Senior PR Manager

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Join CMS as a Senior PR Manager and take a pivotal role in shaping and executing the firm's public relations strategy across the UK, Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), the Middle East, and Asia.

In this high-impact role, you'll be at the forefront of safeguarding the firm's reputation, reporting directly to the Head of Communications. Your mission: to elevate our firm's presence and influence through innovative media engagement that aligns seamlessly with our business objectives.

As the Senior PR Manager, you'll be the driving force behind our daily press relations, with a sharp focus on the legal and sector press. Your role will help to ensure that our communications are not only consistent but also compelling, creating a unified and powerful narrative across all internal and external channels.

About us
CMS is a Future Facing firm with more than 80 offices in over 45 countries and 5,800+ lawyers worldwide. We combine deep local market understanding with a global perspective. We are passionate about building strong relationships with our clients, our people, and the communities we work in.

We take a bold, dynamic, and agile approach to ensure our clients are able to face the future with confidence. We are driven by emerging technologies such as generative AI and readily embrace the possibilities it opens up for developing new and better ways of working. Our aim is to inspire, impact and support our clients and our people, helping them to maximize their potential and thrive.

About the Role
In this role, you can expect to get involved in a variety of work including:

• Serving as the primary contact for media enquiries across UK and international offices, acting as a spokesperson for the firm.
• Managing relationships with key target journalists, particularly within the legal and sector press.
• Providing strategic guidance and advice to partners and teams on the firm's approach to PR and overall positioning, ensuring consistency across all external messaging and strategies.
• Drafting and editing PR copy for distribution to external audiences, ensuring consistency with brand and writing guidelines.
• Developing and implementing strategic PR plans for sector groups and practice areas in line with agreed communications priorities.
• Shaping and executing comprehensive communications plans, covering both internal and external, for strategic firm initiatives.
• Developing opportunities to raise the profile of the firm and our people, preparing relevant partners and spokespeople for media interviews or external engagements.
• Advising on crisis communication issues, consulting with senior leadership as needed.
• Monitoring relevant news and regulatory developments, collaborating with partners and senior leaders to identify key business and legal issues, and craft or edit commentary that can drive positive media coverage.
• Leading the firm's response to industry surveys and features, including the key annual financial surveys (e.g., The Lawyer, Law.com International and Legal Business).
• Managing external agency support around practice and sector PR, including coordinating opportunities generated by agencies.
• Managigng a Senior PR Executive and a PR Consultant.
• Collaborate with partners and content leads on the rollout of the firm's thought leadership campaigns, ensuring consistency and impact across all external communications.
• Leading the end-to-end production of various firm reports, overseeing the entire process from writing and design, to internal and external communications.
• Evaluating media coverage and provide strategic analysis, regularly updating senior management on key insights.
• Supporting thr Senior PR Exec in the management of the firm's awards programme across key legal, business, and sector awards. Includes drafting submissions and advising partners and teams on best practice.

About You
We will invest in your ongoing training and development to support your professional goals and help you to thrive in your role from day one. Our opportunities are open to all suitably qualified applicants, so to be considered for this role you must meet the following skills and experience:

• Proven experience in PR and/or Corporate Communications, gained within a professional services environment.
• Thorough understanding of business / commerce and an interest in business development.
• Thorough understanding of the need for coordinated internal and external communications.
• Articulate, with confidence to communicate with senior people and take ownership of tasks and projects.
• Ability to identify PR opportunities and manage PR campaigns.
• Naturally interested in the news agenda at both national and business level.
• Strong media contacts, with an understanding of the global media landscape.
• Ability to understand complex issues and develop PR angles.
• A resilient and collaborative team player with the ability to network and build relationships.

What's in it for you?
We want to reward you today and help you plan for tomorrow. We appreciate that everyone is different, therefore we have designed a benefits system that offers choice and flexibility based on individual needs and lifestyles. To name just a few, these include:

• Competitive basic salary (reviewed annually)
• Flexible, hybrid working policy
• Generous bonus scheme
• Up to 25 days holiday (rising to 28 days with service)
• Holiday exchange scheme
• Private medical insurance
• Enhanced parental leave
• Reasonable adjustments and accommodation for disabled talent in accordance with the Equality Act 2010

If you would like to read more information regarding our range of benefits please visit our Rewards & Benefits page on our website.

Equal Opportunities
At CMS, we place diversity and inclusion at the centre of our culture and at the heart of our organisation. Not only does it make our firm a more rewarding place to work, but it also creates a stronger, more successful, and sustainable business where everyone feels comfortable and welcome.

We are a Disability Confident Employer, and we actively encourage applications from people with disabilities, whether visible or invisible. We are committed to promoting equality of opportunity as well as recruiting, retaining, and developing disabled talent at CMS. If you have a disability, or if you would like to discuss any accessibility requirements or adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact Ruth Kavanagh at TalentAcquisition@cms-cmno.com who will be happy to support you.

Ready to apply? Here are the next steps.
We look forward to receiving your application via our CMS Careers site. Please contact our Talent Acquisition team if you have any questions.

Please note that we have a preferred agency panel in place. Only applications submitted via the portal at the point of instruction will be accepted.

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