Communications Manager

Lewis Silkin works with leading businesses to protect and enhance their most important assets - their ideas, their people, their brand and their future. We call it: Ideas. People. Possibilities.

With offices in London, Oxford, Cardiff, Belfast, Dublin and Hong Kong, we are recognised by clients and industry alike as being distinct for our unique culture, market-leading practice areas, sector focused approach and for providing solutions to complex, multijurisdictional business challenges, with a pragmatic and human touch. We have two things at our core: people — both ours and our clients’— and a focus on creative, tech and innovative businesses.

Our culture is encapsulated by an ethos of bravery and kindness, guided by our values of Integrity, Clarity, Unity and Excellence (our ‘I-CUE’). We aim to provide a supportive environment for our people, clients and wider community and embrace diversity & inclusion, ensuring people are able to bring their full selves to work.

The Business Development & Marketing team is comprised of two teams – Business Development (Sectors and Practices) and Marketing Communications.

The Business Development teams provide a broad range of strategic and day to day marketing and business development support as well as managing a range of cross-practice and firm-wide initiatives.

The Marketing Communications team delivers a range of core firm wide services including digital marketing and brand management, design, marketing tech, events management, marketing data/reporting, internal and external communications.

Working alongside the Co-Directors and the BD&M team the Comms Manager will take a lead role in defining both the Firm’s internal and external communications. This role will drive diverse projects and include initiatives to strengthen the brand of the Firm as well as internally driving engagement across practices and with other offices. The firm is currently going through and exciting period of growth and change and this role will be instrumental in helping communicate the firms brand positioning and culture and values both internally and externally.

This role will have two key aspects 1) leading the Firm’s internal communications activities, and 2) raising the profile of the Firm externally. The split of the role with be approximately 60:40 internal/external.

This role works directly with senior management including the Management Boards, Heads of Functions, Regional Heads and Practice/Sector Group leaders. 

Specific responsibilities include:

• From an external communications perspective the role-holder will be responsible for devising and managing the firm’s PR strategy across jurisdictions, including ownership of the relationships with our retained PR Agencies (including periodic tender processes) and with them ensure the efficient management of media relations across all our jurisdictions, including with the legal, trade and business press, and proactively raising the profile of the Firm, its partners and a broad range of practice / industry groups.
• Together with the BD Managers and Senior Execs develop and implement a comprehensive plan to monitor and manage media relations with the key business/financial and legal press; develop key messages and assist in training designated spokespeople in delivering these messages
• From an internal perspective the role holder will be responsible for elevating the Firm’s internal comms to help articulate the Firm’s developing branding and culture and values.
• The role-holder will take a lead in drafting internal communications ensuring key messages are delivered clearly and concisely, leveraging the appropriate style and communications channels for maximum impact
• Writing speeches/talking points and develop presentation materials for key members of the Management Boards as they communicate internally and externally via Town Halls and other meetings
• Supporting the activation of marketing and thought leadership campaigns both internally and externally, including integration with digital communications channels
• Partner with relevant committees and groups to explore ways to create greater focus on current and planned activities
• Where appropriate, provide leadership and/or support on certain communications initiatives
• Co-ordinating legal and national award submissions and surveys in conjunction with the Firm’s dedicated Award and Survey teams
• Supporting the Co-Directors with handling sensitive issues and crisis communications.
• Stay up-to-date with trends and activities within the legal landscape, for both clients and competitors; understand the industry landscape, political and economic environment so as to be an effective advisor to leadership Working on key firmwide projects (e.g. intranet redesign) to improve internal communications and make best use of the technology available.

Experience and Skills Required

• Able to communicate with a broad population of contacts - both written and oral.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills
• Native level English communication skills
• Experienced developing and actioning internal comms strategies
• Expectation that the successful candidate will have at least 5 years’ Comms experience, preferably in a professional services environment (required), or law firm (desired).
• Experience of managing and implementing a diverse set of external comms programmes
• Able to influence and persuade through demonstration of experience and knowledge.
• Ability to work to deadlines, juggle multiple projects and deliver under pressure.
• Self-starter who can show initiative and get on with tasks without the need for significant supervision and direction.
• High attention to detail and strong client focus.
• Professional, proactive, creative, good humoured and enthusiastic approach to all work and interactions.
• Strong team player.
• Advanced Skills in MS Office packages (required)

At Lewis Silkin our ethos is simple. We strive to do the best for our clients, our people and the communities in which we operate. We recognise that an inclusive workplace allows for all kinds of ideas and thoughts, a variety of points of view that can trigger discussions or deliver innovative results, and a wide range of versatile skills and expertise. We are proud of the diversity within Lewis Silkin and of our culture that allows people to be themselves at work, ensuring we provide the best possible service to our clients. We are committed to finding the right person for this role and are open to discussing flexible working patterns and office location.