PR Senior Account Executive

Our client is the umbrella organisation composed of two market leading international PR and marketing agencies serving a range of B2B and B2C technology markets. At the heart of each business is a team of passionate professionals, who get their kicks from delivering results that consistently exceed the objectives and expectations of clients.

Established for 40 years, the first part of the business is the market leading international B2B public relations and marketing agency for the graphic arts industry.

Established for 10 years the second part of the business is an international B2B/B2C PR and marketing agency, specialised in supporting new and emerging, often disruptive, technologies for businesses large and small.

Job Description:

• Take an accurate brief and write technical press releases, news stories, articles, case studies and product pieces
• Pitch press releases and feature ideas by phone or email to national, regional and trade journalists, across print, broadcast and online publications, to engage them in covering clients’ stories
• Take ownership and accountability for individual projects or elements of account activity e.g., research, defined projects, events; play an active role in development of initial proposal/timeline/budget and manage implementation through to final delivery for clients
• Demonstrate an increased appreciation of the bigger client picture, including competitors and overall business objectives
• Take ownership of meeting preparations, ensure that all agendas, meeting notes etc. are produced, and liaise with manager/director on requirements for meeting. Increasingly contribute to brainstorm or client meetings and maintain workload tracking documents.
• Research and identify forward feature and other media opportunities for clients
• Fully manage the process of press release distribution for accounts, including list-building using the agency’s database system
• Create, build and maintain excellent working relationships with clients, journalists and industry contacts
• Respond to phone calls and emails from journalists and clients
• Arrange interviews and meetings with key journalists
• Plan events with account teams within relevant time, production and financial constraints
• Attend client events and industry conferences, often overseas
• Handle clients’ social media accounts such as Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn channels
• Organise and work with the team on client advertising campaigns

Key Skills:

• English Language Fluency: Excellent written and spoken English
• Copywriting Skills: You need to be proficient in spelling, grammar, and proof-reading, as well as having a creative flair for producing engaging and technical copy
• IT Skills: Proficient in the use of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, social media channels and other business-related software
• Communication Skills: From communicating ideas to your team, to presenting stories to journalists, and reporting back to clients, you need to organise information in a succinct and interesting way to capture attention
• Strong Interpersonal Skills: You will need to be approachable, driven, friendly and empathetic, and be able to relate to people on different levels within the agency, with clients and with the media, whether it is over the phone, by email or in person
• Excellent Telephone Manner: You will spend a lot of time pitching stories to journalists, so you need to have the confidence to pick up the phone and speak to them and maintain a positive, friendly, persuasive and upbeat tone
• Organisation Skills: You will often be working to tight media deadlines as well as meeting the demands and pressures of your team and clients, so you need to be able to prioritise tasks and work quickly and efficiently, without compromising on quality

Person Specification:

• 1-2 year’s PR/Marketing experience, from within a PR Agency
• Degree Educated in either Public Relations, Marketing, Journalism, English or Communication and Media
• A second language is desirable but not essential; German, French, Italian or Spanish

Additional Information:

• Leatherhead based from Summer 2021 (until then remote working)
• Full-Time, Monday-Friday, 9.00am-5.30pm
• 37.5 Hours Per Week
• £24,000-£26,000 p.a.
• Travel Insurance
• Pension after 3 months’ service
• Healthcare after 1 years’ service
• 20 days holidays(increasing with service) plus an additional 3 days and Christmas and Bank Holidays
• Birthday Day Off
• Company Mobile Phone
• Company Laptop
• Season Ticket Loan
• (Company benefits may be subject to change)