At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead public affairs strategies and advise senior clients on political issues.
- Company: Join Hanover, an award-winning communications consultancy with a collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, bonuses, flexible working, and extensive training opportunities.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with excellent career growth and a commitment to diversity.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in public affairs while working with top brands and experts.
- Qualifications: Significant public affairs experience and strong interpersonal skills required.
The predicted salary is between 59400 - 72600 £ per year.
Hanover is an award-winning communications consultancy that advises enterprises, institutions, and individuals on building recognition and enhancing reputation.
From our offices across Europe and the Middle East, we adopt an integrated approach that connects the dots across channels, audiences and issues.
Our collective of smart, curious people think differently and live by a shared mission, purpose, vision, and values.
These shape how we work, not just with our colleagues, but with clients and partners too.
Our mission is to ‘rewire communications for impact’ and harness its transformative power to advocate, trailblaze and make a difference.
We do this by igniting and empowering the potential of every individual within our company, recognizing that each person is a unique spark, capable of creating extraordinary impact.
We believe that by nurturing and harnessing the collective brilliance of our people, we can drive innovation, foster an uncommon work culture, and make a positive difference to society.
Embracing the complete range of skills and services across the communications spectrum without constraint, we create the best outcomes for our clients and deliver world‑class work.
Hanover is looking for an experienced public affairs professional to join our growing Advocacy team in London.
The successful candidate will be a senior member of our market‑leading public affairs practice and will have the opportunity to lead account teams, advise senior clients, contribute to new business activity and shape team management.
The successful candidate will join our award‑winning, market‑leading, public affairs practice, working with a team of political specialists to advise some of the world's biggest brands on UK political and regulatory issues.
We’re particularly keen to hear from candidates with prior agency or in‑house experience and a passion for one or a mix of our key sectors, including Financial Services, Creative Industries and Energy.
Hanover is one of the UK’s leading communications consultancies.
Our consultants work in a fast‑paced, rapidly evolving environment, and are equally comfortable in the office, at a pitch or at a networking event.
We also enjoy being an extension of our clients' in‑house teams.
- Primary Responsibilities
- Act as a trusted adviser to senior clients, developing strong relationships and providing strategic counsel on political, policy and regulatory issues
- Lead the development of effective public affairs strategies, translating complex political and regulatory developments into clear, actionable recommendations for clients
- Lead client meetings and oversee the delivery of high‑quality presentations
- Maintain consistently high standards across client work across multiple accounts
- Mentor and develop junior team members, supporting their performance, progression and professional development
- Lead and project manage new business activity, including proposals and pitching, and identify opportunities to grow existing client relationships
- Build and maintain a strong network of business, policy, political and industry contacts, representing Hanover at relevant events and developing relationships that generate insight and opportunities
- Monitor emerging political, regulatory and industry trends, helping clients anticipate change and positioning Hanover as a source of informed, forward‑looking counsel
- Contribute to Hanover's external profile and thought leadership, including developing relevant content and sharing expertise on key policy and political issues
- Work collaboratively with colleagues across Advocacy and the wider business to deliver integrated communications strategies and share knowledge and best practice
- Take commercial ownership of accounts, including oversight of budgets, team resource and profitability, ensuring work is delivered efficiently and to a high standard
Requirements
- Very strong team-working, collaboration and interpersonal skills
- Significant public affairs experience within a consultancy, government or in‑house team, with experience operating at a senior level.
The ability to manage integrated PA/comms campaigns is preferred.
- A strong policy background in one or more of our key sectors
- Excellent knowledge of and passion for UK politics and the regulatory environment, with a demonstrable understanding of their impact on business objectives
- Strong account and project management skills, with experience overseeing multiple workstreams and maintaining consistently high standards of client delivery
- Demonstrable experience of business development, including pitches, proposals/Rf Ps and identifying opportunities for organic growth and cross‑selling
- Experience mentoring and developing colleagues and providing effective quality control and direction to account teams
- Strong commercial awareness, including an understanding of account budgets, resourcing and profitability
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- An established and growing network of business, policy and/or political contacts
Benefits
- In addition to a competitive salary, your core benefits package will include:
- An annual performance-related bonus plus additional bonus potential linked to recruitment, new business and long service
- 25 days’ annual leave (plus bank holidays)
- Private healthcare and dental insurance
- Travel insurance
- A company pension plan, including 5% employer contribution
- You’ll also have access to a wide range of opportunities and initiatives, including:
- Flexible working policies, plus eligibility to apply for a sabbatical after 2 years’ service
- Summer Fridays finish (3pm) – early Friday finish the rest of the year (4pm)
- The Hanover Academy, which incorporates training, coaching, mentoring and reverse‑mentoring opportunities to support personal development and career progression across all levels, with a generous training budget
- International secondments as well as the opportunity to collaborate with all offices across the AVENIR GLOBAL’s network
- A wellbeing programme, featuring (but not limited to) pre- and post‑maternity leave coaching, a working parents’ group, subsidised gym membership
- Our Culture Club, with a robust social calendar all year round and CSR activity
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement +
Hanover Communications is an equal opportunities employer, committed to creating and ensuring a fair, inclusive, and diverse work environment where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity.
We believe that equality and diversity are essential to high performance and a thriving culture.
We maintain a strict no‑tolerance stance against any form of discrimination and harassment, ensuring all individuals are treated equitably, irrespective of their race, ethnicity, religion, beliefs, age, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, marital or pregnancy status, genetic background, or any other attribute safeguarded under our company policies or federal, state or local laws and legislation.
We want to ensure that our hiring process is accessible.
If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please send an email to recruitment@hanovercomms. com with the nature of your request.
We are committed to transparency about how we collect and use your data, including ensuring we comply with legal obligations relating to data protection.
You can view our data privacy policy here.
Hanover is part of AVENIR GLOBAL’s powerhouse of specialist communications consultancies across EMEA and North America.
Collectively we rank among the top 15 largest communication firms in the world.
Find out more about Hanover and working for us.
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Senior Account Director | Public Affairs | London employer: The Hanover Insurance Group
At Hanover, we pride ourselves on being an award-winning communications consultancy that fosters a dynamic and inclusive work culture in the heart of London. As an Account Director in our Healthcare Communications team, you will not only lead impactful projects for prestigious clients but also benefit from extensive professional development opportunities through our Hanover Academy, flexible working policies, and a supportive environment that champions diversity and innovation. Join us to make a meaningful difference in healthcare while enjoying a competitive benefits package and a vibrant social calendar.
Contact Details:
The Hanover Insurance Group Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Account Director | Public Affairs | London
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We think you need these skills to ace Senior Account Director | Public Affairs | London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Get Your Story Straight:In public relations, storytelling is everything! Make sure your CV highlights your experience in crafting compelling narratives and managing media relations. Share specific examples of campaigns you've worked on, and don’t forget to include any press coverage you've generated—it's impressive proof of your skills!
Show Off Your Communication Skills:Since PR is all about communication, we want to see your best writing samples. Include pieces like press releases, blog posts, or social media content that you've created. This gives us a taste of your voice and your ability to convey messages clearly and effectively, which is crucial for a role in this field.
Tailor Your Cover Letter:Your cover letter should be more than just a recap of your CV; it’s your chance to shine! Emphasise why PR excites you and how your background fits with the mission of The Hanover Insurance Group. Show us that you’ve done your homework and speak to why you’re passionate about the work we do.
Connect the Dots:When you’re writing your application, think about how your past experiences link to the responsibilities of the role. Mention any internships, volunteer work, or projects that involved public speaking, event planning, or strategic communication. This will help us see how you can seamlessly bring your skills into a full-time position at The Hanover Insurance Group.
How to prepare for a job interview at The Hanover Insurance Group
✨Master the Art of Storytelling
In public relations, storytelling is key. We should prepare compelling narratives about past campaigns or projects we’ve worked on. Think about how we can illustrate our impact and creativity in those stories—be ready to discuss specific examples that showcase our skills in managing media relationships and crafting messages.
✨Know Your PR Tools Inside Out
Familiarity with PR tools like Cision or Meltwater is crucial. We need to be able to discuss how we’ve used these tools in past roles or projects. If we've worked on media lists, press releases, or analytics reports, let’s have those experiences ready to share along with metrics we’ve achieved to back up our claims.
✨Stay Current with Industry Trends
We’ve got to stay sharp on the latest trends and events impacting the public relations field. Having a few insights ready about recent campaigns or shifts in media landscapes can show that we’re engaged and knowledgeable. This will also help us make connections between our experiences and the current state of the industry.
✨Showcase Our Versatility
As full-time PR professionals, we need to demonstrate our adaptability. Be ready to talk about how we've handled challenging situations, managed crises, or adapted strategies on the fly. Employers will appreciate our ability to pivot and find solutions under pressure, so let’s have those scenarios at our fingertips to discuss.
