Corporate Relations Lead, Media & Crisis

Linklaters is a global law firm, providing legal services in 20 countries and through 30 offices.

Linklaters is a people business. Being best in class in the eyes of our clients means that our people must be exceptional.

We look not only for brilliant minds, but for people who will thrive in our environment: people who love working collaboratively and demonstrate the innovative, efficient, agile, entrepreneurial, and responsible mind-set we aim to bring to every interaction.

Ours is an environment of outperformance. We achieve this not with targets and incentives, but by fostering a positive, supportive, fair, and open atmosphere.

We respect and value difference but insist on inclusivity. We celebrate all aspects of diversity and challenge any form of bias. This is vital to our ability to work as one team, with a common goal.

The team

The Corporate Relations team acts as Linklaters’ central hub for all major communication activities, supporting divisional practice groups as well as leading firmwide initiatives. The team is responsible for media relations, crisis and issues management, internal communications, and thought leadership. Members work closely with senior leadership to deliver consistent, impactful messaging and uphold best practices. The team plays a key role in maintaining and enhancing the firm’s global reputation.

Purpose

The Corporate Relations Lead is responsible for executing the firm’s global approach in the interconnected domains of media relations, crisis management and corporate reporting. Operating as the head of a centre of excellence, you will ensure the highest standards in media engagement, reputational risk mitigation, and transparent corporate reporting across jurisdictions. You will advise senior stakeholders, develop policies and best practices, and ensure consistency, quality, and impact of messaging worldwide.

With two direct reports, you will manage and develop talent, facilitate knowledge sharing, and serve as a firmwide resource, guiding offices and regions on issues in media and reporting. Your leadership will help position Linklaters as an industry thought leader, safeguarding its reputation and optimising the firm’s profile on the global stage.

Your key responsibilities

• Lead the Media Relations, Crisis Management and Corporate Reporting centre of excellence, establishing it as a trusted source of advice and support.
• Develop and implement global strategies for media engagement, fostering strong relationships with journalists, industry commentators, and key external stakeholders.
• Advise senior leadership and regional communications teams on proactive media campaigns, key announcements, and thought leadership, ensuring global reach and consistency.
• Design, embed and continuously improve best practice policies, playbooks and response frameworks for crisis and issues management across the business.
• Serve as an escalation point for high-profile reputational threats or issues, providing counsel, coordinating responses, and ensuring rapid mobilisation of resources.
• Oversee the creation, coordination, and publication of the firm’s major corporate reports (e.g. annual review, sustainability report, key regulatory disclosures), ensuring accuracy, transparency, and brand alignment.
• Partner with legal, risk, and senior communications leads on media and crisis matters, ensuring regulatory and compliance considerations are met.
• Analyse trends, monitor the firm’s media coverage and sentiment, and report insights to inform executive and board-level decisions.
• Build and maintain a global knowledge base of case studies, media contacts, and crisis response assets to enhance organisational learning and resilience.
• Manage, develop and support two direct reports within the centre of excellence, fostering an environment of collaboration and ongoing professional growth.

Your experience

• Extensive experience in media relations and crisis communications for a global organisation, ideally within professional services or a regulated sector.
• Proven track record advising on and delivering high-stakes media and crisis engagements at executive level.
• Substantial previous involvement in producing or coordinating major corporate reports (such as annual and sustainability reports or high-profile regulatory disclosures).
• Leadership experience, including direct management and development of communications professionals.
• Deep familiarity with international media landscapes and culturally-sensitive communication strategies.
• Strong experience coordinating cross-border, multi-stakeholder projects, especially in periods of high scrutiny or change.
• Knowledge of legal and regulatory requirements relating to public disclosures and communications in key jurisdictions.

Additional skills

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to distil complex information into clear, compelling messages.
• Strong influencing and advisory skills, confident with senior leaders and external stakeholders.
• Calm, structured, and solutions-oriented under pressure, with sound judgement in crisis situations.
• Advanced analytical skills to track media narratives, assess risks, and provide evidence-based recommendations.
• Experience developing communications frameworks and knowledge assets for use globally.
• Excellent organisational and project management skills, able to handle simultaneous priorities and deadlines.
• Committed to fostering best practices, continuous improvement, and cross-jurisdictional collaboration within a global team.
• Ability to lead, coach and inspire direct reports in a centre of excellence environment.

Technical Skills

This list of duties and responsibilities above is not exhaustive.  It is intended to describe the general content of, and requirements for, the performance of this job. As such, the role may also include the undertaking of additional tasks as required.

Application Policy

Applications and CVs (direct or via agency) are only accepted online via the portal. Queries related to our roles must be directed to the relevant recruitment team and not the partners, practices or stakeholders ([email protected] for legal roles or [email protected] for business team roles).