Graduate Associate

Publicis Groupe UK; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 17,000 - 22,000; Full time

Job summary

Kekst CNC is offering a ten-month graduate placement in London starting September 2027. As a Graduate Associate you will join our London team, receive varied training, and work with client teams across Corporate, Financial and Digital Communications as well as Public Affairs.

You will gain hands-on experience—from media monitoring and research to drafting social content, press releases and briefing materials—across well-known companies.

Qualifications

• Aspire to pursue a career in strategic communications.
• Passionate about news, current affairs and the media.
• Enjoy working both independently and as part of high-performing teams.
• Excel with strong interpersonal skills.
• Have excellent attention to detail and the ability to deliver high-quality work to tight deadlines.
• Are proactive with a can-do attitude and an ability to manage multiple tasks at a time.
• Have Microsoft Office proficiency with a command of the MS Office package (especially PowerPoint and Excel).
• Are proficient and curious in using AI-powered tools, such as Microsoft Copilot, Claude and other emerging platforms, to enhance research, drafting and problem-solving.
• Are a creative writer with excellent written and spoken English skills. Additional languages would be of benefit e.g. German, French.

Responsibilities

• Monitoring for client coverage and sending daily coverage reports.
• Building relevant media lists for client announcements.
• Research for new business opportunities and supporting teams with new business pitches.
• Research for existing clients e.g. potential media and high-profile speaking opportunities.
• Developing detailed briefing materials for clients e.g. media engagements and meetings with key stakeholders.
• Completing transcripts of client interviews and developing impactful long-form written content.
• Supporting with account administration and attending team meetings.

Skills

Strategic communications interest

News & current affairs passion

Independent work style

Interpersonal skills

Attention to detail

Multitasking

MS Office proficiency

AI tools familiarity

English writing

Foreign language advantage

Tools

PowerPoint

Excel

Microsoft Copilot

Claude

Job description

Company Description

We counsel CEOs, boards, and leadership teams as they seek to grow, transform and protect their businesses. For more than 50 years, companies and institutions have turned to Kekst CNC in high-stakes situations - transactions, transformation, shareholder activism, crises and regulatory scrutiny. In these moments, how a business defines its reputation shapes its future. Our heritage lies at the intersection of strategy, capital markets and reputation. We combine senior counsel, deep insight, critical judgement and rigorous execution so that strategy and communication reinforce each other and drive measurable outcomes.

To support our growing London Office, we are offering competitively paid ten-month graduate placements from September 2027.

Overview

If you are looking for the chance to gain experience in PR and strategic communications, while contributing to an ambitious organisation, then this opportunity is for you. We are looking for multiple proactive, curious and motivated graduates to join our growing London office this September for a ten-month graduate placement.

As a Graduate Associate, you form an important part of our London team. At the beginning you will receive varied training sessions to help you succeed in your role and prepare you for when you start working directly with our client teams. This ten-month program will allow you to gain exposure to a range of well-known companies and industries, as well as hands‑on experience across several disciplines - for example: Corporate, Financial and Digital Communications, as well as Public Affairs. The work varies from media monitoring, new business research projects, drafting content for social media and press releases, tracking parliamentary debates and select committee hearings. This graduate program can be a great stepping-stone towards a career in strategic communications!

Responsibilities

• Monitoring for client coverage and sending daily coverage reports


• Building relevant media lists for client announcements


• Research for new business opportunities and supporting teams with new business pitches


• Research for existing clients e.g. potential media and high‑profile speaking opportunities


• Developing detailed briefing materials for clients e.g. media engagements and meetings with key stakeholders


• Completing transcripts of client interviews and developing impactful long‑form written content


• Supporting with account administration and attending team meetings

Qualifications

• Have an aspiration to pursue a career in strategic communications


• Are passionate about news, current affairs and the media


• Enjoy working both independently and as part of high‑performing teams


• Excel with strong interpersonal skills


• Have excellent attention to detail and the ability to deliver high‑quality work to tight deadlines


• Are proactive with a can‑do attitude and an ability to manage multiple tasks at a time


• Have Microsoft Office proficiency with a command of the MS Office package (especially PowerPoint and Excel)


• Are proficient and curious in using AI-powered tools, such as Microsoft Copilot, Claude and other emerging platforms, to enhance research, drafting and problem‑solving.


• Are a creative writer with excellent written and spoken English skills. Additional languages would be of benefit e.g. German, French


• Have the right to work in the UK - the role is conditional on you having, or obtaining, the right to work in the UK

Additional Information

Kekst CNC offers a dynamic working environment, characterised by the highest level of professionalism, challenging work, a lot of fun and an open corporate culture.

This graduate placement provides a unique opportunity to gain valuable experience in a leading global strategic communications firm. Graduates will gain broad exposure to the company’s accounts and mandates by providing support to a variety of client teams.

Graduates will gain an insight into how their and others’ work contributes to the account and wider business by working closely with colleagues.

In addition to working with and learning from highly experienced advisers, you will have access to extensive in-person and online training throughout the Graduate placement. Finally, an internal mentor will be assigned to each graduate for support and guidance.