Associate Director - Planning & Infrastructure

Grayling; City of London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading communications agency in the UK is seeking an Associate Director for Planning & Infrastructure. The role involves providing strategic advice to clients, managing consultation processes, and leading new business proposals. The ideal candidate will have significant experience in stakeholder engagement and a strong understanding of both traditional PR and public affairs. The position offers a hybrid working model and a supportive culture focused on personal development.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

25 days’ holiday increasing yearly

Additional leave on your birthday

Enhanced family-friendly policies

Free breakfasts & fruit

Interest-free season ticket loan

Qualifications

• Significant stakeholder and community engagement experience within an agency.
• Demonstrated ability to craft compelling LinkedIn profiles and thought leadership articles.
• Strong understanding of workings of both traditional PR and PA.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic counsel and advice to clients.
• Manage all parts of the consultation and engagement process.
• Lead on new business proposals and pitches.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Networking

Crisis management

Analytical thinking

Team leadership

Job description

Associate Director - Planning & Infrastructure

Join to apply for the Associate Director - Planning & Infrastructure role at Grayling.

Working Pattern: Full time, hybrid working (3 days in office, 2 days flex)

Why Grayling?

At Grayling, you’ll be part of one of the UK’s most respected integrated communications agencies. We’re currently recruiting for an Associate Director to join our Planning & Infrastructure team - a key senior hire as we continue to grow and strengthen our offer in this space.

We offer a supportive and ambitious culture where your ideas are heard, your growth is championed, and your work has real impact.

We’re serious about our work but never about ourselves, so if you’re looking for your next move and are passionate about the built environment you’ve come to the right place!

About Grayling P&I

Grayling Planning & Infrastructure deliver communications and engagement services that protect and enhance our client’s reputations across:

• The UK’s energy transition: policy analysis and supporting energy generation and transmission projects
• Major economic development: freeports, town centre regeneration and garden villages

Our multi-award-winning consultants, based across Grayling's nine UK offices, manage communications and engagement for major TCPA and NSIP projects from consultation to consent.

The day to day

• Provide strategic counsel and advice to clients, developing and delivering innovative, insightful and integrated solutions of the highest standards.
• Experience leading teams to deliver large TCPA applications and, ideally, DCO applications.
• Managing all parts of the consultation and engagement process, from pre-planning to construction comms.
• Lead on new business proposals and pitches.
• Delivering new business leads.
• Proactive networking to grow contacts.
• Lead stakeholder and community consultation events.
• Building an appreciation of the relationship between client service and profitability, escalating any issues to the appropriate level.
• Managing and developing junior staff using the appropriate people management techniques, resolving or escalating issues promptly and fairly, along with celebrating successes.
• Demonstrating an in-depth understanding of key social media platforms and how they can be used for engagement purposes.
• Understanding and managing the relationship between client service and profitability, escalating any issues to the appropriate level.

What Will Give You The Edge

• Significant stakeholder and community engagement experience within an agency, across the energy, infrastructure and regeneration space.
• Demonstrated ability to craft compelling LinkedIn profiles and thought leadership articles.
• Proven experience leveraging professional networks to identify and secure new business opportunities.
• Strategic, analytical thinker with the initiative to see a programme through from start to finish.
• Confident networker – adept at staying in touch with key decision makers and contacts.
• Ability to digest and organise large volumes of information quickly, and stay abreast of ever-changing political and social developments that may affect client work.
• Strong understanding of workings of both traditional PR and PA.
• Supportive, inspiring and motivational leader.
• Self-aware and able to adapt personal style and approach to clients and team.
• Calm and authoritative in response to issues or crisis.

Our promises to you

• Flexible working arrangements, including hybrid working & flexi time and 4pm Friday finishes.
• 25 days’ holiday, increasing by one day every year up to 30 days.
• Additional day of leave on your birthday & gifted time off over Christmas.
• A monthly cash allowance to use on the benefits most important to you - you'll have the freedom to choose how you enjoy it!
• Enhanced family‑friendly policies including five months fully paid maternity leave / two months paternity leave. For further details please see our website.
• Free subscription to Calm app.
• Free breakfasts & fruit.
• An abundance of personal development opportunities, through our internal training programmes.
• New business and employee referral bonuses.
• Interest‑free season ticket loan & Railcard reimbursement.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Employee Assistance Programme offering a 24/7 confidential advice line.
• Life assurance.

Get to know us

Grayling is the UK’s best-connected communications agency, working across Public Affairs, Planning & Infrastructure, Consumer and Corporate. With nine UK offices and 20+ worldwide, we help brands make an impact through smart thinking, cultural insights, and creative ideas.

We’ve been on an exciting journey the last year, having been named among PRovoke Media's 50 Best Agencies in Continental Europe and 50 Best Agencies in UK!

Our commitment at Grayling is to combine our employees’ unique backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences to build a more diverse and inclusive organisation that represents all of us and the businesses we work with. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and will consider all applicants regardless of age, gender identity, ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, family or parental status, neurodiversity and disability status. If you need any adjustments during the application process, we’re here to help - just let us know.

Seniority level

Director

Employment type

Full‑time

Job function

Public Relations

Industries

Public Relations and Communications Services

Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Grayling by 2x