Account Executive London, England
Job description
Account Executive
London: full time – hybrid
This is a fantastic opportunity to join one of our client communications teams and play a key role the delivery of high calibre, multi-channel communications solutions for our blue-chip client base. This can include annual reports and reviews, sustainability reports, investor relations and employee communications, online reporting centres and wider website content and communications initiatives.
The role is well suited for a highly motivated and ambitious individual with a curious and innovative mind, and a desire to learn about best practice corporate communications. The successful candidate must have a keen eye for detail, exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, creative flair and want to participate in building one of the largest and most successful professional service companies of its kind.
This role is the start of a successful career; it isn’t just a job. Attracting and retaining the right people for our team is an absolute priority for us and we take their career development seriously from day one. You will have access to a full programme of training and plenty of autonomy to develop new skills and contribute ideas. We take every aspect of the work we deliver for clients seriously and we work to maintain the highest possible standards in everything we do for them and for the company. But as well as being passionate about our work, we are supportive, collaborative and positive, always looking to make what we do enjoyable and rewarding.
By joining us you will be working on a hybrid model and have a wonderful opportunity to explore our picturesque offices in Bishops Park, Putney Bridge
Come join us!
Black Sun Global
Across the globe, there is a powerful movement demanding that business focus on purpose, sustainability, and wider value creation. It has never been more important for organisations to build and maintain trust with their key audiences. And that’s where Black Sun come in – we are a partner to some of the biggest brands and businesses worldwide – helping them to build enduring relationships with their stakeholders and spark positive change through better engagement and inspiring communications.
As our world rapidly changes, our focus remains constant. At heart we are storytellers, we define articulate and shape the value creation story, bringing it to life across different channels and communications formats. Our team is made up of over 150 talented specialists working across the UK, Europe, South Africa and Asia – analytical thinkers, renaissance creatives, digital mavericks and inspiring change makers!
For more than twenty years, we have won many awards and recognition for our work – but great work doesn’t happen by magic – join Black Sun and you will become part of an amazing, diverse, and inclusive community – a team of passionate and skilful people who will expand your horizon, energise your talents and ignite that spark of magic within you.
Beyond what you would expect; a competitive salary, great benefits and hybrid working – we will support you in developing the skills and expertise to fast track your career. You will have the opportunity to make a difference every day, shaping the future of communications and creating positive change – and most importantly, to have fun along the way.
The Positive Change Group
Black Sun is the founding agency at the centre of The Positive Change Group. The Positive Change Group is a truly international stakeholder advisory and engagement collective of like-minded specialist agencies with a shared ambition to help bold and visionary businesses Spark Positive Change – to make a deeper impact on society, shape more ethical practices, build inclusive communities and deliver more sustainable performance.
The Group currently consists of four pre-eminent agencies: Black Sun Global, People-Made, Stratton Craig and GoCo. Each agency brings together deep expertise on different aspects of stakeholder advisory and engagement – including brand culture, strategic communications, reporting, ESG advisory, analytics and creative storytelling. Current clients within the Group include major international firms, such as AstraZeneca, Burberry, Diageo, Meta, Olam, Virgin Atlantic and Vodafone.
With headquarters in London, Singapore, and offices worldwide, the group is transforming the way companies engage with their customers, employees, investors, and communities worldwide. As business increasingly recognises that long-term success is dependent on the support and advocacy of their stakeholders – the Positive Change Group is helping their clients to inspire trust, build more positive relations and create sustainable value for the people that matter most to them.
Overview of the role
The core responsibility of the Account Executive is to support the wider team with the delivery of mixed-media projects, provide exemplary client service and contribute to the delivery of internal projects across the business. You will use the tools and resources available to gain an in depth understanding of client businesses as well as market trends in best practice corporate communications.
Some of the key responsibilities in this great role include:
Account Management
Support your team with the day-to-day management of projects by preparing and driving project schedules, ensuring that all internal and external deadlines are met.
Work closely with your team leader to produce core project documentation which will support the management and delivery of projects. Such documentation includes contact reports (key actions and deliverables), project briefs and status reports. You will also support and contribute to communications briefs, page plans and photography briefs.
Manage the author’s corrections (amends) turnaround process, ensuring that all amends are successfully incorporated and recorded to ensure an error-free delivery of projects.
Successfully liaise and co-ordinate with suppliers (including printers and photographers), helping to brief in work and ensuring all external work is submitted in a timely manner.
Continually develop your understanding of how to deliver mixed-media solutions, developing your knowledge of the creative, print, and digital processes, and seeking ways to enhance the current processes and procedures.
Effectively organise meetings and conference calls and maintain orderly filing of all documents and materials held by the team.
Commercial Responsibility
Work closely with your team leader to develop your commercial awareness of Black Sun’s job costing and fee structures
Work closely with your team leader to learn how to effectively manage project budgets by implementing all of Black Sun’s quality assurance and financial processes including creating simple budget proposals, completing regular reconciliations, raising purchase orders for external costs and completing accurate timesheets.
Client Relationship Management
Build strong client relationships with your day-to-day client contacts, regularly attending and participating at client meetings and calls.
Deliver exemplary client services at all times helping to ensure we maintain the current high levels of client satisfaction and exceptional client feedback and continually seeking ways to exceed our clients’ expectations.
New business and client development
Assist your team with delivery of client and new business proposals by conducting research, producing budget proposals, and helping to manage the internal schedule and process.
Research and strategic development
Support internal teams with Black Sun’s research into best practice corporate communications, by conducting research and providing insights which will support the development of Black Sun’s market-leading publications
Continually drive your understanding of our clients’ businesses, the industries they operate in, and trends in best practice corporate communications
Work closely with your team leader to develop your understanding of and begin to be able to articulate Black Sun’s proposition and views on key market insights
Reporting Relationships
Each Client Account Team is led by a Director (also referred to as a team leader), who reports to the Managing Director. The Account Executive will report directly to the Client Director.
The Account Executive will also work closely with the wider Client Account team as well as the Publishing, Creative, Digital, Research & Strategy and Finance teams.
Qualifications, experience & skills:
The successful candidate will hold or have experience in/ with:
A minimum of 2:1 degree, preferably in economics, marketing and communications, business or languages
Ideally some agency or client-side experience within marketing and communications
Excellent writing, editing, proof reading skills are essential
Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential
Exceptional attention to detail
Be fully conversant with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Your personal qualities:
Strong interpersonal and communications skills necessary to build trust and respect both externally and internally
High-quality service ethic and committed to customer service excellence
Ambition to self-improve
Ability to manage many urgent and often conflicting priorities
Strong ‘can do’ attitude with an innate ability to take initiative and work by yourself as well as in a team
Flexibility and team focussed, non-hierarchical approach with a ‘roll up your sleeves’ attitude to getting the job done
A great sense of humour and fun!
Interview process
Phone screening with talent acquisition manager
1st Interview (teams) with hiring manager
2nd interview (f2f) with hiring director and hiring manager (and CEO tbc)
Benefits
In addition to a competitive salary based on skills and experience, as an employee at Black Sun, you will have access to a range of great benefits and perks, including:
25 days holiday per year with ‘bonus’ days for long service
Bonus scheme
Personal development opportunities
Group life assurance
Group personal pension plan
Employee assistance programme
Hybrid working: governed by three fundamental principles: Colleague, Client, and Culture. This means that however you decide to deliver work, you should protect all these 3 C’s. After a period of onboarding, employees can work from home, office and, where applicable, on-site with clients. The number of days is dependent on teams, role, time of year and deliverables.
Employees will have the option to work remotely somewhere other than home for a maximum of 4 weeks per calendar year
Here at Black Sun we pride ourselves on being committed to offering equal opportunities to all potential employees and have zero tolerance for discrimination. We foster a business culture where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best work and be relevant in a rapidly changing world
