Portland is a strategic communications consultancy trusted by some of the highest profile organizations, brands, governments, and individuals in the UK and around the world. We have global offices in London, Paris, Brussels, Washington DC, Singapore, Doha and Nairobi and Berlin.

We are pioneers in integrated communications campaigns, helping clients manage their reputation, improve their visibility and media coverage – and deliver global communications campaigns across multiple platforms.

Our teams of experienced consultants invest time to understand clients from the inside out, work with them to set clear strategic direction, and then bring the whole of Portland’s abilities to bear to deliver on their objectives.

At Portland we never rest on our laurels; we constantly strive to improve our work and be at the forefront of our industry.

The Role

Portland is seeking a Senior Consultant (Account Director) to join the management team in our Corporate Communications practice in London. You will lead a number of big-name client accounts, advising on corporate communications and crisis management.

You will be an expert in your field, with the ability to develop and deliver impactful communications strategies and campaigns, generating excellent results and giving strong strategic direction to your team and clients. You will have experience holding the pen on new business briefs and bringing together the right people to deliver impactful responses to RFPs.

We are particularly interested to hear from candidates who have experience working with global businesses, given the number of large corporates we currently advise. Retail, FMCG and experience in the sustainability space is a plus.

Through your line management responsibilities and on-the-job training, you will be expected to help develop the skills and expertise of more junior colleagues, and cultivate a culture of continuous learning.

Ideally, you will have at least six years’ experience, gained in an agency environment or a busy in-house team. You must be proactive, creative and detail driven.

While we are always on the lookout for great talent from other industries, on this occasion we are looking for an experienced communications practitioner.

Key responsibilities

• Lead some of our large corporate retainers
• Support the new business effort across the portfolio – this could be integrated or discipline-specific briefs (e.g. FMCG, entertainment etc)
• Provide senior counsel and strategic advice to clients
• Lead in the development of creative communications strategies for diverse clients and issues, ensuring their successful delivery
• Orchestrate and drive large and complex pieces of client work, ultimately developing a portfolio of around £1m per annum
• Support the growth and development of the team through high quality line management of junior members of the team, identifying growth opportunities and taking an active role in marketing activities
• Build internal and external networks with colleagues, opinion leaders, journalists, professional associations, online influencers and other relevant third-parties

Person Specification

You must:

• Be ambitious and enjoy working with fiercely intelligent people in a growing consultancy
• Be a commercial self-starter with an agency background, or have extensive experience working in an in-house corporate communications role
• Have significant consultancy and client management experience and proven ability to build relationships
• Have strong knowledge of, and interest in, the UK communications and political landscape
• Have proven experience of leading high-profile accounts and used to managing large accounts
• Have the credibility to earn the respect of peers and team members. The gravitas to operate at the most senior level

What we offer in return:

We are committed to employee development and have an open doors culture where you will have the opportunity to learn from some of the most experienced people in the business. We regularly reward and promote success, and actively encourage staff to take on new challenges and responsibilities to aid progression

Our remuneration package also includes our competitive pension contributions, private healthcare life assurance cover, company contribution to gym membership, wellbeing workshops and activities, company parties, lunch contribution each week and much, much more!

At Portland we take a flexible approach to work and encourage our colleagues to do the same. All our roles are open to flexible working requests and we will consider all options during our recruitment process. This includes but is not limited to: flexible hours, home working, compressed hours and job sharing.

In addition, every permanent member of staff that works at Portland is eligible for our annual profit share. When Portland thrives, all of our people share in that success

Other information

Unfortunately due to the high volume of applications we receive it is not possible to respond directly to all applicants, only to those whose candidacy is being pursued. In addition, the length of the recruitment process varies based on the vacancy needs. Traditionally, the process takes approximately 3-4 weeks. Therefore, your patience is greatly appreciated.