Senior Vice President, Corporate & Public Affairs, Workplace & Purpose

Burson · Los Angeles, California, United States

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Executive San Francisco Posted May 26, 2026 125,000 – 295,000 USD

Who we are:

Burson, part of WPP, is the global communications leader built to create value for clients through reputation. With highly specialized teams, industry-leading technologies and breakthrough creative, we help brands and businesses redefine reputation as a competitive advantage so they can lead today and into the future. When you work at Burson, you are part of a global community of lifelong learners who thrive at the edge of innovation.

WPP (LSE/NYSE: WPP) is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company – powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. For more information, visit WPP.com

For more information visit bursonglobal.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.

More about the role:

Burson seeks a Senior Vice President to help lead and scale the growing Workplace & Purpose Team, that sits within our Corporate and Public Affairs practice. The Workforce and Purpose Team is a group of specialists focused on the intersection of corporate purpose and employee engagement to unlock the power of people and build reputation from the inside out. Our work helps clients activate their purpose to ignite engagement, optimize operational excellence, enhance reputation, and drive strategic change.

This role will focus primarily on the Corporate Purpose side of the practice, working across social impact storytelling, purpose programming and partnerships, and integrated ESG communications and strategy. The ideal candidate will bring 15+ years of experience and a proven ability to operate as a senior business and client leader, strategic counselor, and force multiplier—driving growth, advancing thought leadership, and building high-performing teams.

This is an opportunity to play a key role in the rapidly changing and evolving space with a dynamic and globally influential firm with an impressive client mix including Fortune 100s and nationally renowned not-for-profit organizations as you help to shape the next phase of the practice, moving from strong client delivery to a fully activated growth engine and external market leader.

The preferred location for this role is San Francisco or Los Angeles followed by Chicago, Austin or Dallas.

What you'll do:

Serve as a senior leader in the Workplace & Purpose practice, responsible for elevating performance, driving growth, and defining market positioning in the Purpose space.
Lead a portfolio of complex, multi-sector clients, providing senior counsel across sustainability, ESG, corporate purpose, and stakeholder engagement
Drive organic and new business growth, expanding existing relationships while identifying and converting new opportunities
Serve as a trusted advisor to C-suite and senior leaders, including Chief Sustainability Officers, CHROs, and Communications leadership
Develop and execute integrated purpose and sustainability strategies, including ESG communications, reporting, social impact programming, and employee engagement
Provide expert counsel on complex and evolving issues such as climate, supply chain responsibility, and societal impact
Lead, mentor, and develop a team of purpose-driven communicators, elevating capabilities, performance standards, and further developing Burson’s approach to Purpose.
Build and position the practice as a thought leader internally and externally, contributing to POVs, frameworks, and market visibility
Partner across Corporate & Public Affairs, as well broader Burson and WPP teams to deliver integrated reputation-driving solutions

Experience that contributes to success:

15+ years of communications, public affairs, sustainability, or corporate purpose experience, with demonstrated leadership at the SVP level or above
Deep, credible expertise in sustainability and ESG (beyond generalist communications experience), with the ability to counsel and sell into complex mandates
Proven track record of growing and scaling a business, practice area and client portfolio
Extensive experience advising senior clients in complex, multi-stakeholder environments, including high-profile or sensitive issues
Demonstrated ability to lead and develop high-performing teams, including managing senior specialists
Strong commercial acumen with experience driving revenue growth and new business development
Comfort working across both established and emerging sectors, with a pragmatic approach to sustainability and corporate responsibility
Exceptional communication, presentation, and executive presence
Demonstrated collaboration and problem-solving skills in a group setting
Hybrid of agency and in-house experience preferred

Burson is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

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Individual compensation varies based on job-related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications. We offer a competitive benefits package; click here for more details: https://mybenefits.wpp.com/public/welcome.

The base salary for this position at the time of this posting may range between:

$125,000—$295,000 USD

You belong at Burson:

Our vision is for Burson to be the leading ‘academy company’ for creative communications professionals and emerging leaders. We provide a dynamic environment where ambitious colleagues come to elevate their skills, expand their networks, and ultimately, produce the best solutions for today’s leading brands. Our commitment to your growth is reflected in our robust benefits and people programs, which include professional development opportunities, mentorship programs with industry leaders, a vibrant and inclusive company culture fostering collaboration and innovation and packages designed to reward and retain top talent. We invest in our people because we believe their success is our success.

At Burson, we’re an agency of learn-it-alls. We recognize that the things we do best, creativity and communications, require a level of nuanced understanding. That’s why it’s imperative for us to hire extraordinarily talented people of all backgrounds and identities. Without that we can’t do the essential work of inspiring bold ideas, fostering constructive dialogue, cultivating meaningful experiences, and driving innovation and creativity for our partners. Your unique point of view—your talent—is what makes you a #BursonPerson, and it’s how we deliver exceptional results for our clients, together.

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

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