At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive growth by winning new business and developing client relationships in public affairs.
- Company: Join College Green Group, a dynamic consultancy focused on strategic communications.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, 25 days leave, health insurance, and personal development budget.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with regular team socials and career development opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a senior role with opportunities for innovation and growth.
- Qualifications: 8+ years in public affairs or consultancy, strong commercial acumen, and excellent communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
We are looking for an outstanding commercially focussed candidate to join College Green Group as our new Associate Director (Head of Growth). This is a senior role for an experienced public affairs professional who can help the consultancy grow by winning new business, developing client relationships and identifying new commercial opportunities across public affairs and wider strategic communications.
The ideal candidate will be:
- A senior public affairs professional with 8+ years’ experience in consultancy, politics, business or a relevant strategic communications environment
- A commercially savvy operator with a proven record of winning new business and growing client accounts
- Experienced at selling public affairs, corporate communications or strategic consultancy services
- Well connected, with an existing network of business leaders, investors, founders, corporate affairs directors, trade bodies, political stakeholders, advisers and potential referrers of work
- Confident in selling substantial value retainers, projects, C-suite advice and political engagement programmes
- Highly credible with senior clients and able to provide strategic advice on political, regulatory and reputational issues
- Experienced at writing pitches, proposals, credentials documents and responses to RfPs
- A strong communicator who can turn political insight into compelling commercial propositions
- Entrepreneurial, energetic and comfortable working in a small firm where ideas need to be executed, not just discussed
- Strongly analytical, with financial acumen and proven ability to manage to targets and budgets
- AI-literate with practical experience leveraging tools to streamline workflows, automate routine tasks and enhance productivity
- A team player with previous line management experience, who can work closely with directors, account teams, partners and external advisers to generate growth
Primary duties and capabilities:
- Building and managing a clear new business UK public affairs pipeline
- Identifying, approaching and converting prospective clients across sectors affected by politics, regulation, legislation, public policy and reputational risk
- Creating and delivering a robust annual growth plan, with measurable revenue targets and clear monthly activity
- Creating strong sales materials, proposals, presentations and pitch documents
- Responding to RfPs and helping the firm compete effectively for larger briefs
- Networking with a view to building the College Green Group brand, reputation and relational reach
- Supporting the delivery of integrated public affairs and communications campaigns where senior commercial or strategic input is required
- Delivering results against sales targets
- Helping recruit, train and line manage colleagues
- Any other duties as reasonably required by a member of the Senior Management Team
Core knowledge:
- Excellent understanding of UK politics, Parliament, Whitehall, government departments, regulators and the wider public affairs landscape
- Strong understanding of how political and regulatory risk affects businesses, founders, investors, charities, trade bodies and campaign organisations
- Strong commercial operator with demonstrable experience of selling consultancy services
- Strong working knowledge of public affairs strategy, parliamentary engagement and reputation management
- Understanding of how public affairs, media, digital and corporate communications can work together to deliver client objectives
- Experience of working in a consultancy environment is essential
- Strong working knowledge of Google Docs and other systems and platforms used by CGG
Primary characteristics and behaviours:
- A high level of commercial awareness and personal accountability
- A proven ability to originate revenue-generative ideas and turn them into client work
- Strong evidence of proactivity, including self-generated leads, direct outreach, networking and proposal creation
- A willingness to pick up the phone, follow up opportunities and take responsibility for momentum
- Excellent attention to detail and strong written judgement
- Confidence in senior client conversations and commercial negotiations
- A practical, entrepreneurial mindset suited to a small and growing consultancy
- High standards of professionalism, discretion and integrity
- A collaborative approach and a desire to help colleagues succeed
- Enthusiasm to learn, develop and build new areas of expertise
- Commitment to College Green Group’s values and to being innovative, inspirational and informative
- Willingness to go beyond contracted hours in relevant situations
Competitive salary with the potential for performance-related reward. 25 days annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to 30 days. Working from abroad policy. Unpaid leave policy. Additional personal development budget of £1,000 for ad hoc independent learning unrelated to the requirements of the role. Cycle to work scheme. Health insurance. Enhanced employer pension contributions, matched up to 7%. Employee referral bonus. Regular team socials including team trip away. Sponsorships for applicants not from the UK. CIPR membership. Central London location with cooking facilities. Showering facilities and off-street bike storage.
Associate Director (Head of Growth) employer: College Green Group
At College Green Group, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and collaborative work culture. As the Associate Director (Head of Growth), you will benefit from a competitive salary, generous annual leave, and a personal development budget to enhance your skills. Our central London location offers unique perks such as cooking facilities, bike storage, and regular team socials, making it an inspiring place to grow your career in public affairs and strategic communications.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Associate Director (Head of Growth)
✨Dive Into Corporate Strategy Communities
Get yourself involved in online communities or forums focused on corporate strategy. Places like LinkedIn groups or specific Slack channels can hook you up with industry insights, trends, and many potential job leads. Don't hesitate to share your thoughts or ask questions; it’ll boost your visibility!
✨Attend Industry Conferences and Events
Keep an eye out for corporate strategy conferences or networking events in your area (or online!). These gatherings are gold mines for meeting hiring managers and making impactful connections. Plus, having a few good conversations can lead to job referrals at companies like College Green Group!
✨Showcase Your Strategy Skills
Create content that showcases your knowledge of corporate strategy—think reports, blogs, or even video discussions. Sharing these on platforms like LinkedIn or Medium can demonstrate your expertise and make you stand out to employers looking for fresh talent.
✨Apply Directly Through Our Website
Don’t forget to apply for the Associate Director (Head of Growth) position at College Green Group via our website! This shows your genuine interest, and who knows, you might just land that interview in a matter of days. Keep your application focused on how you can add value to their strategy team.
We think you need these skills to ace Associate Director (Head of Growth)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Us Your Strategic Thinking:When crafting your CV and cover letter, highlight your strategic analysis skills. Focus on past experiences where you've effectively assessed market trends or made impactful recommendations. Evidence-based achievements, like improving processes or contributing to significant projects, will help us see your potential for driving corporate strategy at College Green Group.
Tailor Your Narrative:Don’t just send us a generic application! Personalise your cover letter by connecting your experiences and aspirations to College Green Group’s mission and goals. We love seeing candidates who genuinely understand what we do; share how your vision aligns with ours and what you can bring to the table.
Highlight Relevant Academic Credentials:In your CV, make sure to showcase your academic background, especially if you have qualifications in business, economics, or analytics. We appreciate candidates who can back up their skills with relevant degrees or certifications, so don’t be shy about flaunting those achievements!
Utilise Professional Language:While we want you to be yourself, remember that corporate strategy roles demand a level of professionalism in communication. Use clear and concise language in your application materials, ensuring that your ideas come across as well-structured and sophisticated. It’s all about making a great impression right from the written application stage!
How to prepare for a job interview at College Green Group
✨Master the Numbers
Corporate strategy often involves data analysis and financial forecasting. Brush up on your quantitative skills, and be prepared to handle case studies or numerical problems during the interview. We might get questions about how to approach market trends or assess the performance of a hypothetical company — so practice these scenarios!
✨Know Your Frameworks
Familiarity with strategic frameworks like SWOT, PESTLE, or Porter’s Five Forces can set you apart. We should be ready to discuss how we’d apply these tools to real-world business situations — maybe even relating them to College Green Group. This shows we’re not just theory-happy but can articulate our practical application.
✨Engage in Strategic Conversations
In a full-time role like this, it’s crucial to show that we're engaged and informed about current trends in the industry. Keep up with major news and prepare to discuss how recent developments could impact strategic decisions at College Green Group. This will demonstrate our passion and proactive approach to the field.
✨Showcase Relevant Experience
Whether through internships or projects, we should highlight any experience that relates to corporate strategy. Have specific examples ready to talk about how we’ve contributed to strategic growth or improvements. It's about showcasing our unique journey and how it will bring value to College Green Group.
