Senior PR & Comms Consultant at BlackHouse Media (BHM)

Job Overview:

• Are you an experienced PR professional, experienced in providing strategic communications guidance, leading client engagements and managing a team of consultants? Do you have experience delivering exceptional customer service? Are you interested in continuing a career at the intersection of communications and consulting, media and marketing, technology and creativity? Would you consider an opportunity to be part of an organisation building Africa's first global communications services company?
• If your answer to all of the above is 'nah, not me', we thank you for reading this far. You may leave now and consider forwarding to anyone you know who fits the bill.
• But if you can answer yes to some or all of the above, then it may be you we've been looking for. We want you!
• We are a fast-growing African consultancy seeking a Lead consultant/Adviser to spearhead the development, selling and implementation of effective communication strategies and business management ideas within BHM and to BHM clients (corporations and brands). You will advise clients' senior management on broad PR and communications, media relations, and consumer engagement strategies.
• In your role, you will help execute our ambition to become the number one company of choice on the continent and beyond for professionals who want to put themselves and the African continent on the map for good.
• We put people before profit and want you to help us institutionalise this ethos while creating a dynamic, engaging and inclusive workplace that fosters excellence and innovation for the benefit of colleagues, clients, and shareholders.

Key areas of responsibility for the role will include:

Client Account Management and Operations

• Developing and advising Clients on opportunities to delight stakeholders;
• Creating strategic communications and marketing plans focused on the creation and distribution of valuable, relevant, and consistent content materials to attract and retain clearly defined audience groups amongst consumers of Clients' Brands;
• Supporting the client to identify relevant areas of interest to target audiences and create exciting and shareable pieces of content for distribution across multiple media platforms in various formats for Clients;
• Undertaking regular Clients' stakeholders' segmentation and competitive analysis, developing content for syndication and distribution;
• Carrying out end-to-end management of consumer event PR activities;
• Facilitating media engagement, including print, online and electronic media at all Clients' events;
• Developing and executing the PR event briefing document, which will include event flow, photo/video brief, media interaction and other mandatories, to ensure a positive outcome in line with each brand's communication objectives;

Stakeholder Relationship Management:

• Leading media relationship management for BHM and its clients
• Ensuring seamless guest relations/management, media invitation and accreditation.
• Briefing and Managing talents and influencers at all Clients' events in line with PR/Communications brief;
• Building stakeholder awareness and affinity for Clients' Brands and activations; Developing PR and EM (Earned Media) plans, strategies and ecosystems; Managing the development and planning of unpaid and content media strategy;
• Managing portfolio team in tracking, measuring and amplifying earned media coverage and;
• Acting as "customer care officer" through direct contact with clients and partners, including industry, local community members, regulators, influencers, public opinion shapers, super consumers, etc.;
• Establishing an ongoing relationship with all stakeholders;
• Representing the firm with clients, investors, and business partners and; ensuring consistent innovation and streamlining of campaign strategies to achieve value for business and clients.

PR Strategy and Tactics:

• Research, Planning, Execution & Evaluation: develop and deploy content and strategies that shape the perception of BHM Clients in line with the Clients' business objectives;
• Developing viable platforms to harness the influence and readership of advocates of BHM Clients and promoting BHM Clients' viewpoints;
• Developing strategic communications and marketing plans focused on the creation and distribution of valuable, relevant and consistent materials to attract and retain clearly defined audience groups;
• Ensuring early detection and mitigation of potential situations that could lead to a crisis;
• Managing public perception towards the preservation of BHM's reputation and the reputation of client brands;
• Packaging, presentation and defence of Clients' Brands' position in possible and existing problems and crises situations.

Crisis Communications and Issue Management:

• Driving the development of a crisis response strategy to serve Clients' Brands on an ongoing basis and specific crisis communication plans for individual events, engagement and activations that ensure Clients' viewpoints gain empathy and acceptance;
• Creating a crisis management plan that includes making decisions ahead of time, including identification of issue owners who will handle specific aspects of a crisis if and when it occurs;
• Periodic development and activation of Crisis management drills;
• Assessing and improving Clients' existing crisis response protocols; conducting stakeholder listening sessions to determine stakeholders' current perceptions.

PR Team Management

• Advising lead consultants and senior management on commercial strategy, new markets and customer service optimisation;
• Initiating the development, communication and implementation of effective growth strategies and processes in the business, including new PR models and in areas like product thinking and advocacy;
• Leading teams and providing day-to-day leadership and management to the team that mirrors the adopted mission and core values of the company;
• Fostering a success-oriented, accountable environment within your portfolio team; provide strategic direction for the portfolio team;
• Supporting the portfolio team to provide analytics on Clients' Brands and competition by ensuring the delivery of quarterly reports, developing effective Online Relationship Management (ORM) for Clients and producing data-driven Insights;

Person Specification

Educational/Professional Qualifications:

• Tertiary education (e.g. Higher Diploma or Bachelor's) in subjects such as marketing, communications, law, economics, business, and other relevant fields required;
• Postgraduate degree (Masters's degree in relevant business, consulting or communications field) preferred;
• Professional certifications in Public Relations, Management and Marketing are mandatory (i.e. CIPR, PRCA, PRSA, NIPR, CIM).

Experience:

• 5-7 years of experience in public relations or communications, preferably in a consultancy or agency environment;
• Experience in project management and execution of PR campaigns and/or initiatives across multiple countries. Most desirable countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Francophone West Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, UK, US and the EU;

Skills and Aptitudes;

• Strong understanding of PR and communication principles, strategies, and tactics;
• Excellent knowledge of the media landscape, including print, broadcast, digital, and social media;
• Exceptional writing and editing skills, with the ability to create compelling content.
• Proficiency in media relations, including pitching, relationship building, and interview preparation;
• Crisis communications expertise, with experience handling PR crises and providing strategic advice;
• Strategic thinking and ability to develop innovative PR solutions to achieve client objectives;
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with the ability to build rapport with clients and stakeholders;
• Excellent presentation and public speaking skills;
• Proven experience in crisis communication and issue management within;
• Proficiency in using PR tools and platforms, such as media monitoring and social listening tools;
• Strong organisational and project management skills, with the ability to handle multiple priorities;
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment and mentor junior team members;
• Results-oriented mindset focusing on delivering high-quality work and exceeding client expectations;
• Familiarity with social media platforms and digital channels (Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, etc.);
• Familiarity with key local and international media platforms and people covering popular culture, business, finance and politics in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, the UK, the US and Europe.

Benefits

We offer:

• Competitive pay, including housing support, own school fees support, power support, and travel support, in line with the peculiarities of working from Nigeria.
• Flexible and customisable working
• Unlimited paid sick days after one year of full-time employment
• Unlimited paid time off as of the first day of confirmation of full-time employment
• Gym memberships
• Premium group life insurance (6x yearly remuneration)
• Premium Healthcare Insuranc
• Performance-based bonus