PLMR is a successful, fast-growing communications agency with a dynamic, vibrant team delivering high-quality public affairs, public relations and digital solutions for an excellent roster of clients. As a Senior Account Manager you will be a senior member of the PLMR team providing an exceptional level of servicing to clients and making a contribution to internal strategy and decision-making, as well as new business. You will have strong experience in dealing with local, national and digital media as a consultant providing communications support and advice, including crisis communications and public affairs as well as public relations, and having worked for a diverse range of clients you will have a proven aptitude for consultancy and management.
Our purpose is to make a positive and sustainable impact for our clients, our people and society. We support our clients to create better futures through their work in diverse sectors, including education and training, health and social care, science and technology, sustainability, and the built environment.
In this role you will progress your consultancy skills, overseeing and driving the day-to-day management of client accounts and maintaining positive client relationships, spotting policy trends and identifying issues which might impact client activity, actively developing new business ideas and initiatives, including winning new business, alongside the senior management team. You will manage both junior and senior colleagues to ensure PLMR meet and beat client expectations at every level.
You will have excellent written and verbal communication skills, be well organised, highly motivated and able to work under your own initiative. As a manager you will have good interpersonal skills and the ability to supervise and motivate colleagues. You will have your own networks within both media circles and political circles which you will maintain and expand.
Key career progression points:
- You will ideally previously have been employed in our industry or a relevant organisation;
- You are an experienced consultant – you have a client portfolio, or strong advisory background, and have proven that you understand what the client, or equivalent individual, wants and that you can deliver it;
- You anticipate client requests and issues, are one step ahead, and initiate tackling them;
- You have excellent relationships with clients where they trust your judgment and ask you what you think, you know where to find answers and assistance within PR and political circles;
- You can identify new business opportunities and create additional revenue from existing clients;
- You can manage accounts – you have a proven ability to manage several accounts effectively and efficiently simultaneously;
- You can lead and inspire your account teams to deliver, you know what is happening on each account at any given time, you ask your team the pertinent questions on a timely basis thereby avoiding issues;
- You have a broad view over upcoming political and sectoral events or announcements and plan how this will affect your clients, you bring ideas to senior colleagues for business development;
- You show an aptitude for leadership and both senior and junior colleagues want to work with you;
- You identify and respond to new business opportunities across all new business opportunities and are able to create additional revenue.
MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:
Client delivery
- provide leadership on accounts – steering the account team to maintain excellent and trusted client relationships, ensuring that the client feels well serviced, able to call for advice at any time, and maximising the opportunities for account development;
- develop strategy and tactics for campaigns ensuring work is completed on time to the appropriate standards and anticipating client demands and that PLMR is always ‘adding value’ to our clients;
- contributing to the good momentum of accounts and consistent client delivery;
- developing an excellent relationship with the client’s team;
- knowing what is happening on your accounts – what needs to be delivered, who needs to be contacted, what is coming up – anticipating issues;
- ensuring that all client output is accurate, relevant, and maximizes PLMR’s offering to the client;
- delegating tasks to junior colleagues where appropriate and motivating them to deliver on these;
- responding appropriately to crisis management issues;
- creating press releases with strong news hooks;
- fostering relations with national and sectoral media, politicians, civil servants, local authorities, regulatory bodies, and any relevant interest groups;
- ensuring that PLMR accurately monitors the media, including newspapers, magazines, journals, broadcasts, newswires, social media and blogs, for timely opportunities for clients;
- using social media and digital channels to manage clients’ key messaging and enhance the reputation of PLMR and its clients;
- planning and managing client communications on digital channels and through video, with the ability to be able to explain and sell our digital services to clients;
- accurately collating, analysing and evaluating media coverage;
- researching, writing and distributing press releases to targeted media;
- event management, including press conferences and promotional events;
- public consultation management, liaising with relevant stakeholders to advance client interests;
- attending and promoting client events to the media;
- developing and maintaining an expertise in client sectors and related policy fields;
- responding to requests for information from clients which may be at short notice;
- researching, forecasting and evaluating the effects of public policy on an organisation, using public sources, political intelligence and personal contacts;
- writing newsletters, briefings, campaign material and press releases;
- attending select committee hearings, party conferences and other events on behalf of PLMR;
- writing and placing articles on behalf of PLMR in key media for the company’s profile and positioning;
- providing regular copy for the PLMR website – blogging, case studies, features, comment;
- strong proofing skills and the ability to take responsibility for materials leaving the building.
PLMR growth
- actively identifying new business opportunities and following up on them on a timely basis, thereby assisting in the growth of the PLMR business and the achievement of its business plan;
- creating and delivering winning proposals for new business pitches;
- take a key role in presentations to existing client and at new business pitches;
- attending events, seminars, and conferences, and setting up regular meetings with contacts to promote a positive, professional image of PLMR as a market leader and obvious point of call for our services;
- networking with potential new business leads;
- winning new business for PLMR;
- developing existing client accounts to increase retainers;
- providing updates on new business leads regularly to other senior colleagues;
- relationship building and networking with colleagues, clients and the media.
Internal
- taking as many tasks from the team Account Director/s as possible and supporting them in successfully achieving their targets;
- work with the team to ensure accounts are run efficiently and to budget;
- completing accurate daily timesheets;
- providing information for invoicing and cost recharging to the finance department in a timely manner as requested;
- developing a positive professional relationship and contributing to a thriving day to day working environment;
- effectively managing and delegating tasks to junior colleagues and assisting them as necessary;
- mentoring and managing junior colleagues in order to develop their consultancy skills;
- contributing to PLMR planning and strategy;
- communicating effectively internally to manage work levels and deliverables deadlines;
- fostering a positive day to day working environment;
- preparing and delivering internal training.
Skills / attributes required
- educated to degree standard or with proven relevant work experience;
- an understanding of the education sector and awareness of education trends, particularly in reference to schools, universities, wider education organisations and education technology providers;
- expertise in strategic digital communications, with an ability to plan digital campaigns;
- a strong knowledge of current events, political systems and the national and sectoral media;
- proven policy analysis abilities: able to research and gather information from a range of sources, identify the key issues relevant to the clients, generate original ideas and solutions into concise, crisp but analytically rich results;
- proven written and verbal communication skills with the ability to conceptualise, analyse and write persuasive arguments;
- proven ability to understand, manage and respond in a timely and proactive manner to emerging crisis communications issues for clients;
- proven ability to effectively manage multiple deadlines under pressure: to be able to deliver timely projects whilst also responding to other emerging random developments;
- highly motivated, well organised and able to work under your own initiative.