Account Manager (Education – PR & Public Affairs)

PLMR Ltd; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Outstanding training

25 days annual leave

Enhanced pension plan

Private healthcare

Gym allowance

Lunch & Learn sessions

Year-round social events

Job summary

PLMR is seeking an Account Manager for its Education Practice in London. You will manage client accounts, develop media strategies, and drive outreach to journalists and political stakeholders across education, health, and skills sectors.

You will build strong client relationships, lead on crisis communications where needed, and grow the practice through new business proposals while mentoring junior teammates.

Qualifications

• Three years minimum in media relations and/or political environments.
• Experience dealing with local, national and digital media for opportunities or crisis situations.
• Ability to build relationships with clients, journalists and political stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day management of client accounts, ensuring high standards and timely delivery.
• Develop press materials, distribute content and conduct stakeholder outreach.
• Identify news hooks and opportunities to raise client profiles across education and policy.
• Manage junior staff and mentor colleagues while delivering client objectives.

Skills

Media relations

Crisis communications

Stakeholder engagement

Client management

Written communications

Verbal communications

CRM software

Tools

CRM software

Job description

Account Manager (Education – PR & Public Affairs)

PLMR is a leading, fast-growing communications agency with a dynamic, vibrant team, which delivers outstanding results for clients every day. We work across a range of core sectors, including education, health and social care, technology, built environment, energy and sustainability, and professional services. We deliver public relations, public affairs, reputation management and digital strategies that play a central role in helping our clients achieve their diverse objectives.

As an Account Manager, you will be a key member of PLMR’s leading Education Practice, providing a high-quality service to clients across the sector from nurseries, schools, and academy trusts, to universities, skills and training providers, trade associations, corporate organisations, start-ups, and charities. To be successful in this role, it is critical that you have a deep passion and interest in both the British media and policy landscape, as well as excellent written and verbal communication skills. As a proud B-Corp, we are also looking for someone who shares our interest in education and delivering social impact for causes that matter.

You will have at least three years’ experience in dealing with local, trade, national and digital media for both positive media opportunities and in the context of crisis communications, and/or have strong political aptitude, with experience or understanding of engaging with political stakeholders and within complex policy environments. You will be able to demonstrate your ability to develop relationships with clients first and foremost, as well as journalists, sector and political stakeholders, and will have a proven track record in consultancy and client management.

In this role you will progress your consultancy skills; overseeing the day to day management of a diverse array of client accounts and maintaining a positive client relationships; understanding the media landscape and identifying proactive and reactive press opportunities, including any potential reputational risks; monitoring political trends; undertaking political and sector outreach, and navigating issues which might impact client activity. You will also further develop your commercial and business skills, upselling to clients and supporting with new business proposals that meet organisations’ aims and objectives. In this role, you will manage relationships with both junior and senior colleagues, ensuring PLMR meets and exceeds client expectations at every level.

You will have excellent written and verbal communication skills, be well organised, highly motivated and able to work under your own initiative. As an account manager, you will be a team player with excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to supervise, motivate and lead colleagues. You will have a proven ability to deliver on commitments, plan workloads, identify issues and find solutions. You will have your own networks within media circles which you will maintain and expand.

The ideal candidate will have the following:

• Experience in an agency or in-house in communications and PR (three years’ minimum)
• Excellent written, presentation and verbal communications skills.
• An understanding and deep interest in the British media and political system. You will have started to build your network of journalists and have knowledge of editors across PLMR’s key sectors.
• Experience with reputation management, including sharing advice as well as preparing comms materials.
• A strong track record of identifying or creating a news hook, resulting in relevant media coverage. You will also have an established network of media contacts, even if outside education.
• Ability to be a self-starter and work on multiple projects with challenging deadlines.
• The ability to write persuasively and convey client messages accurately for different media and audiences.
• Experience with line management (inc. account delegation) and a can-do attitude and a positive, supportive and engaging approach to work.
• Knowledge of the education sector isadvantageous, but not essential.
• A desire to be part of a fun, close-knit and hard working team!

You will engage in a variety of tasks to support PLMR’s Education Practice which may include some or all the following responsibilities:

• Leading the day-to-day management of client accounts, ensuring activity is delivered to a high standard, on time and against agreed objectives. Responsible for maintaining strong and trusted client relationships, working collaboratively with team members, proactively driving programmes forward, coordinating internal teams and workflows, identifying opportunities to maximise impact, and ensuring clients receive a responsive, organised and strategic service.
• Driving and implementing programmes of work for clients, including writing and distributing content for media (press releases, thought-leadership), drafting and stakeholder outreach, preparing briefings and strategies, and delivering and supporting on strategic and crisis communications materials (statements, scripts).
• Developing news angles, stories and pitches to raise awareness of the client’s profile, products and services.
• Drafting engagement materials including direct approaches to political or sector stakeholders in addition to development of compelling campaign materials
• Establishing, building and nurturing strong relationships with clients, key stakeholders, potential new business leads and media contacts (including journalists and industry spokespeople).
• Closely monitoring political and media developments in relevant sectors and consider how this impacts your clients, constantly looking for opportunities to add value or provide advice.
• Leading or playing a key role in client calls and meetings, providing clear and confident updates on key actions and deliverables.
• Managing and mentoring junior members of staff including on client accounts.
• Being involved in identifying new business opportunities, pitching for new business and developing proposals as well as upselling to existing clients.
• Provide leadership on accounts and act as a trusted point of contact for the client.
• Managing live tasks and ensuring deadlines are consistently met, work is delivered to a high standard and is always accurate, including through proactive internal communications, live actions, end of month notes, regular reporting.
• Attending events, seminars, and conferences, and setting up regular meetings with contacts to promote a positive, professional image of PLMR as a market leader and obvious point of call for our services.
• Preparing and delivering internal training, if required as well as presenting in team and company meetings are requested.
• Developing sectoral expertise, particularly in education and skills.

Activities may be subject to amendment over time as the role develops and/or priorities and requirements evolve.

Package:Competitive salary, plus a very attractive range of benefits including: outstanding training, 25 days of annual leave (plus UK Bank Holidays); enhanced pension plan; enhance maternity pay; private healthcare, gym allowance and other employee perks such as Lunch & Learn sessions, year-round sports clubs, and regular social events during and after work. Hybrid working with 3 days in the office (Westminster, London).

At PLMR we are committed to reflecting and representing the diversity of the UK and to equal opportunities in employment. The policies and practices of the agency aim to promote an environment that is free from all forms of unlawful or unfair discrimination and values the diversity and inclusion of all people. At the heart of our policy, we seek to treat people fairly and with dignity and respect. We therefore encourage and welcome applications from people with a diverse variety of backgrounds; age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality, social background, religion and/or belief.

If you require any reasonable adjustments during the application process, please let us know.

Please note, PLMR is unable to offer sponsorshipat this time.