have a strong track record developing communications strategies and providing reputational counsel to companies. We are looking for someone with deep experience preparing organizations for cybersecurity/data risks and leading crisis matters involving clients facing cybersecurity incidents – from unauthorized access, data breaches, ransomware incidents, business interruption events, third-party/vendor incidents, sensitive data exposure, data misuse allegations and privacy notification matters. You should be a driven professional who can provide expert, practical and creative client counsel, work effectively alongside legal, forensics, insurance, security and communications stakeholders; and  inspire and lead teams to further evolve, grow and upscale our offering. If this sounds like you, keep reading! Responsibilities: Work closely with the most senior leaders in the company to counsel our clients on complex cybersecurity/data security and privacy crises as well as other issues affecting trust and reputation. This role will involve a strong focus on helping clients prepare for and respond to cybersecurity/data security and data privacy incidents, including ransomware attacks and breaches of personal, financial, health and corporate information. In addition to incident response communications strategy, this role supports client preparedness through playbooks, trainings and tabletops Where needed, support other issues and crisis matters such as product recalls, litigation, labor matters, regulatory investigations and societal issues Work collaboratively with Edelman’s counter-disinformation experts to counsel clients at the intersection of cybersecurity and AI/disinformation Play an active role in strategically driving and developing crisis account work Lead operational and financial performance of account teams, ensuring quality work, effective processes and that client requests are handled in timely and strategic fashion Thoughtfully counsel clients based on cyber communications landscape and business goals; take immediate action on client feedback Work alongside clients’ cyber counsel and forensics partners to develop holistic data security response communications plans and materials Translate complex cybersecurity, data security and privacy issues into clear, credible and audience-appropriate communications for executives, boards, employees, customers, consumers, partners, regulators, policymakers, investors and media. Oversee junior staff by providing clear and consistent feedback, and advancing work product Lead new business development efforts, capitalizing on, and contributing to, the Edelman global network to serve and help grow the firm’s DSP offering, including proactively expanding existing relationships and bridging new relationships with data security attorneys and insurers Demonstrate advanced writing skills and supervise writing of others Set and lead both traditional and social strategic media relations course Host internal trainings on DSP matters Manage billing and budgets Basic Qualifications: Have 10 years+ of crisis management experience and experience running integrated account work, managing a team, and growing account work with clients Able to work a hybrid schedule with 3 days a week in the Chicago, NYC, or D.C. office Able to be on site with clients as needed Have a bachelor’s degree in a related field Preferred Qualifications: Have worked in federal law enforcement, regulatory bodies, or other relevant government entities Experience helping organizations prepare for and respond to cybersecurity, data security and privacy incidents Experience and interest in helping organizations confront the rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape Strong understanding of the cybersecurity and data privacy incident response ecosystem, including the roles of outside counsel, privacy counsel, forensic investigators, insurers, brokers, regulators, law enforcement and internal security teams Ability to provide sound communications counsel in legally sensitive, fast-moving and high-pressure environments Excellent client relationship skills and experience giving counsel on strategy, approach, and execution Strong organizational, scheduling, and time/project management skills; possess the ability to manage multiple deadlines simultaneously Able to adapt on the fly, comfortable in a quickly and constantly changing landscape, and able to work in a fast