PR Manager

Job Code: 30295/SC

Practice Area: Client Development

Recruitment Partner: Sarah Curran


Office: Manchester

We are one of Europe's most innovative Law firms as voted by the Financial Times.

We have won numerous awards, including being independently ranked as 1 of the top employers for working families, as well as being in the top 2 law firms for employee satisfaction.

With offices nationwide and overseas, we are growing and are looking for top talent to come on board and be part of our success.

Main function of job:

Leading legal business DWF is looking to recruit a talented and motivated PR Manager. This is an exciting opportunity to join an ambitious in-house PR team which has quickly built a strong track record for delivering results.

The PR team has a clear purpose which is to build and protect the firm's reputation and brand profile through effective media engagement and communication of the firm's key messages in support of DWF's strategic objectives. Working closely with the Senior Communications Manager and the PR Executive, the PR Manager role is highly varied and hands-on, with media relations at its heart.

This is a broad-reaching role encompassing the full gamut of press office activity and requiring the PR Manager to take a leading role in the delivery of PR, awards programmes and surveys. As well as extensive communication with external stakeholders, the PR Manager will need to work collaboratively with all internal stakeholders, providing expert strategic and tactical PR counsel.

The PR Manager needs to be confident in managing the media relations programme for the business, liaising with our PR agencies as well as having specific personal responsibility for a few sectors, which will involve proactively finding news stories and pitching partners to the press as commentators.

In addition, the PR Manager will be involved in a range of firm wide projects and initiatives, and support crisis communications if needed. The role balances a fast paced new agenda, with longer term projects.

The successful candidate will have excellent written and oral communication skills in order to effectively engage with both internal and external stakeholders. Time and project management skills are essential as this is a fast-paced team with a broad remit so the successful candidate will have the ability to juggle various different activities and multiple demands on their time. The ideal candidate will be able to hit the ground running, supporting both day-to-day activity and a number of high profile projects. Strong media relations experience is the fundamental part of this role.

The successful candidate will have strong experience in B2B PR, either with an agency background or in house. Experience working within the professional services sector is preferred by not essential. Some travel to other locations on an ad-hoc basis will be required to meet with journalists, agencies and other people across DWF's business.

Relationships:

• Responsible to: Danniella Zentar, Senior Communications Manager
• Liaison with: The PR team, the team's PR Agencies, the wider client development team, and people across the business.

PR

• Ensure the successful delivery of DWF's planned programmes of PR activity
• Oversee the day to day work of the firm's PR agencies
• Scope, design and implement ad-hoc PR projects to support the firm's objectives such as thought leadership campaigns or for reactive issues
• Maintain and develop strong positive relations with key media contacts
• Support and attend media briefings
• Review and edit materials produced by the PR Executive
• Draft and edit comment, news releases, bylined articles and other press materials
• Research media opportunities and draft media pitches
• Responsible for the delivery of the PR plan of several sector groups

Awards

• Draft compelling award submissions

Surveys

• Produce considered responses to a broad range of surveys encompassing information about the firm's financials, people and operational management, diversity and CSR activities, amongst others.
• Liaise with people across the business to deliver as well as with the survey owners to secure the best results.

Partner on-boarding

• Oversee the PR Exec as they lead on communicating our new partner hires, working with internal comms, and digital and senior stakeholders as well as drafting press releases and issuing appointment news to the media

The above is not an exhaustive list of duties and you will be expected to perform different tasks as necessitated by the overall business objectives of the firm.

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at DWF

Nurturing talent is very important to us. We are committed to equal opportunities in all areas of work and business. We want people to achieve their best, which will positively impact on our clients and communities in which we live and work. At DWF we empower people to be themselves within an inclusive and supportive environment, enabling everyone to achieve their full potential in line with their abilities and career aspirations.

Disability Support

As an inclusive employer, DWF wants to see every candidate performing at their best. Please log in to Clear Talents at to tell us what reasonable adjustments you may need and to discover how we might improve your recruitment experience, examples of reasonable adjustments could include: additional time for exercises, a hearing induction loop, a request for information in an alternative format. DWF are committed to an ongoing programme of improvements to provide access to all.

To apply, please click 'apply now' and provide the job reference number: 30295/SC.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to email Sarah Curran on .

No agency CVs will be accepted unless formally instructed on this specific role by the Recruitment Team.