Press Office Assistant (Undergraduate Placement Year 2027-28) in Walton-on-Thames

About Us

Kia UK is a leading automotive brand offering one of the industry’s largest range of models across multiple vehicle segments, contributing to it being the fourth most popular UK car brand in 2025. With more than 190 Kia dealerships across the country, Kia is now widely known for its advanced electrified products offering the technology of tomorrow, today.

Kia UK has consistently grown for over 30 years, supported by bold design, quality products and ever-evolving customer service. By 2027, the brand aims to offer no less than nine fully electric vehicles in the UK, a positive step towards becoming a leading global sustainable mobility solutions provider.

People are central to Kia UK and every day is an opportunity to learn something new and to grow personally and professionally. This was recognised with Kia UK named as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces™ 2024, 2025 and 2026 by Great Place To Work®, and also ranked in the 2025 & 2026 Best Workplaces™ for Women, Development, Wellbeing, and Manufacturing, Production & Transportation. Kia employees reported positively on areas such as working atmosphere, trust in management, corporate strategy, pride in working for the company, benefits, facilities and much more!

What will I be doing?

• Supporting the day-to-day running of Kia UK's Press Fleet, including media bookings, vehicle logistics and event coordination
• Delivering your own PR projects and helping maximise the media exposure they receive
• Contributing to press releases, media materials and communications by gathering content from across the business
• Supporting our Head of PR, PR Manager, PR Operations Manager and wider Press Office team to provide a best-in-class service to the UK media
• Monitoring media coverage and producing reports for Kia UK and Kia Europe
• Supporting the planning and delivery of media events, press launches and industry activities, including occasional travel and overnight stays
• Building relationships with journalists, agencies and suppliers, and responding to a wide range of media enquiries
• Supporting the team with reporting, administration and budget tracking to help projects and events run smoothly

Am I right for this?

We're looking for someone with a genuine interest in PR, media and communications, whether you're studying towards or have recently completed a relevant degree such as PR, Journalism, Media, Communications or a similar subject.

You’ll be organised, adaptable and confident communicating with a wide range of people. Strong written communication, attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities will help you succeed in this role, along with a working knowledge of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel.

Most importantly, we’re looking for someone who is curious, proactive and keen to learn. This placement offers the chance to gain hands‑on experience across media relations, events, press fleet operations and communications within one of the UK’s leading automotive brands.

Please note: for this role you will require a driving license as you’ll be required to travel across the country and Europe for events and projects.

The Benefits

• 24 days annual leave + Bank Holidays
• Hybrid working (2 days a week remote working)
• Employee car scheme
• Onsite chef (free lunch every day)
• Private medical care & annual health check
• Private dental care
• Income protection, critical illness protection & life assurance
• Pension with significant employer contribution
• Social events (Christmas Ball, Staff Summer Event and other socials) and weekly sports clubs
• Opportunity to get involved with our charity partners

The Location

The Kia UK Head Office is based in Walton-on-Thames, just a 5 minute walk from the station. We also have plenty of on-site parking for drivers, including EV charging ports.

There is step‑free access throughout the building, but please let us know if you require any additional accessibility support and we will cater to your needs as best we can.

Interview Process

Step 1: CV review

Step 2: Video Interview

Step 3: Assessment Centre at our Head Office in Walton-On-Thames

We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. We understand that every candidate is unique, and we welcome the opportunity to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that all individuals can fully participate in our interview process. If you require any adjustments or support to facilitate your interview, please do not hesitate to reach out to gggregory@kia.co.uk. We are happy to discuss your needs and make arrangements that support your participation to best showcase your skills and qualifications.

At Kia, we are committed to employing the best-qualified people and provide equal opportunity for the advancement of employees including promotion and training and thereby not discriminating against any person because of gender, race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, religion, belief or disability.