Job Specification: Senior Consultant – Corporate Communications
Brown O’Connor Communications - CIPR Northern Ireland Small Consultancy of the Year 2021/2022
Position: Senior Consultant
Experience: Min 5 years (1-2 years management experience essential)
Area: Corporate / Business Communications
Salary: £40k - £50k (Dependent on Experience)
Based: Adelaide Street, Belfast City Centre
The Person
Brown O’Connor Communications, the CIPR Northern Ireland Small Consultancy of the Year, is seeking a talented and ambitious Senior Consultant to join the team in the area of Corporate Communications.
This is an exciting and demanding role within a leading consultancy and requires a resilient individual with demonstrable client management and leadership ability.
You may be already working in corporate communications in an agency; as an in-house communications manager; in politics; or as journalist.
You will have a deep professional interest in business, the media and politics and have a detailed understanding of the role that media relations, public affairs, and stakeholder relations plays.
You will also have the skill and determination to secure front-page coverage, driving forward some of the most important and exciting business and corporate stories in Northern Ireland and beyond.
About Brown O’Connor Communications
CIPR Consultancy of the Year Judging Panel – “the agency may be relatively young, but it’s building a stellar client list”
Brown O’Connor is an ambitious and trusted public affairs led communications consultancy based in Belfast City Centre. We help our clients gain impact and outcomes through specialist insight and influence with editors, ministers, and commercial decision makers.
We have a track record for managing and delivering complex communications programmes for some of the UK and Ireland’s leading businesses, professional services, charities, trade bodies, interest groups and public-sector organisations.
Our central office is based in Belfast City Centre managing clients based in Northern Ireland, GB, Republic of Ireland and the US.
We are highly regarded for our specialist Public Affairs and Corporate Communications services which includes Crisis Communications, Property and Planning Communications, Litigation Communications, Event Management, Political Monitoring and Communication Strategy Development.
Senior Consultant Role Specification
Strategic Counsel
Proven client handling skills with experience in managing large accounts, providing proactive strategic advice and great ideas.
Ability to manage a high level of client interaction and be able to design and implement strategies.
Day to Day Delivery
Proven ability to work in a fast paced, often pressurised, outcome orientated environment.
Write strong editorial content on behalf of clients including press releases, opinion/platform pieces and blogs and ensure coverage across a range of media outlets.
Manage an entire range of suppliers such as photographers, graphic designers, videographers, economists and sectoral experts integral to the successful delivery of client activity campaigns.
Be able to create engaging social media content across multiple platforms.
Forward plan to ensure smooth running of client campaigns on time, and within budget.
New Business Development
Take a leading role in new business development and organic growth opportunities alongside company directors and be comfortable in pitching and proposal development.
Management of successful tender writing from start to submission.
Experience in converting new business opportunities.
People Management
Line management duties with wider members of team.
Understanding of team utilisation and requirement to work efficiently and profitably.
Manage team members on client accounts to ensure work is carried out successfully and within allocated budgets.
Work as a team player with Brown O’Connor colleagues to ensure success across client accounts.
Deliver outcomes for clients and work to raise their profile in the media and with key stakeholders in a positive way.
Criteria
Min 5 years working in the areas of Corporate Communications or within a communications environment (Agency experience preferred).
1-2 years management experience.
Third Level Degree or equivalent in the preferred areas of Communications, Law, Politics, Business, Social Science or Humanities.
Strong writing and editing skills with ability to deliver attention-grabbing media material, client correspondence and reports.
An excellent communicator both written and oral.
Commercially and politically aware.
Outstanding organisational skills and ability to manage multiple projects at the same time.
Strong initiative, leadership skills and work ethic.
Ability to hustle to make things happen.
Willingness to work evenings and weekends as required by client and other activity.
Clean driving licence and access to a car.
Desirable Criteria
Experience in working in a similar communications role in the Republic of Ireland.
How to Apply
To apply, in strict confidence, please send your detailed CV and the completed answers to the three set questions below, by email, to Brown O’Connor Communications at hello@brownoconnor.com by 5pm Friday 29th April 2022. Please state your name and ‘Brown O’Connor SC 2022’ in the subject line.
Application Process
Initial shortlisting
Two stage interview
QUESTION 1: Please outline, with examples, how you meet the Criteria as outlined in the Job Specification (Word Limit 300).
QUESTION 2: Please detail, with examples, your experience of strategic communications development, planning, implementation and the outcomes delivered. (Word Limit 300).
QUESTION 3: Please describe your experience, with examples, of budgetary control and planning and management of staff. (Word Limit 300)
