Account Executive - Planning and Infrastructure

Location: London (Chancery Lane) 

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

About Grayling UK 

Our people are in equal parts exceptional professionals and wonderful human beings. We’ve created a culture that champions personal growth and development, empowering everyone to be creative, innovative and enjoy their work. Your growth is our priority because when you thrive, so do we. 

We’re serious about our work but never about ourselves, so if you’re looking to kick start your career in comms and you’re passionate about the built environment you’ve come to the right place! 

Role overview  

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 

• Infrastructure delivery: managing ongoing construction communications 

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. 

As an Account Executive, you are the foundation of our account teams. You are expected to consistently deliver quality work to deadline, with guidance and support from your colleagues. Your eagerness to participate, desire to learn, improve, apply new knowledge and develop your own skills is critical to achieving success for your team. 

The day to day: 

• Draft materials such as issue briefings or policy statements for public consultations and community engagement plans 

• Attend stakeholder and community consultation events 

• Research and map out key stakeholders and influencers 

• Learn and maintain good account management, mastering the likes of workback plans, cost trackers and actions trackers 

• Develop a thorough understanding of the UK planning process 

• Assist in the production of collateral materials, collaborating with Grayling’s design studio 

• Demonstrate an awareness of key social media platforms and how they can be used for engagement purposes 

• Assist with preparation of new business pitches and presentations 

What will give you the edge 

• A working knowledge of the UK planning system or an interest in wanting to develop knowledge in this area 

• Understanding of the UK political landscape and its impact on engagement activity 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills 

• Confident networker 

• Ability to juggle multiple and changing priorities 

• Ability to assimilate information quickly and recommend a practical response 

The Planning & Infrastructure team live by the following three values and will be looking for you to demonstrate these throughout the interview process: 

• Integrity: Our team is built on honesty and trustworthiness, which enable us to consistently uphold our commitment to the truth, individual responsibility and mutual respect. 

• Excellence: We provide outstanding client advice and customer service, which we maintain through rigorous high standards. 

• Knowledge: The quality of our work is predicated on the facts, information, and skills our team possesses, we stay ahead by maintaining a passion or learning.  

Our promises to you  

• Flexible working arrangements, including hybrid working, a work from anywhere policy, 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 

• Free subscription to Calm app 

• Office perks, including 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 one of the UK’s most connected communications agencies, working across Public Affairs, Planning & Infrastructure, Consumer and Corporate. With nine UK offices and more than 20 worldwide, we help organisations navigate complexity, shape conversations and make a meaningful impact through smart thinking, cultural insight and creative ideas. 

We’re excited to keep raising the bar for impactful communications around the world and are proud that we have been named in PRovoke Media’s 100 Best Public Relations Agencies in the World. 

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.