Media Relations Executive

Watson Farley & Williams is an international law firm advising on complex disputes and transactions through local knowledge and an integrated international network.  We have a strong sector focus, combining our technical excellence with deep industry knowledge across Energy, Transport and associated Infrastructure.

The firm has achieved rapid expansion and year-on-year growth owed almost entirely to a focused strategy, strong leadership and the quality of its people.  The next stage in the firm’s growth plan is to achieve full-service strength within core sectors across the global platform.

We strive for excellence in all that we do and view investment in our people as key to achieving our business goals and values, which rest on developing deep and long-lasting relationships externally and internally through respect, sharing, communication and integrity.

Our global practice is integrated across our offices in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and North America delivering consistently high levels of service across borders and locally through a deep understanding of local business customs and culture.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace to attract and retain the most talented people from all backgrounds and cultures.  We believe in celebrating difference and that people from any background can rise to the top, ensuring opportunities to develop and progress are available for all.

The Global Business Development and Communications team comprises 60 business development, communications and marketing professionals globally. As our route to market is through our global sectors and our clients are international, team members collaborate to deliver cross-border campaigns and projects. It is a close-knit and supportive team with an excellent reputation across the firm.

We are looking for an engaging and confident Media Relations Executive able to work with colleagues across all levels in the firm, as well as engage proactively with journalists from a broad range of publications. Having excellent written English skills is vital as drafting and proofing press releases are key to this role. A willingness to learn about complex legal and financial matters, especially as regards the firm's core sectors of energy, infrastructure and transport is also important.

• Lead on preparing UK press releases and reviewing press releases drafted by international offices;
• Assist the Senior External Communications Manager in pitching articles and commentary to the UK press to promote the firm’s expertise and strategic objectives and brand;
• Support the Senior External Communications Manager in advising international offices regarding their external communications objectives;
• Manage external communications data to maintain a database of statistics concerning articles, press releases and media mentions;
• Track media coverage provided by media scanners; and
• Compile general external communications content for bi-weekly global internal newsletter and for sector specific communications team quarterly reports.

• Outstanding written and verbal English language skills;
• Understands and demonstrates WFW's core values of respect, sharing, communication and integrity;
• University degree in a commercially focused field required;
• Strong attention to detail with an interest in developing technical development skills;
• Excellent organisational skills, including the ability to prioritise workload for themselves and the internal communications team;
• Ability to communicate with people at all levels and works effectively and confidently with multiple senior stakeholders within a complex firm structure;
• Diplomatic, calm under pressure with a ‘can do’ attitude;
• Ability to manage and prioritise multiple projects running in parallel with tight deadlines;
• Team player who is confident sharing information across a broader team; and
• Plays a full part in making WFW a firm they would recommend to others to work in, respecting diversity and acting fairly and inclusively.

We offer a competitive benefits and wellbeing package for all employees.

The Firm promotes a culture of agility and flexibility and is fully supportive of flexible working arrangements where these can be accommodated.

Respect for different backgrounds and perspectives is at the heart of our firm’s core values and we recognise the importance of fostering an inclusive environment that allows everyone to reach their full potential. This is a key feature of our Global Code of Conduct, which places diversity and inclusion at the centre of our firm’s ways of working.

We believe that exceptional client service can only be delivered by exceptional people. For this reason, we aim to attract, retain and develop the best talent from a wide range of backgrounds. All decisions relating to employment will be objective and based on merit and ability.

We are committed to ensuring that our recruitment processes are as inclusive and barrier-free as possible. This includes making adjustments for candidates with a disability or long-term health condition.  If you require adjustments to be made at any stage of the recruitment process, we’d encourage you to get in touch with a member of our team who would be happy to discuss options with you.