Associate Director in London

Edelman is a voice synonymous with trust, reimagining a future where the currency of communication is action. Our culture thrives on three promises: boldness is possibility, empathy is progress, and curiosity is momentum.

At Edelman, we understand diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) transform our colleagues, our company, our clients, and our communities. We are in relentless pursuit of an equitable and inspiring workplace that is respectful of all, reflects and represents the world in which we live, and fosters trust, collaboration and belonging.

We are a leading global communications marketing firm helping businesses and organisations evolve, promote and protect their brands and reputations. We are independent and family owned, giving us the freedom to deliver original thinking and invest in our clients’ long-term success. In the UK, more than 600 colleagues are based in our London office. We create award-winning communications programmes for clients including Microsoft, Unilever, Mars, DP World, eBay, PwC, Nissan, Starbucks, UNFPA, Adidas. Our expertise spans corporate reputation, crisis and risk, technology, health, capital markets, government affairs, research and analytics, energy and consumer communications.

Our Corporate Reputation team is one of the UK’s leading corporate communications consultancies. We help organisations build, protect and strengthen their reputations by combining strategic counsel with integrated communications that deliver measurable commercial impact. Working with some of the world’s most recognised businesses, we advise on complex reputation challenges, integrated media strategy, digital and content, crisis preparedness and response, employee engagement, capital markets, research and analytics and government affairs. Our team of more than 80 consultants includes former journalists, senior in-house communications leaders, government advisers and sector specialists. While we are ambitious in the work we deliver, we are equally proud of our collaborative, supportive and inclusive culture, where people are encouraged to develop, challenge thinking and succeed together.

As an Associate Director, you will lead a portfolio of client relationships, acting as a trusted strategic adviser to senior communications leaders and C-suite executives. You will shape integrated communications strategies, develop high-performing teams and play a significant role in growing both our clients’ businesses and Edelman’s Corporate Reputation practice. You will combine strategic thinking with commercial acumen, ensuring exceptional client delivery while identifying opportunities to innovate, expand relationships and bring the breadth of Edelman’s capabilities to every client challenge.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead a portfolio of Corporate Reputation clients, building trusted, long-term relationships with senior communications leaders and executive stakeholders.
• Provide strategic counsel on complex reputation, corporate communications and business issues, anticipating risks and identifying opportunities before they emerge.
• Shape integrated communications programmes across media relations, digital, social, content, employee engagement, public affairs and corporate positioning.
• Develop compelling strategic narratives, thought leadership programmes and creative campaigns that deliver measurable business outcomes.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams across Edelman’s UK and international network to deliver seamless, integrated client solutions.
• Champion the use of research, data, analytics and AI-enabled approaches to strengthen client counsel, planning and campaign delivery.
• Ensure consistently high-quality work across your client portfolio, maintaining exceptional standards of strategic thinking, creativity and execution.
• Oversee complex programmes, managing resources, budgets, forecasting, profitability and operational delivery to ensure commercial success.
• Identify and convert opportunities for organic growth across existing clients while leading significant new business opportunities, including RFI/RFP responses and pitch presentations.
• Work collaboratively with senior leaders to contribute to the strategic growth and commercial success of the Corporate Reputation practice.
• Mentor, coach and develop colleagues across multiple levels, creating opportunities for learning, progression and capability building.
• Line manage junior colleagues, providing regular coaching, performance feedback and career development support.
• Contribute to recruitment, talent development and resource planning to build high-performing, diverse teams.
• Actively contribute to Edelman’s profile in the market through our intellectual property, including the Edelman Trust Barometer, thought leadership, marketing initiatives and industry events.
• Foster a collaborative culture by sharing knowledge, celebrating success and contributing to practice-wide initiatives that strengthen our ways of working.

About You

You’ll bring a combination of strategic consultancy, commercial thinking and collaborative leadership, with a passion for helping organisations navigate complex reputation challenges.

You’ll have:

• Significant experience in corporate communications, corporate reputation or strategic communications consultancy, advising UK and international organisations.
• A track record of acting as a trusted adviser to senior client stakeholders, providing confident counsel on complex and high-profile reputation issues.
• Experience leading integrated communications programmes across multiple disciplines and markets.
• Strong commercial acumen, with experience managing account profitability, forecasting, budgeting and identifying growth opportunities.
• Experience leading new business opportunities, from identifying prospects through to developing proposals and presenting winning pitches.
• An understanding of how Corporate Reputation connects with Public Affairs, Financial Communications, Employee Engagement, Brand and Consumer Communications.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior decision-makers and build trusted relationships.
• Experience leading and developing high-performing teams, creating an inclusive culture where people can thrive.
• Strong project and operational management skills, balancing quality, efficiency and commercial performance across multiple workstreams.
• Curiosity about emerging communications trends, digital innovation and AI, with an interest in applying new approaches to improve client outcomes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, strategic judgement and attention to detail.
• A collaborative, entrepreneurial mindset with the ambition to help shape the future growth of Edelman’s Corporate Reputation practice.