Account Executive
We are on the hunt for an experienced, creative and passionate PR Account Executive to work across an exciting B2C and B2B PR portfolio of clients
Hybrid Working
Are you a creative thinker with a thirst for culture, and a finger on the pulse of what’s trending? Are you passionate about earned media, excited by media relations and a natural born networker?
Then here’s a brilliant opportunity to join our team of 50 people at award-winning PR and Digital agency, Clarion Communications, based in Southwark, London.
We are looking for an Account Executive to join the team in London, working on world-renowned FMCG and retail clients, to tell brand stories and deliver best in class media coverage, across both consumer and trade channels.
You’ll be a results driven self-starter with excellent writing skills and brilliant attention to detail. An ambitious team player, with a positive attitude and a proactive mindset to ensure we are always ahead of the curve, delivering exceptional client service.
As an Account Executive you will already have gained agency experience and handled media relations and creative campaigns for clients.
This is a great opportunity for career progression and the opportunity to work across some really fab clients. Plus take the next step up the career ladder, with a clear learning and development programme.
About Clarion
Clarion is an award-winning, creative PR and Digital agency, WPP-owned, with offices in London, Edinburgh and Glasgow based agency. We’ve over three decades of big brand experience, working with some of the UK’s most popular brands including Aldi, Unilever, Jacobs Douwe Egberts, Lansons Champagne and Wickes amongst many others.
Likeable. Proud. Clever. Passionate - our guiding principles shape our culture, steer the work we do and determine our relationships with media, clients, suppliers and staff.
Here's a snapshot of what the team at Clarion have been up to recently:
https://clarioncomms.co.uk/our-work/aldis-rose-degrees-billboard
https://clarioncomms.co.uk/our-work/wickes-community-project
About the Role
We are seeking an experienced, passionate and creative PR Account Executive to work across an exciting consumer and fmcg trade portfolio including Aldi, Wickes and JTI (Japan Tobacco International) amongst others.
An Account Executive will demonstrate solid and well-rounded public relations skills, such as writing, media placement and client relationships. You will also be developing an understanding of market trends and issues as they affect client business. Your primary role is to activate an agreed programme, delivering media coverage and social results, build media and other contacts, and ensure coverage and activity is efficiently and accurately recorded and presented back to the client.
Responsibilities & Skills Required
• Writing skills – you will have the ability to write in a range of styles including news releases, case studies, articles and proposals, fact sheets, opinion pieces, blog entries etc.
• Media liaison - dealing with day to day enquiries; establishing and building relationships; ensuring copy is prepared, approved and submitted in line with deadlines; researching and writing copy for features; writing and following up photo-call notices; closing the loop with all press opportunities.
• Media Knowledge: it’s important to have in-depth knowledge of the media, for your specific clients and in general. This should include national, trade and online. You must be proficient in using basic media tools.
• Media pitching - selling in articles/features and finding new story angles where possible.
• Time management - prioritising your own workload to ensure you meet deadlines and objectives set by account managers and directors for each client - within the time allocated - and reporting to team members on progress.
• Working to activity plans - attending status meetings to ensure you understand client objectives and deadlines. Planning own work and meets all commitments against activity plans.
• Communicating - with managers to ensure they are updated on work in progress and briefed when having difficulty achieving required results.
• Client management - building solid relationships with assigned client contacts. Provide tactical counsel to all clients. Demonstrate a proactive stance with all assigned accounts by offering new ideas and new ways of generating success.
• Market knowledge - actively working to create a good knowledge of current developments and trends affecting the clients' industries and markets.
In a nutshell you will need to have:
• Excellent working knowledge of national, consumer and trade media
• Track record in generating news angles and achieving stand out coverage for big brands
• FMCG/Retail PR experience
• Excellent writing skills
• Passionate about PR and an exciting career ahead
The Perks
• Hybrid working (2 days in the office each week or more if preferred)
• Flexible working hours on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
• Weekly happiness audit
• 4pm finish on Fridays
• Free monthly onsite massage
• £250 yearly ‘Clarion anniversary thank you’
• Local gyms discount
• Mental Health Allies
• Thursday afternoon drinks
• No meeting Fridays
• Rooftop bar and restaurant
• Staff recognition / voucher awards at monthly staff meetings
• Numerous perks being based at Rose Court incl weekly running club, puppy wellbeing workshops, yoga workshops, nail bar and so much more
• Sabbaticals and special leave of 3 weeks+
• Free flu jabs
• Clarion’s Mindfulness Hour
Location
Clarion is based in Southwark on a WPP ‘campus’ location, Rose Court, part a hub of Ad, Digital and PR agencies with river views and rooftop bar!
The Package
As well as a competitive salary depending on experience, you will receive many other great benefits working with Clarion. Owned by WPP, our benefits include contributory pension scheme, life assurance, access to Bupa private healthcare, 22+ days holiday (plus a day off for your birthday), seasonal shutdown between Christmas and New Year and a multitude of WPP discounts across hundreds of brands including Apple and Majestic.
In addition, personal development programs include a mentoring scheme for all employees as well as the Clarion Academy training, a newly introduced initiative - reverse mentoring and 360 personal reviews.
We’ve also partnered with Lifework’s, the UK’s leading Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) provider to bring all our staff access to their Lifestyle platform. They not only provide traditional EAP support such as chat support and counselling via the phone 24/7/365, but their website and app also provide a huge amount of educational material on topics such as family, health and money.
Additional Information
Recruitment Policy
All employment decisions must reflect our (WPP’s) Human Rights Policy Statement. We respect the human rights of all employees, including permanent, temporary and contract workers. We select and promote our people on the basis of their qualifications and merit, encouraging diversity. We expect all employees to be treated without discrimination or concern for factors such as race, religion, national origin, colour, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age or disability. We seek to provide safe workplaces. We recognise the rights of our employees to freedom of association and collective bargaining. We will not tolerate harassment or any form of forced, compulsory or child labour.
Clarion Communications is committed to enabling working parents to balance their work and family commitments.
Diversity & Equality Mission Statement
Diversity is a strength.
Companies that are diverse in age, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, ethnicity, and perspective are proven to be better companies. This belief is at the heart of who we want to be.
We invest in training, consult with communities and clients and constantly review our creative approach to ensure diversity and equality is a part of our DNA. We also utilise WPP training resources, tackling subjects such as unconscious bias, cultural awareness and gender equality to ensure that every one of our employees is an ally.