Business Director (PR) in London

MessageSpace is the UK's leading specialist media buying agency for political influence and reputation campaigns. We connect brands with the decision-makers that traditional media agencies cannot reach: parliamentarians, regulators, senior civil servants, C-suite executives, and the advisers who shape policy and markets.

Our client roster includes some of the world's most recognised brands, from Airbnb and McDonald's to EDF, Lloyds, and Visa. We combine exclusive publisher relationships, proprietary Westminster audience research, and a programmatic trading desk with targeted out-of-home, video, and connected TV capabilities. The result is full-spectrum campaigns that demonstrably shift opinion among the audiences that matter most.

We are hiring a Business Director to take ownership of new business development and drive the next phase of MessageSpace's growth. This is a senior commercial role with a clear mandate: bring in new accounts and deepen our market presence in financial services media planning & buying.

You will report directly to the Managing Director and have the autonomy to shape your own pipeline, supported by an Account Manager and Account Executive. The role carries a competitive base salary with a generous, uncapped commission structure.

• Develop and execute a new business strategy that materially increases the number of key accounts across financial services.
• Leverage an established personal network of senior contacts to generate warm introductions and convert them into agency relationships.
• Build and present compelling, insight-led media proposals for B2B and B2G (business-to-government) campaigns spanning digital display, programmatic audio, OOH, print, video, and connected TV.
• Own the full commercial lifecycle from prospecting through to pitch, close, onboarding, and ongoing account growth.
• Meet and exceed quarterly and annual revenue targets for new business.
• Represent the agency at industry events, party conferences, parliamentary receptions, and networking opportunities where business is won.

The non-negotiable: you must have a minimum of 8 years' experience in media sales and/or media planning and buying, with a demonstrable track record of winning and managing significant client accounts. Equally important, you must bring an established, active network of senior industry contacts in financial services, people you can pick up the phone to and generate real opportunities.

Strong understanding of B2B, B2G, and brand campaign strategies, and how media buying fits within a broader influence or public affairs programme.

Track record of successful business development with evidence of pipeline generation, conversion, and account growth.

Strategic thinker with an entrepreneurial mindset and sharp commercial acumen.

Direct experience advising or selling to clients in financial services (asset management, banking, insurance, fintech).

Deep knowledge of the UK media landscape, including national newspapers, specialist political and financial publishers, and the growing role of partisan and digital-first outlets.

Understanding of programmatic advertising, data-driven audience targeting, and how these complement traditional media buying.

Experience operating in or alongside the EU policy landscape.

Competitive base salary plus a generous, uncapped performance-based commission structure delivering total on-target earnings in excess of £100,000 for the right candidate.

Opportunity to build and lead a new business vertical with significant growth potential inside a profitable, well-established agency.

Direct line to the Managing Director and a seat at the table in shaping the agency's commercial strategy.

A platform to work with premium media environments: national newspapers, Politico, the Financial Times, The Spectator, New Statesman, PoliticsHome, and many more.

A small, expert team (no bureaucracy, no committees) with deep domain knowledge in political and financial audience targeting.

Central London office in Victoria, SW1.

We are particularly interested in hearing about specific examples of business you have originated and relationships you have built in financial services or public affairs.