Job Type Hours: Full-time Duration: Permanent Reports to Executive Director Job/Company Overview: Are you an experienced PR professional, experienced in providing strategic communications guidance, leading client engagements and managing a team of consultants? Do you have experience delivering exceptional customer service? Are you interested in continuing a career at the intersection of communications and consulting, media and marketing, technology and creativity? Would you consider an opportunity to join an organisation building Africa's first global communications services company? If your answer to all of the above is 'nah, not me', we thank you for reading this far. You may leave now and consider forwarding to anyone you know who fits the bill. But if you can answer yes to some or all of the above, then it may be you we've been looking for. We want you! We are a UK-based communications company, working bilaterally to help organisations in the UK and Africa communicate for impact. From our base in London and Edinburgh, we develop and deliver problem-solving products and services to professionals, companies, and governments Across Africa and the UK. As a fast-growing consultancy, we are seeking a Senior PR & Comms Consultant to direct, promote, and coordinate the operations of our business to optimise its market share and savings, improve efficiency, help achieve our mission and goals, and provide outstanding customer service. In your role, you will help execute our ambition to become the number one company of choice on the continent and beyond for professionals who want to put themselves and the African continent on the map for good. We put people before profit and want you to help us institutionalise this ethos while creating a dynamic, engaging and inclusive workplace that fosters excellence and innovation for the benefit of colleagues, clients, and shareholders. Key areas of responsibility: Business Development: Identifying, developing and nurturing business opportunities, including cross-selling and upselling to existing clients; Providing strategic direction for the portfolio team; Leading the portfolio team to provide analytics on Clients' Brands and competition by ensuring the delivery of quarterly reports, developing effective Online Relationships Management (ORM) for Clients and producing data-driven insights; Leading the portfolio team in providing community management for and on behalf of Clients and social media platform protection; Develop and deploy content and strategies that shape the perception of BHM Clients in line with the Clients' business objectives; Develop viable platforms to harness the influence and readership of advocates of BHM Clients and promote BHM Clients' viewpoints. Conducting pitches and presentations to prospective clients, showcasing our expertise and value proposition; Contributing to proposal development, including strategy, scope, deliverables, and pricing. Issues, Crisis Management & Stakeholders Management: Early detection and mitigation of potential situations that could lead to a crisis; and management of public perception towards preservation of BHM's reputation and the reputation of clients' brands; Packaging, presentation and defence of Clients' Brands' position in potential and/or existing problem and/or crisis situations; Development of a crisis response strategy to serve Clients' Brands on an ongoing basis and specific crisis communication plans for individual events, engagement and activations that ensure Clients' viewpoints gain empathy and acceptance; Creating a crisis management plan that includes making decisions ahead of time, including Identification of issue owners who will handle specific aspects of a crisis if and when it occurs; Periodic development and activation of Crisis management drills; Assessing and improving Clients' existing crisis response protocols; Conducting stakeholder listening sessions to determine stakeholders' current perceptions; Develop and advise clients on opportunities to delight stakeholders. Multimedia Content Development & Content Marketing: Developing strategic communications and marketing plans focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content materials to attract and retain clearly defined audience groups amongst consumers of Clients' Brands; Leading the portfolio team to identify relevant areas of interest to target audiences and create exciting and shareable pieces of content for distribution across multiple media platforms in various formats for Clients; Undertaking regular Clients' stakeholders' segmentation and developing content for syndication and distribution. PR Event Management: Managing end-to-end consumer event PR activities; Facilitating media engagement, including print, online and electronic media at all Clients' events; Developing and executing PR event briefing documents, which will include event flow, photo/video brief, media interaction and other mandatories, to ensure positive outcomes in line with each brand's communication objectives; Seamlessly managing guest relations, media invitations and accreditation; Briefing and managing talents and influencers at all Clients' events in line with PR/Communications briefs; Detailed preparation ahead of each brand's PR and consumer engagement activation, including venue recce to ensure compliance with Clients' codes of conduct, brand essence, in line with PR/communication objectives. General Account Management & Operations: Assessing Clients' Brands and compiling a quarterly report of the assessments with findings and recommendations on the health of Clients' Brands; Conducting a competitive analysis/SWOT analysis of the market segment Clients' Brands are engaged in; Identifying and recommending suitable sponsorship opportunities for Clients' Brands in line with the vision of Clients' Brands; Build stakeholder awareness and affinity for Clients' Brands and activations; Developing PR and EM (Earned Media) plans, strategies and ecosystems; Managing the development and planning of unpaid and content media strategy. Identifying and leveraging new technologies to extend earned reach; Managing portfolio team in tracking, measuring and amplifying earned media coverage; Overseeing project management and projections and recommending effective project spend; Acting as lead "client-care officer" through direct contact with clients and partners (Community, Media, Brand, etc.); establishing an ongoing relationship with all stakeholders; Generate and maximise media inch space to drive Clients' viewpoints and strategies to promote Clients' image. Representing the firm with clients, investors, and business partners; Ensuring consistent innovation and streamlining of campaign strategies to achieve value for business and client. Industry Knowledge and Thought Leadership: Staying up-to-date with industry trends, best practices, and emerging technologies in PR and communications; Sharing insights and thought leadership through speaking engagements, articles, and social media platforms; Acting as a trusted advisor to clients, offering innovative ideas and strategic recommendations. Team Leadership & Management Leading a portfolio team and providing day-to-day leadership and management to the team that mirrors the adopted mission and core values of the company; Motivating and providing mentoring as a cornerstone to the career development of members of your team; Fostering a success-oriented, accountable environment within your portfolio team; Delegate tasks effectively, ensuring optimal utilisation of portfolio team skills and abilities; Conduct performance evaluations, identify development opportunities, and foster a collaborative team environment. Client Relationship Management Nurturing and developing mutually beneficial relationships with new and existing clients; Understanding and gauging client needs, identifying opportunities for service expansion, developing proposals to maximise revenue and ensure client satisfaction; Maintaining strong relationships with key clients, serving as the main point of contact for strategic partnerships; Collaborating with the global team to deliver integrated solutions and exceed client expectations. Operational Management Overseeing day-to-day operations of the client accounts and keeping management apprised of all significant events; Providing timely, accurate and complete reports on the operating condition of the client accounts. Identifying and leveraging new technologies to improve operational efficiency on the client accounts; Managing client account teams in tracking, measuring and amplifying performance; Overseeing project management activities and recommending effective project spend on client accounts; Creating new methodologies, processes and solutions to improve operations on the client accounts; Act as lead "client-care officer" through direct contact with clients and partners, establishing ongoing relationships with all stakeholders; Coordinating the implementation of policies and processes on the client accounts; Financial Management of client accounts Managing the financial performance of the client accounts, including budgeting, forecasting, and cost control. Monitoring financial KPIs and implementing strategies to achieve revenue and profitability targets; Ensuring compliance with financial policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements. Person Specification To be successful in this role, you should have the following required qualifications, skills and aptitudes: Education and Qualifications: Tertiary education (e.g. Higher Diploma or Bachelor's) in Public Relations, Communications, Marketing, or a related field. Professional certifications in Public Relations, Management, and Marketing (i.e. CIPR, PRCA, PRSA, NIPR, CIM). Experience: 7 years of progressive experience in public relations: PR Account Management/Client Services, Marketing Management, and/or Brand Management, with at least 3 years in a Leadership role. Proven record of successfully leading an account or portfolio in an agency or consultancy. Knowledge, Skills, and Aptitudes: Strong understanding of PR and communication principles, strategies, and tactics. Crisis communications expertise, with experience in managing crises and providing strategic advice. Proficiency in using PR tools and platforms (media monitoring, social listening tools, such as Meltwater, and Keyhole). Ability to analyse data and metrics to assess the success and impact of PR campaigns and optimise strategies based on insights. Some knowledge of the media landscape in key African Markets (print, broadcast, digital, social), and familiarity with key UK and international media platforms (journalists, bloggers, and editors in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and the US). Exceptional communication, writing, editing, and presentation skills. Ability to build and nurture client relationships. Proficiency in media relations, including pitching and relationship building. Proven experience in handling crisis communication and issue management. Excellent project management skills, overseeing multiple clients and projects simultaneously. Proven ability to handle crises and mitigate potential damage to a client's reputation. Ability to align PR strategies with business goals and objectives. Strong business acumen and a results-oriented mindset. Strong leadership abilities, with the capacity to inspire and motivate a team. Results-oriented mindset, focusing on delivering high-quality work and exceeding client expectations. Experience using social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram for brand promotion and thought leadership. Understanding of ethical standards and commitment to maintaining the highest level of integrity in PR activities. Other: Right to work in the UK (essential) Interest in and ability to travel across Africa, Europe, and America at short notice. Familiarity with international PR events activations and adaptability to diverse cultural environments. Understanding of the socio-economic and political landscape in Africa and the UK. Strong business proficiency in English. Desirable Requirements. Specific experience working with clients in sectors like technology, finance, healthcare, and energy. Experience managing relationships with government officials and agencies. Proficiency in additional language skills relevant to African markets. Knowledge of contexts across Africa is a plus. Note: This job description conveys information essential to understanding the scope of a Senior PR & Comms Consultant position at BHM UK. It is not an exhaustive list, and BHM reserves the right to modify or amend job duties and responsibilities to meet the firm's evolving needs. Benefits We offer: Competitive pay Flexible and customisable working Our Impact We are the first communications services company from West Africa to expand into the UK and the US; the first African corporate affiliate of the CIPR; and the most nominated African consultancy on the PRovoke SABRE Awards table (including three consecutive nods for African Agency of the Year) We have increased our revenue by over 400% in 1 year, likewise staff compensation by over 500%. And we're not about to stop soon. In 2015 we created the first-ever Nigeria PR Report; in 2021, we launched the globally-recognised World PR Day; in 2022, we launched the first-ever Africa PR & Comms Report; and in 2023, we produced the Cost of Living report to provide insights and support for African migrants living in the UK. We have invested over $2 million in research and product development as part of our efforts to empower practitioners, build innovative products and solutions, and use technology to transform our business and industry. We have been named Agency of the Year and The Best Agency to Work at least 2 times in the last 5 years. And in 2022, we were top 3 on the table of fast-growing companies in Europe, the Middle East & Africa by PRovoke Media. BHM was ranked as one of Africa’s 100 Fastest Growing Companies 2023 and 2024 by The Financial Times (FT) and Statista. Additional Information Application timelines: Applications are now open. The selection process: Shortlisted candidates will be asked to undergo a case-based assessment and interviews. This process may be complemented with psychometric testing to assess other abilities, potentials and personalities. How we use your data: We will handle the information you provide to us in accordance with our privacy policy, available HERE. If the information offered on the role fits your profile, apply now! Don’t meet every requirement? We’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. If you're excited about this role but your experience does not perfectly match every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway! You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.