rief for refresh marketing materials June 2011

Senior Account Executive

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Role Overview

This role will be the day to day contact for many of our clients, looking at interesting and creative ways to generate positive coverage for them. You will also have the opportunity to work on new business proposals and Athene Communications’ own PR and marketing. You will have strong written and verbal communications skills and will be used to adapting your writing styles to suit different audiences. Ideally you will have line management experience, managing the workload and development of a graduate or account executive. You will be passionate about all types of media and will be as familiar with online and social media as you are traditional print and broadcast. You broad knowledge and natural confidence will mean you are an excellent ambassador for the company.

Skills and Experience Profile • Excellent written and oral communication skills – the ability to

research and write media material and confidently sell it in, including press releases, articles, features and social media.

• Client management skills - the ability to understand what a client is asking for, with the experience to know how to respond. Although you will be supported at all levels by the Athene team, it is important

that you can work on your own initiative, asking for input, help and direction when you need it.

• Time management and planning – the nature of your role means that you will need to look after a number of clients. Time management and good planning are key, as is the skill in understanding the requirements of each account and servicing them accordingly, recognising and meeting deadlines without compromising quality.

• Knowledge of the media – your career to date will mean you are equally familiar with on and offline media. You will be passionate about the potential of social media and have some experience of social media campaigns. You will be used to talking to journalists and providing them with content appropriate to their audience. You will have real examples of quality coverage you have secured across a range of media, including trade titles.

• Creative skills – an ability to use your creativity to solve problems, secure coverage and profile for your clients and to help win business. You will have a talent for coming up with fresh ideas and will have a innate sense of what ideas work with the media and spread on social media. You will like working on new business proposals – researching ideas and coming up with new angles.

• Communications knowledge – you will have a good theoretical and practical knowledge of communications and PR. Ideally you will have

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a qualification in PR, or a broad and current knowledge gained from training courses and workshops.

• Financial awareness – ability to understand account billing and financials and negotiate with third party suppliers to secure the best price for services and keep track on spend.

• Relationship building – it is important that Athene has a good profile locally so you will be well networked in the Peterborough and Cambridgeshire area. You will know the local media and other communicators from local businesses/ organisations.

Job Purpose To be the day to day contact for Athene Communications’ clients, meeting their needs and expectations and securing them profile in line with PR plans.

Resources You are likely to manage a graduate or intern. You will be responsible for setting their tasks/ workload, monitoring quality and outputs and helping them progress and develop.

Objectives • To deliver highly effective PR and communication services to

Athene’s existing clients • To promote Athene Communications locally and in trade and online

media and to maintain the content of Athene’s website, social media and marketing collateral

• To support Athene’s business development work through researching markets, generating leads and helping develop creative solutions to prospective clients

• To represent Athene at local and regional networking events

Specific Tasks To be the lead client contact for the Athene’s clients, keeping

track of workplans, meeting targets and ensuring clients are aware of our activities and achievements

Daily contact with clients, attending client meetings, inspiring confidence in your advice and knowledge

Drafting media materials, online content and status reports, meeting minutes and monthly reports for clients

Managing client approvals for media and external materials Proactive use of media contacts to sell in feature ideas and news

stories across local, trade and consumer media

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Building knowledge of social media and identify opportunities to build online profile for Athene and our clients

Management of small scale events, press briefings etc To maximise opportunities to grow client accounts and secure

more budget for additional projects and activities To develop and maintain a database of Athene contacts for

profile building, recruitment and business development To take ownership of specific tasks and tactics ensuring delivery

to the highest standard To consider long term planning on accounts being mindful of

targets, fees and client expectations To manage media evaluation for Athene clients, providing

accurate ROI information for projects and activities To organise a programme of quarterly events for the Athene

sponsored communicators network, designed to promote our image to a wide audience of existing and potential clients

To represent Athene at local and regional networking events, presenting a professional image of the company and looking out for new business opportunities

To maintain a high level of continuous professional development through regular training but also through on-the-job research and skills development, keeping abreast of the latest ideas and thinking in our profession

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