Communications Manager - 12 month FTC

Avison Young; London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job description

Overview

Our Story

Our small Canadian-born business was founded in 1978 and has become a global organization that now spans 120 locations across 20 countries. Our expansion has been rapid, but what matters most is the common belief that drives all 5,000 of our people to be a different type of real estate organization. We believe that the places in which we live, work and play have the power to make us happier and healthier, and we are united by a shared sense of purpose, to have a positive impact on people’s lives. In short, we are a global commercial real estate advisory firm with a simple aim: for real estate to play a leading role in creating vibrant buildings, cities and places that deliver long-lasting social value and economic impact.

Why Work for Us:

We believe that our industry is changing, and we want our business to be a melting pot of curious minds, passionate hearts and strategic intelligence. Your gender, religion and race are all highly respected, but are less important to us than your ability to step up and change the game. We provide you with a place where you can do just that, with like-minded people. Collaboration is embedded in the way we work – our people have the autonomy to collaborate on client relationships, engage teams across the business, lead operations, work collectively on projects, participate in strategy and are ultimately responsible for our growth. Our distinctive Principal-led, privately-owned model puts us in the enviable position of being able to offer every employee the opportunity to own a share of our business and inspires and allows anyone to become a Principal. This role carries voting rights, so our people have a very real say in the future direction and operation of our business. This means that we are able to attract, engage and retain the best talent from the industry.

Responsibilities

We are looking for a Communications Manager on a 12-month contract. The ideal candidate will be able to deliver impactful and compelling external and internal communications campaigns, that speak to our brand and elevate it across the UK.

We are seeking an effective influencer, who is passionate about communications on all levels. They will have a can-do attitude and be a confident self-starter with the ability to partner with key stakeholders to drive results. They will also be quick-thinking and curious, as well as comfortable working autonomously.

Both strategic and tactical, the role requires working with stakeholders to ideate and source information; align messaging, content and channels; and to be the point person for communications enquiries from across the business.

The successful candidate will have the ability to critically assess new ideas and turn these ideas into compelling initiatives that deliver business impact and drive desired behaviours. Being a trusted partner to our senior leaders forms a key part of this role, and will include advising on media, social media and internal communications.

The London-based national role will work closely with the Director of Communications, the wider Marketing and Communications team and leadership teams to deliver company-wide initiatives and projects locally.

Key accountabilities

• Deliver pan-UK external and internal communications campaigns, alongside a strategy and messaging framework, driving employee engagement and collaboration.
• Deliver impactful leadership communications that inform, educate and engage staff.
• Manage and work alongside our partnering communications agencies to ensure our messaging and business objectives are prioritised.
• Work with the Director of Communications to oversee and deliver national events programme including UK Town Halls and leadership days.
• Identify, research, write and publish day-to-day content, including news articles, thought leadership research launches, new appointments and client activity.
• Support internal operational teams on change management projects including technology transformation and HR initiatives.
• Manage existing communications platforms, including our intranet, social media (mainly LinkedIn) and weekly newsletters.
• Work closely with brand team, global comms team, national marketing team and PR agencies to identify opportunities for content development.
• Recognise potential risks and help devise mitigation strategies and plans, working with colleagues across the wider business.
• Support employee connectivity through the strategy, resourcing, and performance of internal communications and engagement platforms, including FirstUp and Microsoft Teams.
• Ensure all corporate messaging aligns with Avison Young’s global brand positioning framework, reinforcing our values and key brand pillars, and maintaining consistency across internal and external communications.
• Lead on creative copywriting that empowers internal and external audiences, owning the storytelling narrative across our key platforms.
• Support Communications Director on group-wide communications campaigns, projects and initiatives.

Qualifications

Desired knowledge, skills and experience

• The ideal candidate will be comfortable interfacing at all levels of the organisation and have a proven track record in understanding business agendas and proactively translating this into high-quality, creative communications that are relevant and engaging.
• 5+ years in external and internal communications, social media and events.
• Good understanding of the trade, national and broadcast media landscape, with a solid track record of media handling.
• Strong project management and organisational skills.
• A strong writer, proactive and independent thinker; natural collaborator, able to think strategically; and able to demonstrate a very high attention to detail.
• Experience storyboarding and delivering video content.
• Proven track record of managing and drafting senior executive and CEO internal communications.
• Confident in giving solid guidance and advice on external and internal communication to business leaders.
• Adept at anticipating and addressing issues and problems that might impact the desired results of communications.
• Ability to edit video with Adobe Rush and utilise Meltwater for media monitoring would be a bonus.

Equal Opportunities

At Avison Young, we’ve always put people at the heart of what we do. In the last few years, we’ve increased the diversity at our board, leadership and Principal levels. Avison Young stands out for our commitment to empowering women. In addition to increasing the number of women on our board and in our leadership ranks, our internal Women’s Network of more than 500 members come together for networking and learning, and advise the business on strategies for promoting access, opportunity and inclusion in our industry. Our global DEI steering committee shapes our strategy to continue to increase industry access for underrepresented groups and accelerating initiatives led by our employee resource groups, including our Women’s Network, Black Professionals and LGBTQ+ groups. In addition to leading global initiatives, the steering committee’s work examines our policies and practices, creating accountability for results and communicating progress to our executive leadership, our clients and our communities. Our culture is underpinned by our approach to diversity, inclusion, and well-being. We are committed to building an inclusive culture that:

• empowers all our employees to thrive,
• reflects all backgrounds and talents,
• allows individuals to be successful and feel a sense of belonging,
• and fosters a workplace that is supported, inclusive and has a strong sense of community between colleagues.

Avison Young is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to treating all its employees and job applicants equitably. This includes implementing deliberate strategies that advance underrepresented communities in commercial real estate careers. As a Disability Confident Employer, we are committed to removing any obstacles to inclusion. If you need any adjustments to support your application or any part of the recruitment process, such as information in alternative formats or special requirements to access our buildings, or you are eligible under the Disability Confident Scheme please contact us at [e-mail] and we will do everything we can to help.

We are committed to inclusion in our hiring processes, and we want to give everyone a chance to show what they can bring to our organisation. If you are not sure that you have all the skills in the person specification, please still apply. We value passion and potential in our employees, so it would be great to hear from you and why you would suit this position. Some of our roles may be remote and some roles may be specific to our offices, but you will need to confirm you have the right to work in the UK.