Senior Communications Manager

SYNOPSIS:

SLR is an international environmental consultancy with almost 900 employees working from over 60 offices in Europe, North America, Australasia, and Africa. Headquartered in the UK, SLR is one of a very small number of truly international specialist environmental consultancies.

It provides global advice and support on a wide range of strategic and site-specific issues to a diverse and growing base of business, regulatory and governmental clients. Key areas of SLR’s business are the energy and mining sector where it is involved with both the oil and gas industry, renewable power including wind, energy from waste, hydropower and biomass, and advises mining companies and funding organisations throughout the world. SLR is also the leading consultant to the private sector waste management industry in the UK and undertakes a significant amount of planning and environmental impact assessment work for major commercial developers.

Internal and external communications are important for our business and, owing to international expansion and business growth; we are looking for an all round marketing professional to take responsibility for this area. This candidate will be the first member of SLR’s dedicated Communications Team and will take on responsibility for the evolution, management and implementation of SLR’s marketing, brand and PR. The successful candidate will report into a Board Director but should also be able to work with a degree of autonomy and independence.

The individual will have both marketing and PR skills and they will have an ability to deliver marketing above and below the line as well as online.. In the PR sphere, we are looking for someone who can work in the financial, corporate and trade fields. They will provide advice and guidance on the roll out of our marketing and brand strategy and will need to be able manage and influence stakeholders at all levels in the UK and across the globe.

They will need to have excellent written and verbal communications skills and it will be critical that they understand the ethos of SLR which is an entrepreneurial, down to earth company that is dynamic, fast growing and has a flat management structure.

Candidates who have already worked in the service sector and with business-to-business experience are particularly welcome. Experience of leading communications through an Initial Public Offering is also desirable but not essential.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and managing SLR’s communications and for ensuring that the brand message is consistent throughout all of the operating companies both internally and externally. This global role will require ongoing liaison with relevant individuals in the different operating companies and will need the individual to facilitate, help, influence and often guide those individuals. The individual will need to both ‘role-up-their sleeves’ and develop strategy.

Specific responsibilities will include;

Brand Management

• ·         Managing and developing the SLR corporate brand and ensuring global consistency.

Public Relations

• ·         Management of ongoing PR issues across the group which includes the liaison and management of external PR agencies located both in the UK and abroad.
• ·         Managing and sourcing potential releases and trade articles from individuals located in SLR’s global operating companies; facilitating interviews with trade and national media.
• ·         Writing and reviewing copy.

 Marketing Materials

• ·         Management of the ongoing development of marketing materials, both hardcopy (such as company brochures, exhibition materials), electronic templates (such as technical datasheets) and facilitating/providing guidance for the in-house production of other materials.
• ·         Managing and developing the production of advertisements.
• ·         Completing appropriate trade surveys and questionnaires following liaison with appropriate senior members of staff.
• ·         Managing the production of SLR’s Annual Report and other corporate documents (as and when required) in liaison with appropriate senior members of staff.
• ·         Writing and reviewing copy.

Management of SLR’s Intranet & Website

• ·         Managing the ongoing development of both intranet and website.
• ·         Managing external contractors and liaising with internal IT resources.
• ·         Managing, guiding and facilitating input from individuals located in SLR’s global operating companies. This will include content such as services and projects as well as articles and profiles.
• ·         Writing and reviewing copy.

Management of External Agencies

• ·         Management of external agencies (e.g. PR, Design), leading procurement processes when required, setting and agreeing budgets, specifying and signing off deliverables, assessing Return On Investment.

Tender Preparation

• ·         Facilitating the collation of corporate information that could be readily made available to SLR staff for tender preparation.
• ·         Developing and increasing the efficiency of SLR Tender preparation.

The individual will be initially supported by a UK-based member of staff who works on communications for part of their working time. There would be opportunities to grow the Communications Team depending upon workloads and the development of the role.

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

REQUIREMENT

DESIRABLE/ESSENTIAL

COMMENTS

TECHNICAL SKILLS / ABILITIES / EXPERIENCE :

Good communication skills

Excellent  written and spoken English

Strategic thinking

Proven capabilities and experience that are relevant to the role

The ability to lead, influence and motivate teams and individuals

Planning & prioritisation skills

Previous experience of working in a B2B service sector

Previous experience of working in an international environment

Experience of leading communications through an Initial Public Offering

Essential

Essential

Essential

Essential

Essential

Essential

Desirable

Desirable

Desirable

EDUCATION / QUALIFICATION / MEMBERSHIP :

Relevant qualification

Membership/Chartered Status with a relevant professional body/institute (CIM)

Desirable

Desirable

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES :

Good interpersonal skills to facilitate contact with colleagues, clients and contractors. A self starter and good team player. Reliable, conscientious, committed and a visionary.

Essential

OTHER:

Full driving licence

The ability to travel within the UK and abroad

Essential

Essential

To apply for this position, please submit your CV together with current salary details to Human Resources: UKcareers@slrconsulting.com

No Agencies Please

SLR Consulting is an equal opportunities employer. For details of our equal opportunities policy please contact a member of our HR team on the above email address.

DATE POSTED: July 2011