Senior Associate - Consumer

We create cultural value and help brands navigate the ever-changing age of earned: an age where consumers actively say no to advertising; an age where everyone is an influencer that can make or break your brand; an age where content can be turned into commercial opportunity. Our talented team builds brands by finding connection points in the real world. We energise the right mix of talent, using the right platforms and latest technology to choreograph stories that make a real and meaningful impact for some of the world’s leading brands and businesses e.g. HSBC, IKEA and Unilever to name a few.

We earn affection, attention, affinity and purchase by delivering value to people around the world, with deep specialisms across food & drink, travel & tourism, retail, consumer tech, and consumer health. We are known for:

• Developing data driven insights and strategies to drive measurable impact
• Generating impactful campaigns that tap into culture
• Creating channel and platform agnostic campaigns that grow organically
• Delivering integrated campaigns that are earned-first but deliver for paid and owned

A snapshot of the role:

Join our dynamic team where innovation meets expertise. Weber Shandwick Manchester is seeking an engaged and driven Senior Associate to join our talented team and play a key role in delivering exceptional work for some of our most exciting clients, spanning both global and local markets. The ideal candidate will have two to three years of experience and embody qualities that are curious, ambitious, proactive, and collaborative. This role offers the chance to work with a portfolio of diverse, renowned brands on integrated campaigns that bring together expertise in earned media, strategy, creative, analytics, and digital innovation. You’ll oversee the day-to-day management of accounts, contribute to strategic campaign and media planning, and ensure the seamless execution of activities — from content creation and media outreach to reporting and analysis.

We are proud to partner with the world’s most influential corporations, companies, and organisations. This role offers you the opportunity to do the same — working with some of the biggest and most impactful clients on a global stage.

What you’ll be doing:

• Assist with the execution of media and campaigns, ensuring tasks are completed on time and to a high standard
• Provide support in the day-to-day running of accounts, including preparing materials such as media lists, status updates, conducting media monitoring and compiling reports
• Contribute to strong client support and engagement, helping the team deliver an exceptional client experience
• Actively monitor news, trends, and influencers, and share relevant insights that align with your clients’ goals
• Support the preparation of new business pitches, including conducting research and creating presentation materials

Ideal experience required:

• A minimum of two years’ experience in Consumer PR or marketing
• A news hound with an interest in brand and consumer communications and news
• Proficiency in both media relations, pitching news stories and landing coverage
• Mastery in developing media materials including press releases, key message documents, pitches, social media content, etc.
• Solid presentation skills and a desire and experience being involved in new business pitching
• Be an excellent communicator and possess strong writing skills, particularly the ability to digest complex information and turn it into compelling, understandable content
• A proactive approach to identifying opportunities for the client, practice and team
• Attentive to detail and quality
• Fluency in Microsoft programs and digital/social media platforms, tools and solutions

Core Benefits:

• Private medical insurance
• Group life assurance
• Group income protection
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Buy or sell holiday
• Additional life assurance cover
• Critical illness insurance
• Travel insurance
• Health screening
• Cycle to work scheme
• Health cash plan
• Flexible working with our 3:2 hybrid work model
• Equivalent of $250 USD for new joiners on 6 month + contract to support home working setup
• 25 days’ annual leave (in addition to public holidays) plus 2 volunteering days, birthday day off work and discretionary festive closure
• Flexible public holidays
• Sweets and snacks in the office
• Exclusive shopping discounts and perks
• Season ticket loan
• Long service bonus
• Enhanced family leave
• Inclusive and invisible health policies

The office:

We encourage employees to spend 2-3 days in the office each week, with Tuesday and Thursday as our traditional anchor days where the majority of the team will be in. It’s a great time to join as at the end of this month, we will be moving to a brand new office space set in the heart of Spinningfields, offering the perfect place to collaborate, be creative, get your head down and spend time with your colleagues. It includes:

• A beautiful residential office in a vibrant co-working space
• A plethora of work spaces – from break out areas, to small meeting rooms to beautiful board rooms – and even a studio
• An on-site gym, coffee shop, an award-winning bar, bike storage, coworking community and member events
• Take advantage of our fully stocked in-office drinks fridge
• Plenty of great food and shopping options nearby means you are spoilt for choice
• Our UK network means there is often the chance to visit our offices in London, Glasgow and Edinburgh as/when needed

Note from the Talent Team:

We appreciate the time it takes to apply for the role and your recent interest in Weber Shandwick. We will review all applications within five working days and will be in touch with those who have been shortlisted to the next stage. Unfortunately, due to volume, we are not able to get back to everyone individually, so if you have not heard back from us, you have not been successful on this occasion and we wish you all the best in your search.

At IPG DXTRA we are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.

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We make our careers website accessible to any and all users. If you need an accommodation to participate in the application process, please contact us at JobAppAccommodation@ipgdxtra.com. This email address is strictly for applicants who require special assistance accessing our employment website. Due to volume, messages sent to this email address that are not related to an accommodation cannot be answered.

What’s happening next?

We are looking to appoint an experienced, ambitious and energetic Vice President (Associate Director) to join the leadership team within our Consumer practice in Manchester. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a successful team and take the next step up in your career at an award-winning global agency.

To be successful in this role you will be highly organised and an excellent communicator. You will have a natural motivation to deliver award-winning creative work that is original, thought-provoking and conversation starting. Alongside this, your strong leadership skills will help to develop talent within the team, delivering quality work that sets industry benchmarks. In this role, you must be able to demonstrate how you create exciting, ground-breaking consumer PR and social ideas to deliver outstanding results.

As a Vice President, you will have a proven track record of overall responsibility for managing a large team and budget, the ability to be one step ahead, to plan and anticipate, as well as having a great eye for detail. A key requirement for this role will be your ability to build strong client relationships and drive new business. You will be responsible for working closely with clients and account teams to lead strategic planning and overseeing innovative communication campaigns.

What will you be doing?

• Responsible for strategy development, campaign development and implementation
• Day to day senior client counsel
• Successfully manages client expectations, team resources, and deliverables around major campaigns and projects
• Experience of working on integrated campaigns and across interagency teams
• Financial responsibility: monthly planning and reconciliation
• Team leadership, coaching and developing talent

Who are you?

• Extensive Consumer PR experience to at least Account Director / Senior Account Director level, gained within an agency
• Strong senior client counsel/internal stakeholder counsel experience, strategic communications and business development experience
• Proven writing experience that is adaptable across channels
• Strategic, multichannel experience – ability to understand audiences and plan campaigns
• International experience is highly desirable
• Ability to manage a team – strong leadership and management skills are essential
• Crisis communications/issues management experience
• Passionate about storytelling and developing original and compelling content for clients
• Strong interest and POV on the changing landscape of PR and how people learn about and engage with brands