This is a new position, but an established and important role within CCgroup: CCgroup first launched its analyst relations capability in 2016. In late 2018, Duncan Chapple joined to lead the division and analyst relations now accounts for 8% of our revenue.
We invested in industry analyst relations (distinct from other PR methods) because we know how influential industry analysts are in the technology markets we support. We have extensive, primary data demonstrating that industry analysts are a critical influencer on technology purchasing behaviour. Our recent research suggests analysts are becoming even more important.
As a result, our analyst relations team needs an extra person. Until January, we had a Senior Account Executive level AR specialist (who left to go in-house) who helped manage programmes and team resources. This worked well, but given the quantity of opportunity we’re attracting, we need a more senior colleague to help run programmes, manage client relationships and support new business activity and marketing initiatives.
Main job functions
- Management of account teams to achieve agreed plans and objectives
- Ownership of, and accountability for, all key account processes
- Management of clients, including management of expectations and budget and profitability
- Established, productive networks amongst analysts, industry subject matter experts, consultants AND potential prospects
- Identification of revenue-generating opportunities within existing clients
- Play a major role in new business opportunities
- Helps create and develop AR programmes and campaigns for new and existing clients
Responsibilities
Account management
- Formulate AR programmes and campaigns in partnership with stream lead
- Take briefs/plans and translate them into actionable tasks (SLAs and account plans)
- Ensure that client SLAs are in place, managed and met, with responsibility taken for the fulfilment of client activity
- Own and manage the creation and delivery of tasks on client accounts according to agreed plans; working with account leads to allocate tasks appropriately
- Ownership of, and accountability for, all key account processes – approving work from junior team members, providing full and frank feedback and guidance, and on-the-job training where required. Raise issues or concerns with mentors
- The leadership of account team meetings and client calls/meetings
- Take the lead in ensuring account profitability, i.e. monitoring servicing levels on an ongoing basis
- Support and develop account managers and executives
- Define and manage financial controls across accounts, including invoicing, client time reconciliations and time allocations
Client management
- Be the primary point of contact for clients, managing day-to-day queries and becoming involved in all aspects of the account
- Ensure that client expectations are managed and met (including the ‘trading’ of activities against approved SLAs), bringing in account leads as necessary
- Develop and maintain long-term client relationships, providing senior-level counsel with support
- Prepare for and lead client meetings in conjunction with account lead
- Respond promptly (but thoughtfully) to client requests for information and make sure team members do the same
- Provide insight and ideas for client campaigns, help to develop and evolve account strategy and continually demonstrate proactivity
- Lead brainstorms and other creative sessions to ensure client work remains fresh, developing client-facing proposals and plans
- Assist in the resolution of client issues, recognising when to escalate to the account lead
Revenue generation
- Identify opportunities for new, additional client campaigns/services – leading the organic growth of existing accounts
- Own large parts of new business proposals: offer strategic and creative advice
- Lead large parts of pitches or business development meetings, putting yourself forward for these opportunities as they present themselves
- Work with account leads to produce client proposals to deadline and specification
- Assist in the pursuit of new business from new companies, using your network to generate leads
Content creation
- Takes ownership of complex, strategically-important client outputs, such as messaging documents
- Create/oversee and approve the creation of standard programme content (client reports etc) so that they are client-ready
- Develop proposals, client reporting and update documents (such as quarterly account review reports) that inspire and are of a high standard
- Translate data and statistics into meaningful industry insights
Influencer relations
- Lead by example by taking a proactive approach to developing and maintaining key influencer relationships, demonstrating productive relationships and client results
- Provide managerial support in the identification of angles and develop compelling pitches that inspire results
- Ensure the administrative side of influencer relations is working effectively
Research & knowledge development
- Take responsibility for the team’s awareness of relevant analyst debate and trends, with insights that can be shared with clients
- Consume news and analyst comment relevant to clients and their industries daily, demonstrating deep knowledge and sharing relevant items with the account team
- Follow and research industry trends relevant to clients and their industries, demonstrating an understanding of key issues in the creation of client content
- Support client and new business teams by managing and conducting research into new areas and presenting back in appropriate, defined formats – this may include market analyses and share of voice analyses etc
- Be aware of trends in the tech and AR space and share with client teams as agreed and internally
- Be a proficient user of social media channels, especially Twitter and LinkedIn
- Commit to securing PRCA Continuous Professional Development certification every year
- Regularly attend AR industry and technology-related events, and take other team members
Finance
- Input timesheets and expenses correctly and on time
- Allocate client hours to the team (avoiding over or under servicing client accounts)
- Report hours used/available to client teams in weekly meetings, with support from the finance team, managing the servicing rate to within acceptable boundaries
Agency contribution
- Ensure best practice is shared across client teams and the agency as a whole
- Provide advice and guidance to junior colleagues across the business
- Support the achievement of financial targets
- Become an ambassador for CCgroup within the industry
Relevant experience and skills – person specification
- Four years’+ experience desirable in a related role
- Has a strong understanding of the technology AR landscape
- Experience in direct client liaison, developing strong working relationships and effective commercial management
- Proven ability in the management of people, creating a team ethic to deliver against the clients’ and company’s goals and of guiding and coaching team members to success
- Experience of pitching for and winning new business, identifying and converting organic opportunities within existing clients
- Demonstrable experience of creating and developing client strategies and recommendations, and overseeing their successful execution
- Has a firm understanding of agency financial systems and the impact they have on revenues and agency profitability
- Strong understanding of AR and its role in the overall marketing mix
- Well organised, ambitious and confident
- Excited by technology and the benefits it can deliver
- Has the ability to build rapport quickly – brings a broad range of contacts that can help drive client/business opportunities
- Strong spoken and written communication skills, with excellent spelling and grammar
- Motivated to learn
- Willing to promote and follow the workplace values of CCgroup (expert, driven, curious, supportive, genuine)
More great stuff about working at CCgroup
Benefits
- Flexible hours & work from home
- Early & late passes (arrive 3 hours late or leave 3 hours early once a month)
- Annual wellbeing allowance to spend on whatever makes you feel good!
- Monthly social events including Summer and Christmas parties
- 10% bonus based on company performance
- Discretionary bonus
- Contributory pension
- Access to external training
- Quarterly awards
- Competitive holiday allowance with additional days off for Christmas
- Your birthday off
- Free eye test & glasses contribution
- Cycle to work scheme
- Travel loan
- Sabbaticals
- Long term service award scheme
CCgroup has specialized in mobile and telecoms for more than 30 years. The stream is headed up by company COO and Head of Telecoms, Paul Nolan and closely supported by Account Director and deputy stream leader, Anais Merlin.
Company CEO, Richard Fogg also leads on some mobile and telecoms accounts. We work with a broad range of companies, including network operators, network infrastructure vendors, network services vendors, mobile device processors, embedded software vendors and mobile advertising companies.
We’re close to the industry, and the technology developments and evolving market issues that affect our clients and us. We build credible, compelling content to demonstrate that our clients understand and can solve the business and technology challenges that their operator customers face. We work to ensure that content is used across multiple communications channels—digital, media, analyst, events, and industry associations—to build the thought leadership and momentum that delivers commercial success.