Phoenix Group is currently recruiting for a Public Affairs Manager in our London office. Within this role you’ll support the Head of Public Affairs in growing Phoenix Group’s profile at Westminster and in Whitehall, both directly and through the industry bodies to which we belong, helping to establish the Group as a leading ‘voice’ on public policy issues impacting our business and our customers.
Phoenix has built a hugely successful, well respected and rapidly developing business that joined the FTSE 100 in 2019. Now the UK’s largest long-term saving and retirement business, this is an exciting time in the Group’s evolution. Phoenix is looking to strengthen its Corporate Communications team with a number of new appointments, to help it achieve its ambitions as a customer purpose driven business with a clear role in society that actively leads and shapes the debate in the market.
Key Responsibilities
- Support the development and implementation of a public affairs strategy which protects and enhances our brand and reputation with policymakers and wider opinion formers;
- Produce a range of written outputs, including consultation responses and briefing notes for senior leaders in the business;
- Represent the business at external events to share the company’s views and gather insights;
- Identify proactive opportunities to enhance the company’s brand and reputation with policymaker audiences;
- Help manage relationships with industry bodies to derive best value from any memberships and ensure Phoenix plays an active role;
- Manage all risks appropriately and escalate where required;
- Effectively manage conflicting business priorities in order to obtain optimum outcomes.
What we’re looking for
- Financial services experience (essential);
- Previous experience working within the retirement or savings industry (desirable);
- Ability to build and maintain strong relationships within Whitehall and Westminster e.g. politicians and civil servants (essential);
- Effectively engaging with policymakers on issues of importance to our customers and our business (essential);
- Ability to establish strong relationships within the organisation quickly to ensure best communication practices are followed (desirable);
- In-house experience (desirable).
About Us
Phoenix Group has been known externally as a specialist in the consolidation of Heritage (closed) life and pension funds. Following the acquisition of Standard Life Assurance Limited, Phoenix became Europe’s largest consolidator of closed life and pension funds with businesses in the UK, Germany and Ireland. The acquisition included a large Open book of business and Phoenix now holds a broad range of both Heritage and Open products split across three key business segments: UK Heritage, UK Open and Europe.
With the acquisition of ReAssure Group plc in July this year, Phoenix has become the UK’s largest long-term savings and retirement business with C.14million policies and C.£300 billion of assets under management.
Phoenix is the leader in the safe and efficient management of UK Heritage business. Heritage comprises products that are no longer actively marketed to customers and has been built through the consolidation of over 100 legacy brands.
Alongside this, the Open business manufactures and underwrites new product and policies to support people saving for their future in areas such as workplace pensions and self-invested personal pensions. The Open business includes a growing BPA business. Phoenix also generates new business through the market leading brand – Sun Life – which sells a range of financial products specifically for the over 50s market.
Phoenix has achieved remarkable growth during its time listed on the London Stock Exchange, joining the FTSE100 in 2019 and recently welcomed new CEO Andy Briggs and a number of other new Executives to the organisation.
The team at Phoenix have ambitious growth plans in the Open market and recognises the importance of Sustainability to ensure our future success. Phoenix occupies a prominent position in the FTSE100 and with a large customer base and considerable assets under administration, has clear social purpose which it aims to use to influence and foster change both in its sector and the wider economy.