Press & Publicity Assistant (Theatre and Comedy)

Avalon is a multi-award-winning talent management, television production and live promotion group with offices in London, Los Angeles and New York. Avalon, Artists Rights Group and The Agency together represent a diverse and distinctive roster of artists including actors, comedians, writers and directors, among them Academy Award, BAFTA, Emmy, Tony and Olivier Award-winners. 

Avalon is the UK’s largest independent television production company, with over 40 shows in production in the last year including: hit entertainment format Taskmaster (Channel 4 in the UK, Network 10 in Australia, TV4 in Sweden, TVNorge/Discovery+ in Norway); multi-Emmy award winning Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO); Not Going Out (BBC), the UK’s longest running sitcom on air; Tall Tales & Murder (BBC/RTE), a highly anticipated darkly comedic crime drama; upcoming live-action, sketch comedy series The Terrors Of Jordan Mendoza (Adult Swim); a brand new series of the iconic satirical puppet show Spitting Image: The Rest is Bulls*!t (YouTube) and Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly (Channel 5 in the UK, Network 10 in Australia). Avalon has produced over 4,000 episodes of programming for audiences in the UK, US and around the world, winning 39 Emmy Awards and BAFTAs from 100+ nominations. 

Other landmark Avalon shows include Catastrophe (Amazon/Channel 4), Breeders (FX/Sky), Starstruck (HBO Max/BBC), Flatbush Misdemeanors (Showtime), Workaholics (Comedy Central), The Russell Howard Hour (Sky), TV Burp (ITV) and Fantasy Football League (BBC/ITV/Sky). Avalon has also produced over 60 comedy specials for various platforms including Amazon, HBO, Netflix and Sky, as well as numerous podcasts and radio shows, including over 300 episodes of the record-breaking, arena-touring podcast, Shagged. Married. Annoyed. with Chris & Rosie Ramsey. Avalon’s dedicated distribution arm licenses its catalogue of programmes and formats to over 200 territories worldwide. Avalon also produces and promotes live comedy around the world and has promoted more winners and nominees of the prestigious Edinburgh Comedy Award than any other company.  

Avalon produced Newman and Baddiel: Live at Wembley, the UK’s first arena comedy show, Jerry Springer: The Opera, winner of four Olivier Awards, and is currently producing the Tony and Olivier award-winning musical, Operation Mincemeat in the West End and on Broadway, and on a world tour. 

We are always on the lookout for exceptional talent.  Avalon is committed to creating a diverse environment and proud to be an equal-opportunity employer.  We encourage applications from individuals from underrepresented groups.  Regardless of your race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, or veteran status, you are welcome at Avalon. 

The media team at Avalon manages Avalon’s relationship with media across broadcast, print and online news, as well as a range of stakeholders and influencers, on behalf of Avalon group companies and Avalon group clients, helping to position our content, talent and company. 

The primary objective of the department is to secure positive coverage of our clients and content, encouraging audiences to enjoy our output.  Alongside this, we use external communications to build understanding of the company and what we do. 

• Help to deliver publicity campaigns and strategies with key stakeholders; using initiative and proactivity, you will be able and confident to work with the team on creative ideas and play your part in driving them through to execute successful campaigns. 

• Media liaison, including developing and maintaining great relationships with a broad range of print, online, broadcast media and influencers; make use of these relationships for the benefit of our clients and projects. 

• Talent liaison and relationship management/building to enable (but not exclusively) successful delivery of publicity campaigns.  

• Working on events from media days, press events (could include press nights/guest nights/channel events/show launches/screenings).  

• Understanding of the industries you are involved in and ability to advise/discuss in a professional manner. 

• To write engaging and professional copy including (but not exclusively) press releases, presentations and reports. 

• Utilise your artistic, visual skills including (but not exclusively) photoshoots, press pack design and event design. 

• 360° awareness of the campaigns/clients you are working on; if news is breaking or stories are being written, it is essential to be across this. 

• Understanding what is your responsibility; understand when you need to flag a potential issue up the chain of management. 

• To trouble shoot, help improve systems and help develop new processes across the department and publicity/media team. 

• Regular management liaison (internally and externally).  

• Budget management. 

• Delivering great results time-and-time again across your list of projects; to challenge complacency and ‘raise the bar’ across projects you are involved with. 

• Develop key external relationships including (but not exclusively) television channels, external promoters, streaming platforms and live venues. 

• Supporting the clients/company on key activity as directed by the SVP, Press & Publicity / Director of Communications. 

NB. This summarises the main aspects of the job but does not cover all the duties that the job holder may have to perform.  

• The ideal candidate will be responsive, available, aware and ready to work in a fast-moving news led environment. 

• Attention to detail.  

• Strong communication skills. 

• Ability to prioritise tasks effectively. 

• Ability to work calmly under pressure. 

• Keen interest in theatre, musicals and comedy. 

• Ideally, experience in a similar role. 

• Cycle to work scheme 

• Income protection scheme 

• Life assurance 

• Pension scheme 

• Employee assistance programme 

• Competitive holiday allowance 

• Season ticket loans 

• Regular staff socials, seasonal parties, tickets for our Live gigs, Monday breakfasts and more