Senior Account Director | Public Affairs | London

Hanover is looking for an experienced public affairs professional to join our growing Advocacy team in London.

The successful candidate will be a senior member of our market-leading public affairs practice and will have the opportunity to lead account teams, advise senior clients, contribute to new business activity and shape team management.

The successful candidate will join our award-winning, market-leading, public affairs practice, working with a team of political specialists to advise some of the world's biggest brands on UK political and regulatory issues.

We’re particularly keen to hear from candidates with prior agency or in-house experience and a passion for one or a mix of our key sectors, including Financial Services, Creative Industries and Energy.

Hanover is one of the UK’s leading communications consultancies. Our consultants work in a fast-paced, rapidly evolving environment, and are equally comfortable in the office, at a pitch or at a networking event. We also enjoy being an extension of our clients' in-house teams.

Primary Responsibilities

• Act as a trusted adviser to senior clients, developing strong relationships and providing strategic counsel on political, policy and regulatory issues
• Lead the development of effective public affairs strategies, translating complex political and regulatory developments into clear, actionable recommendations for clients
• Lead client meetings and oversee the delivery of high-quality presentations
• Maintain consistently high standards across client work across multiple accounts
• Mentor and develop junior team members, supporting their performance, progression and professional development
• Lead and project manage new business activity, including proposals and pitching, and identify opportunities to grow existing client relationships
• Build and maintain a strong network of business, policy, political and industry contacts, representing Hanover at relevant events and developing relationships that generate insight and opportunities
• Monitor emerging political, regulatory and industry trends, helping clients anticipate change and positioning Hanover as a source of informed, forward-looking counsel
• Contribute to Hanover's external profile and thought leadership, including developing relevant content and sharing expertise on key policy and political issues
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across Advocacy and the wider business to deliver integrated communications strategies and share knowledge and best practice
• Take commercial ownership of accounts, including oversight of budgets, team resource and profitability, ensuring work is delivered efficiently and to a high standard

Requirements

• Very strong team-working, collaboration and interpersonal skills
• Significant public affairs experience within a consultancy, government or in-house team, with experience operating at a senior level. The ability to manage integrated PA/comms campaigns is preferred.
• A strong policy background in one or more of our key sectors
• Excellent knowledge of and passion for UK politics and the regulatory environment, with a demonstrable understanding of their impact on business objectives
• Strong account and project management skills, with experience overseeing multiple workstreams and maintaining consistently high standards of client delivery
• Demonstrable experience of business development, including pitches, proposals/RfPs and identifying opportunities for organic growth and cross-selling
• Experience mentoring and developing colleagues and providing effective quality control and direction to account teams
• Strong commercial awareness, including an understanding of account budgets, resourcing and profitability
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• An established and growing network of business, policy and/or political contacts

Benefits:

In addition to a competitive salary, your core benefits package will include:

• Bonus potential linked to recruitment, new business and long service
• 25 days’ annual leave (plus bank holidays)
• Private healthcare and dental insurance
• Travel insurance
• A company pension plan, including 5% employer contribution

You’ll also have access to a wide range of opportunities and initiatives, including:

• Flexible working policies, plus eligibility to apply for a sabbatical after 2 years’ service
• Summer Fridays finish (3pm) – early Friday finish the rest of the year (4pm)
• The Hanover Academy, which incorporates training, coaching, mentoring and reverse-mentoring opportunities to support personal development and career progression across all levels, with a generous training budget
• International secondments as well as the opportunity to collaborate with all offices across the AVENIR GLOBAL’s network
• A wellbeing programme, featuring (but not limited to) pre- and post-maternity leave coaching, a working parents’ group, subsidised gym membership
• Our Culture Club, with a robust social calendar all year round and CSR activity