Associate Director (Corporate Affairs and Politics)) in London

Yonder is the Insight and Transformation Company, delivering confidence in possibility by unifying the breadth of our capabilities. Within our insight practice, our mission is to provide complete decision intelligence for absolute conviction. We support our clients throughout the decision-making process through our high-quality data, elite data science and high value insight, combined with our use of cutting-edge technology to enhance and empower our human advantage.

We are looking for an experienced strategically and commercially-minded Associate Director (AD) to work with us on research and strategy projects for a range of interesting and high-profile public and private sector clients – with a focus on challenges faced by clients in corporate affairs and politics. If you are an Account Manager, Research Manager, Associate Director, Senior Consultant or equivalent with an established track record of delivering strategically-focused client work to the highest standard, and you have a strong interest in current affairs, the defence and aerospace sector, and social/political/economic trends, then we would like to hear from you.

Your skills & experience

• You have been delivering for clients in a strategic, analytical, or research capacity for at least five years, with a focus on helping them understand their audiences and their operating environment and helping them make better decisions – particularly regarding communications, politics and/or corporate strategy.
• You have a broad range of interests – including defence and aerospace, which is a crucial area of our specialism – are curious about how the business world works and follow the current affairs and political trends that influence it.
• You demonstrate outstanding storytelling, written and verbal skills, can be trusted to manage projects independently, and have excellent attention to detail.
• You have experience of leading (smaller) client relationships and are confident in a client facing role.
• You have a solid track record of successful new business development from both existing and new clients.
• You can creatively apply a range of data and intelligence to business challenges and use your initiative to grow, develop and learn.
• You have experience of managing less experienced team members.
• You are keen to make a name for yourself, whether through developing strong client relationships, by establishing a reputation for thought leadership, or by developing your profile through networking.

The role

Yonder helps clients understand reality, define opportunities, and create impact. Consulting, research, design and analytics all play a role in creating that impact, and this role will allow you to bring a range of skills to clients across a variety of sectors.

You will lead the day-to-day management of projects focused on issues relating to clients working in communications, corporate affairs and government relations, thinking creatively to determine the best approach for addressing client challenges. You will analyse qualitative and quantitative data as well as other sources of market intelligence to help advise our clients at a strategic level. The work might utilise public opinion, stakeholder opinion (e.g. politicians, journalists, leaders of influential third sector organisations etc.), big datasets, or other forms of data. You will be responsible for producing intelligent and actionable insights through story-telling and data visualisation.

You will use a range of research and consulting techniques to find answers to our clients’ questions or solve their problems, such as ‘how can I understand and respond to wider political / social / commercial trends?’, ‘how can I best achieve a policy objective?’, ‘how can I build a better reputation that delivers business success?’, ‘how can I run an effective public campaign?’ or ‘how can I better engage with my key stakeholders?’. It is essential that you are able to take the lead in managing projects, taking responsibility for delivering client work to the highest standard. You will lead in designing and conducting these projects, thinking creatively to determine the best approach for addressing client challenges and then managing colleagues and suppliers (where relevant) to produce final reports, presentations and recommendations for the client.

It would be beneficial if you could demonstrate experience of developing products or consistent approaches to solving similar client challenges. Experience in designing and/or interpreting qualitative and quantitative primary research is, therefore, desirable – as is an understanding of polling and how research can inform political communications. Often you will work with directors and partners but you will also be expected to lead projects without close supervision. You will be managing less experienced team members and will be required to oversee and manage their work, giving feedback that helps them improve. You will also have some interest in the other elements of Yonder’s offer, from brand strategy to advanced data analytics and creative campaign execution.

As an Associate Director, you will likely have line management responsibilities, contribute to the development of colleagues through knowledge exchanges, and liaise with others to develop Yonder’s offer – across Corporate Affairs and Politics as well as more generally. At a time when the political world and business world increasingly intertwine, you can contribute to exciting work that can make a real impact for our clients.

What Yonder can offer you

Yonder has a real buzz as we continue to grow. We reward people who help to drive that growth, and the company supports and encourages new ideas which will add value. We offer a competitive salary, 28 days holiday (plus your birthday day off!), a 5% employer pension contribution, life assurance and other benefits like volunteering leave, flexible working and 4pm finishes on Fridays etc.

As we operate a hybrid working model, there will be an expectation to work from our London office two days a week.

Our Values and behaviours

• We Focus: Engage / Express with clarity / Take a view / Be pragmatic
• We Go Further: Challenge the thinking / Be brave (backed by evidence) / Work at the edge/ Celebrate imagination
• We Pursue Brilliance: Discover what matters / Be a yardstick / Show professional integrity / Bring the energy
• We’re In It Together: Connect with authenticity / Be open / Lift yourself by lifting others / Muck in