Professional Training Manager in London

About Us

PA Media Academy is part of PA Media, the UK’s national news agency, which provides 24/7 coverage to every major news outlet in the country. With more than 150 years of trusted journalism behind us, we sit at the heart of media reporting and storytelling across the UK and Ireland. PA Media Academy builds on this heritage by delivering high-quality communications courses and workshops for working professionals’ journalism diploma courses and training for apprentices in journalism, communications, digital media and related roles. We’re known for our practical, industry-focused approach and our commitment to developing talent at every stage of a media career.

It’s an exciting time to join us. The Academy has just moved into a new, bespoke training centre and office at 2 Redman Place in Stratford, East London, overlooking the Olympic Park. It’s a space designed around the future of the Academy and our ambitions to grow. This is a hybrid role, with three days a week based in our Stratford office, alongside some travel to our Paddington office.

About the Role

We’re looking for a Professional Training Manager to lead and grow PA Media Academy’s professional training business. This is a role for someone who knows the media and communications industries inside out. You’ll understand the skills organisations need right now, as well as over the coming years as these industries adapt and change. You’ll have the credibility and network to turn that insight into high-quality, commercially successful training.

Working closely with our Business Development Manager and wider Academy team, you’ll identify opportunities, develop new courses and disciplines, build relationships with clients and partners and help grow existing accounts. You’ll have real ownership of the professional training portfolio – combining industry expertise, commercial thinking and a passion for developing people.

This is a part-time opportunity, 30 hours per week. Ideally this would be Monday to Thursday but we are happy to discuss options.

How you’ll contribute:

• Lead the growth of our Professional Training business, helping us achieve revenue and margin targets.
• Use your media and communications expertise, network and market insight to identify new training opportunities and partnerships.
• Keep our training portfolio relevant, high-quality and responsive to changing industry needs.
• Identify and introduce new courses and training disciplines.
• Commission courses from internal experts and freelance tutors, providing clear briefs and support.
• Build strong, lasting relationships with clients and identify opportunities to retain and grow existing accounts.
• Work closely with our Business Development Manager to identify prospective clients and new business opportunities.
• Partner with Marketing to showcase our professional training offer and strengthen the Academy’s profile.
• Share your expertise through thought leadership, industry events, professional networks and content.
• Collaborate across the Academy and wider PA to share knowledge, expertise and opportunities.

About You

You’ll bring significant experience from working in the journalism and communications industries, giving you the insight and credibility to understand what clients need and where the market is heading. You’ll be commercially-minded and entrepreneurial and will care about quality of delivery and client satisfaction. You’ll enjoy building relationships, connecting people and turning identified skills needs and new ideas into training that makes a genuine difference.

We’re looking for someone who has:

• Significant experience as a journalist.
• Significant experience working in communications, either in-house or agency-side.
• Strong knowledge of, and contacts across, the media and communications industries.
• A good understanding of the current and emerging skills needs within these sectors.
• The confidence and credibility to pitch ideas and solutions to clients and prospects.
• An entrepreneurial mindset and the ability to take ownership of and grow a business area.
• A collaborative, proactive approach to developing both new and existing client relationships.
• Excellent communication, organisation and project management skills.
• The confidence to brief, commission and work effectively with internal experts and freelance tutors.
• Strong Microsoft Office skills, especially Excel and PowerPoint.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary plus 10% annual bonus.
• Hybrid working, with three days a week in our new Stratford training centre and office.
• 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays (pro-rata for a 30-hour per week contract).
• Holiday purchase scheme.
• Annual Wellbeing Day and paid volunteering time.
• Access to BUPA Health Cash Plan.
• Life assurance at 4x salary.

PA Media Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Safer recruitment practices and pre-employment checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. This post is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and satisfactory references.