Job Spec: Director, Public Affairs
Location: Manchester or London
About Citypress
We are a leading PR, social and creative communications agency that works with clients to promote and protect their brands and reputations.
Our team of over 110 people across the UK are united by our ambition to create brand defining work that helps advance the cause of brands that have the scale and commitment to effect positive change in their markets. Our client partners include Lloyds Banking Group, Aldi, Arla, Molson Coors, Crown Paints, Continental Tyres, Primark and Siemens.
Citypress is independently run, regionally connected, employee-owned and one of the leading employers in the communications sector. We have featured in The Sunday Times Top 100 Best Companies list for four years, are the most-awarded agency in the PRWeek Best Places to Work awards over the last six years and have been named as a PRWeek Agency of the Decade and most recently it’s Mid-Sized Consultancy of the Year – a first for an agency headquartered outside of London.
We are a fast-growing, entrepreneurial agency with a great culture that backs people to develop their careers and deliver their best work.
Our culture is inclusive, and we actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We welcome people with different life experiences and backgrounds to bring valuable insight and perspectives to our agency and clients.
About this role
We have grown our public affairs offer in recent years and are looking for a senior public affairs professional to accelerate the growth of our team and establish Citypress as a leader in the public affairs market.
This role is ideal for an entrepreneurial professional with a desire to build a business with the support of the agency’s leadership. We are looking for individuals with at least 10-15 years’ experience in political communications and public affairs.Sector expertise in food and drink, retail, financial services, and/or energy and infrastructure are preferable.
As well as acting as strategic lead a number of existing clients, you would be expected to help develop new opportunities with Citypress’ wider client base as well as utilising your network to create opportunities with companies and brands than are new to the agency.
You will be joining a brilliant team of communications specialists, spanning a wide variety of sectors and specialisms, who all share an enthusiasm for new ideas and innovation, as well as supporting each other to be the best possible consultants.
You will also be able to use your experience to support and mentor junior colleagues to develop their skills and confidence, including direct line management of the existing public affairs team.
Citypress is an entrepreneurial agency with a great culture that backs people to develop their careers and deliver their best work. By joining Citypress you will become part of an employee-owned agency and directly benefit from our collective success.
Role responsibilities
* Creating and successfully implementing annual agency public affairs growth plan
* Leading existing client public affairs programmes
* Providing strategic political counsel to clients and agency client leads
* Developing new services and innovative ways to meet client needs
* Developing and maintaining strong political relationships
* Supporting junior colleagues through mentorship, training and guidance
* Developing detailed knowledge and understanding of client businesses
* Leading agency responses to new business and strategic proposals
* Demonstrating excellent organisational skills and workload management to ensure high client servicing standards
* Develop proficiency in AI and other agency tools
Role requirements
* 10-15 years’ experience in a similar role
* Excellent presentation, verbal and written skills with the ability to provide strategic counsel with gravitas and authority
* Ability to lead cross agency teams to deliver effectively for clients
* A good work ethic. flexibility and enthusiasm to delivery work and results of a consistently high standard
* Entrepreneurial drive to build on existing foundations and deliver commercial growth
What we offer
* Competitive salary
* Performance bonus
* Annual tax-free share of profit payment
* We work flexibly, spending three days a week in the office to collaborate and connect, and the rest wherever you work best
* Generous holiday allowance with additional days accrued through length of service
* Award winning bespoke benefits programme
* We offer enhanced family leave policies, with supported return to work programme
* Menopause and fertility policies and leave
* Paid Support leave
* Paid career breaks
* Extensive learning and development programme
* Dedicated mentoring and coaching
* Healthcare plan, 24 hour GP service and employee assistance programme
* Flexible pension scheme
* Access to independent financial advice
* Company mobile and laptop
* Interest-free loans
* Volunteering days
* Regular team away days and socials
If you need help with our application process, please contact recruitment@citypress.co.uk.