News

Bell Yard Kysen Communications is hiring!

Role: Account Director

Bell Yard Kysen Communications (“BYK Comms”) is a highly respected PR agency focusing on reputation management for firms in the legal sector and litigation PR. Its heritage comes from the merger earlier this year of two highly regarded and long-standing agencies in London (Bell Yard Communications and Kysen PR).

The agency has built its name representing recognised law firms and their clients, some of whom are extremely high profile. We have an impressive track record of delivering meaningful media coverage on issues of interest to our clients. We are considered highly trusted communications advisers to the legal community in London and beyond.

In line with our growth plans, BYK Comms is now seeking an experienced Account Director to take responsibility for the day-to-day management of a portfolio of legal client accounts, and to manage those colleagues assigned to them. Reporting to the Board Directors, the successful candidate will be an experienced and trusted adviser to senior lawyers and their clients, often on sensitive, high-profile and fast-moving matters. The role calls for sound judgement under pressure, strong media relationships and the ability to lead and develop a small team within a close-knit, busy agency.  Delivery of targeted client outputs is key to the role.

Duties:

• Client management and counsel: acting as the senior day-to-day contact for clients, including partners, heads of marketing and BD, and their clients; advising on communications strategy for profile-raising work; leading client meetings and calls; anticipating media interest in legal developments, responding to the news agenda as well as developing communications plans, media statements and Q&As; ensuring all advice reflects client confidentiality, legal professional privilege and reporting restrictions.
• Media relations: building and maintaining senior relationships with national news, legal and business journalists; pitching stories, commentary and interviews; managing incoming journalist enquiries on sensitive matters, including out of hours when required; briefing and preparing spokespeople for interviews.
• Content and quality control: drafting and signing off press releases, statements, bylines, thought leadership and client reports; ensuring all work leaving the agency is accurate, legally sensitive and of a consistently high standard.
• Line management: line managing the Account Manager and Account Executive on the accounts, including setting objectives, regular one-to-ones, probation and annual reviews; allocating and prioritising the team’s workload; training and coaching in media relations, writing and client handling; reviewing and improving the team’s work.
• Account and financial management: managing client budgets, retainers and time recording to keep accounts profitable; overseeing coverage evaluation and reporting; identifying opportunities to grow existing client relationships.
• New business and marketing: contributing to pitches, proposals and credentials; identifying new business opportunities where possible; representing BYK Comms at legal sector events; helping to raise the agency’s profile across the legal community.

Requirements:

• Significant experience in reputation management and corporate communications, typically 7+ years, including senior client-facing responsibility within an agency and in legal or professional services.
• A strong understanding of the legal market and how law firms, barristers’ chambers and the courts work, including the sensitivities around reporting on legal proceedings.
• Confidence and gravitas to advise senior lawyers and their clients, and to challenge them where necessary.
• Established relationships with national news, legal and business journalists and a demonstrable track record of securing high-quality coverage.
• Total discretion. The instructions we take on mainly involve highly confidential matters, and keeping such information private is a prerequisite of the job.
• Proven experience of line management and a genuine interest in developing junior colleagues.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to run several demanding matters at once.
• Commercial awareness and experience of managing budgets and client fees.
• Good interpersonal skills, strong resilience and a high EQ.
• The personality to fit into and lead within a small, close-knit, busy team often working on demanding, high-profile projects.
• Excellent written and verbal English, with the ability to draft and edit quickly and accurately under pressure.
• Right to work in the UK.

Terms & Conditions:

• Hours: Full time 35 hours per week, with flexibility required to respond to client needs and breaking news but part-time applicants also considered.
• Starting date: asap
• Location: Central London, in office 3 days per week unless otherwise required.
• Paid holiday leave of 30 days per year (three days of which are required to be taken between Christmas and New Year).
• Probation: Four months.
• Salary: commensurate with experience and hours.
• Pension: inclusion in company pension scheme on successful completion of probation period.
• 2 professional references to be supplied on request.

Applications should take the form of a CV and a short cover letter/email outlining your suitability for the role, to be addressed to Melanie Riley, Managing Director, melanie@bykcomms.com .