Account Executive - Public Affairs

Location: London (Chancery Lane)

Working Pattern: Full time, hybrid working (3 days in office, 2 days from home)

About the role:

We're looking for a candidate with a passion for politics and a desire to jump start their career as part of our award-winning public affairs team. You’ll have the opportunity to work on a number of flagship client accounts, including for some of the country’s most recognisable organisations (a full list of our clients can be found on the Public Affairs Board Register). Our client base covers a broad range of sectors including transport, energy, food & drink and technology. Grayling has a prestigious public affairs practice and already this year won PR Week's Award for the Best Proactive Lobbying Campaign on an Issue or Cause for our work with Bumble to criminalise cyber-flashing. We are also excited to be shortlisted for The Sabre Awards EMEA Public Affairs Consultancy of the Year 2023!

As an Account Executive, you will ideally have already gained some experience in UK politics and the core responsibilities will include client servicing, political monitoring, problem solving, researching and writing.

The successful candidate will need to be able to work well within a close-knit team, have an eye for detail, excellent written and verbal communication skills, and be adaptable under pressure. You don’t need to have a specific educational background but a keen interest and understanding of UK politics is essential.

Please note that applications DO NOT require a covering letter or CV at this stage (further information on how to apply below).

Key requirements

The position of Account Executive is varied but daily tasks will involve:

• Monitoring parliamentary and government departments
• Providing daily and weekly intelligence reports for our clients
• Drafting political briefing notes and parliamentary correspondence
• Attending and contributing to client meetings
• Organising client events and parliamentary receptions
• Contributing to our departmental marketing strategy and set-piece Grayling events

We encourage personal development and from day one you will be given autonomy and exposure to our interesting and varied clients. You’ll also be able to sign up to our range of training workshops, from writing courses to sessions on commercial finance, resilience, creativity and many more.

How can I apply?

Applications DO NOT require a covering letter or CV at this stage.

We like to do things a little differently and instead of sending your CV, please submit via our website (in place of where it asks for your resume) a 500 word (maximum) written submission explaining what you consider to be the top three priorities of the new Prime Minister over the coming year. In addition to this, in no more than 250 words please let us know how you best demonstrate our company values of curious connected and committed.

If successful, you will be invited to attend a first stage virtual interview with two of our team members.

Please note due to the number of applications we receive; we are unable to inform candidates if they have not been shortlisted for interview.

Our promises to you:

• Flexible working arrangements, including hybrid working (where you can work two days a week from home)
• 25 days’ holiday, increasing by one day every year up to 30 days.
• Duvet morning on your birthday
• Gifted time off over Christmas
• Life insurance
• Employee Assistance Programme offering a 24/7 confidential advice line
• Regular team socials and early finish Fridays.
• An abundance of personal development opportunities, through our Grayling Advantage Academy (with courses ranging from writing, resilience, creativity and more)
• New business and employee referral bonuses.
• Cycle to work scheme
• Health & wellbeing programmes, including discounted gym membership

About us:

Grayling is the UK’s best-connected communications agency. With nine offices across the UK and 70 offices around the world, we create advantage for our clients through insight-led campaigns that deliver tangible results.

We’re in the top 5 of Newsweek's 100 UK Most Loved Workplaces due to our open and supportive environment and were ‘Highly Commended’ in the large consultancy of the year category in the 2022 PR Week awards. We’re a sociable bunch and life at Grayling will offer you a whole host of benefits including 4pm Friday finishes, hybrid working, regular training workshops and regular socials – not to mention the opportunity to work across award winning global campaigns!

We are proudly part of Accordience. Accordience is an international public relations, public affairs, financial and corporate communications group – made up of Grayling, Citigate Dewe Rogerson (CDR), Red and Cirkle. Together, we have c.1,000 employees and operations in 30 countries.

We believe diversity is strength. Our commitment at Grayling is to combine our employees’ unique backgrounds, perspectives and experiences to build a more diverse and inclusive organization that represents all of us and the businesses we work with. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and will give fair consideration to all applicants regardless of age, gender identity, ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, family or parental status, neurodiversity and disability status.

We are a Disability Confident Committed employer and will be very happy to provide any reasonable adjustments during our application and interview process. For any advice or assistance please contact lucy.southall@grayling.com

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Company events
• Company pension
• Life insurance
• Referral programme
• Work from home

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Work Location: Hybrid remote in London