Connect has been at the forefront of graduate recruitment within the public affairs industry, and have operated a Graduate Programme since 2005. To support our growth, and our recent wins, we are looking for candidates with the potential to become excellent consultants to join our graduate programme.
We are delighted that so many of our previous graduates have gone on to be leaders in the sector, working for organisations such as the British Medical Association, Guide Dogs, Macmillan Cancer Support, Heathrow Airport, G4S, EEF, the LGiU, Department of Health, the European Labour Party, Secret Escapes and the Rail Delivery Group. We are particularly proud that one of our graduates is now on the board of the company, and eight of our team began their careers on our graduate scheme.
Our Programme
We are a ‘hands-on’ consultancy and our fast-track programme makes sure that our graduates quickly learn about the people, policies and processes they will need to kick-start their careers. You will be a core member of our client services team from day one and quickly gather a detailed understanding of client and project management, business and financial systems, as well as developing detailed policy and political knowledge.
Our programme is designed to support our graduates’ professional and personal development, giving them the tools to become successful political consultants. Our graduates are mentored and coached by our talented and experienced consultants, many of whom are former graduate trainees. Our graduates also benefit from our own training arm, Connect Training, which offers a range of training courses both to external audiences and our in-house team.
- Develop a strong understanding of central, devolved and local government across the UK and the role of the public affairs industry;
- Develop a strong understanding of the UK media and the role of the public relations industry;
- Become a core part of our Connect Intelligence team to provide monitoring services to clients;
- Provide research and support across our client base;
- Take responsibility for delivering a major event working with the Connect Conferences team;
- Support a planning application with local engagement, consultation, exhibitions and liaison with local press;
- Contribute to Connect’s social media presence;
- Attend events to provide reportage for clients;
- Learn how to network and establish new contacts;
- Learn how to identify, develop and secure new business for Connect;
- Undertake a number of internal and external training courses.
WHO DO WE WANT?
- educated to degree level or equivalent;
- a passion for politics, policy making and current affairs;
- exceptional written, presentational and interpersonal skills;
- the ability to assimilate, analyse and summarise written material quickly;
- excellent listening skills, as well as the ability to take an impartial view;
- the ability to inspire trust and confidence in clients;
- a team player;
- commercial awareness and good business sense;
- enthusiasm and self-motivation.
Salary and benefits
- 25 days paid holiday per year (in addition to public holidays);
- Full training programme;
- Employer pension scheme (after six months);
- Private healthcare scheme;
- Annual season ticket loan (interest free);
- Company mobile phone (after six months);
- Opportunity to attend networking events on a weekly basis;
- Annual company away day (previous destinations have included Amsterdam, Barcelona, Budapest, Prague, Porto, Champagne, Munich and Brussels);
- Regular staff parties including Christmas and summer party;
- Regular staff socials including ‘curry club’ every two months;
- Ad hoc charity and company team building events.
One of our recent graduates, Leonie Blakeway, shares her experiences.
.jpg)
"I started my career at Connect as a graduate trainee and haven’t looked back since. I knew that I wanted to work in public affairs and wasn’t sure where to start. That was until I heard about Connect’s grad scheme. It throws you right into the thick of it, you arrive and are a core member of a close knit team from day one.
Starting in the politics team, you learn to support each other whilst trying to navigate the daily goings on in Parliament. You spend your mornings monitoring and learning how politics really works. Political monitoring involves going through Parliamentary business, think tank reports and anything of interest in the news and sending it out to our different clients. It’s a great way to learn about our clients and the issues that they really care about and develop a specialist knowledge. I’m currently monitoring the Trade Union Bill for a group of our clients who know that they can come to me if they have any questions around any of the Clauses.
As you develop and get the hang of things you start to hone your consultancy skills and are treated as a core member of the Connect team, attending meetings in Parliament and providing briefings for clients.
You also get to work with a wide range of clients at Connect, from trade unions to charities and even plumbers. This means that no two days are the same, for example last year I spent one day organising and putting on Movember in Parliament and helping to shave some senior MPs and then had to write a briefing on the Trade Union Bill the next.
We’re a close knit team at Connect and no member of staff is too senior to engage. Our Chief Executive, Andy Sawford, is really friendly and keen to work with everyone, no matter how long they have been working in public affairs. This means that there are plenty of opportunities to work with the senior team and gain the benefit of their expertise.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the friendly atmosphere and social side of things are taken very seriously at Connect. We often go out for drinks and curries as a team and our Christmas party is legendary."