Account Manager, Design​/Lifestyle​/Hospitality

Karla Otto is a globally recognized public relations and communications agency, founded in 1982, with offices in 15 key cities across the UK, EMEA, US, and Asia. With a strong presence in fashion capitals such as Milan, London, Paris, and New York, the agency has built a reputation for representing some of the most prestigious names in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle.

In 2017, Karla Otto merged with K2 to form THE INDEPENDENTS, a global marketing, design, and communications group. This collective brings together industry leaders who share a commitment to innovation, excellence, and thoughtful collaboration across the luxury and lifestyle sectors.

At Karla Otto, our team of expert strategists, designers, planners and publicists are dedicated to delivering exceptional results and establishing long-term partnerships with our clients. We are passionate about the world of fashion, beauty, and luxury, with everyone bringing their unique expertise and insights to the table. We are driven by a shared commitment to excellence and a deep understanding of the ever-evolving industry landscape.

The Account Manager is a strategic, client-facing leader within Karla Otto’s Design and Lifestyle team, responsible for translating brand ambition into compelling communications strategies and culturally relevant opportunities that drive visibility, relevance, and impact. This role sits at the intersection of cultural strategy, media relations, and team leadership, serving as a trusted day-to-day partner to clients while providing strategic counsel across launches, campaigns, partnerships, events, and experiential moments.

The Account Manager is both a strategic thinker and hands-on communications lead — someone who can identify the story, shape the narrative, build the right media strategy, and lead its execution from idea through impact. They bring a strong understanding of the design, lifestyle, hospitality, art, and cultural landscape, with the editorial judgment to identify what is genuinely newsworthy and the relationships and creativity to turn those opportunities into meaningful coverage and cultural conversation.

This position is ideal for someone who combines strong editorial instincts, established media relationships, cultural curiosity, and commercial awareness with the ability to lead teams and clients with confidence. They should be proactive in identifying unexpected opportunities for clients, constantly looking beyond traditional PR to find new ways for brands to participate in culture, and capable of developing integrated communications programs that build both immediate visibility and long-term brand equity.

• Collaborate on the development and execution of communications strategies that support clients’ commercial and cultural objectives
• Serve as a day-to-day client contact, providing strategic counsel across launches, campaigns, and special projects
• Ensure all activity aligns with broader brand positioning, cultural context, and long-term goals
• Identify opportunities and challenges proactively and communicate them clearly to clients
• Demonstrate understanding of clients' priorities and translate them into communications strategy

• Maintain and grow strong relationships with key editors, writers, and cultural voices across design, lifestyle, art, culture, and business media
• Oversee the quality, consistency, and relevance of all external communications
• Identify emerging media platforms, cultural moments, and storytelling opportunities that elevate brand perception
• Develop and execute proactive media outreach and pitching
• Lead story development, angles, exclusives, profiles, features, and announcements
• Manage press materials, media lists, briefings, interviews, and follow‑ups
• Secure meaningful coverage, not just maintain relationships

• Support the management and development of junior team members, including oversight of workflows and deliverables
• Collaborate with line manager and senior leadership on resourcing, timelines, and performance feedback

• Lead communications strategy around launches, events, cultural moments, and…