External Communications Executive

Confidential; Belfast City District; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

A&O Shearman Belfast Office is seeking an External Communications Executive to support the firm’s external communications, media relations and campaigns within the Business Development, Marketing and Communications team. The role emphasizes prose, media briefings, and client activations in a professional services setting.

You will monitor media coverage, report on performance, and coordinate across multiple teams to ensure delivery of communications objectives.

Qualifications

• Experience in external communications, media relations, public relations, or corporate communications.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong project management and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Experience using media monitoring and reporting tools such as Meltwater or Signal.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and provide actionable insights.
• A proactive, collaborative approach with excellent stakeholder management skills.
• High levels of accuracy, attention to detail, and professionalism.
• Experience within a professional services, corporate, or legal environment would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Support the planning, delivery, and reporting of external communications activities across key areas of the business.
• Identify opportunities to raise the firm's profile through proactive media engagement.
• Manage media enquiries and coordinate responses with internal stakeholders.
• Draft press releases, media briefings, key messages, and media pitches.
• Coordinate press interviews and maintain media contact lists.
• Monitor, analyse, and report on media coverage and audience insights.
• Provide regular reporting on communications performance and competitor activity.
• Support the management of media monitoring and media relations platforms.
• Support the delivery of external communications campaigns and promotional initiatives.
• Coordinate client success activations and media-related projects.
• Assist with communications relating to partner onboarding and departures.
• Produce reporting and insights to measure the effectiveness of communications activity.
• Support budget tracking and administrative processes within the Communications team.
• Coordinate projects across multiple teams to ensure effective delivery of communications objectives.

Skills

External communications

Media relations

Public relations

Communication skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Data interpretation

Tools

Meltwater

Signal

Job description

We have an exciting opportunity for an External Communications Executive to join our Business Development, Marketing and Communications team, based in A&O Shearman's Belfast Office. Business Development, Marketing and Communications team - Belfast The Business Development, Marketing and Communications team is integral to the setting and achievement of the firm's business objectives, which includes supporting our partners and associates in their pursuit of becoming our clients' trusted advisers, building and maintaining long-lasting, deep institutional client relationships, winning new clients, increasing the visibility of the firm globally, and positioning the firm as the thought leader and most advanced law firm among the global elite law firms. The team works as one team across the globe with very close collaboration between the central teams and roles (such as this one) and professionals supporting offices, practice groups, sectors and clients.

What you will do

Media and Communications

• Support the planning, delivery, and reporting of external communications activities across key areas of the business.
• Identify opportunities to raise the firm's profile through proactive media engagement.
• Manage media enquiries and coordinate responses with internal stakeholders.
• Draft press releases, media briefings, key messages, and media pitches.
• Coordinate press interviews and maintain media contact lists.

Media Performance Management

• Monitor, analyse, and report on media coverage and audience insights.
• Provide regular reporting on communications performance and competitor activity.
• Support the management of media monitoring and media relations platforms.

Project Management

• Support the delivery of external communications campaigns and promotional initiatives.
• Coordinate client success activations and media-related projects.
• Assist with communications relating to partner onboarding and departures.

General Responsibilities

• Produce reporting and insights to measure the effectiveness of communications activity.
• Support budget tracking and administrative processes within the Communications team.
• Coordinate projects across multiple teams to ensure effective delivery of communications objectives.

What you will have

• Experience in external communications, media relations, public relations, or corporate communications.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong project management and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Experience using media monitoring and reporting tools such as Meltwater or Signal.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and provide actionable insights.
• A proactive, collaborative approach with excellent stakeholder management skills.
• High levels of accuracy, attention to detail, and professionalism.
• Experience within a professional services, corporate, or legal environment would be advantageous.

What we can offer you

Should you require additional support at any stage of the recruitment process due to a disability or a health condition, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our recruitment team who will work with you to provide any adjustments as required.

We are an equal opportunities recruiter and do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

NO AGENCIES PLEASE - A&O Shearman does not accept unsolicited CVs. For further information, please see our UK Recruitment Agency Policy and our commitment to direct sourcing here.