Principal Consultant

Ellwood Atfield is a specialist recruitment and search consultancy operating within the Public Affairs and Communications industry. We've been established for almost 20 years and have a high achieving and collaborative team. Our clients are responsible for protecting and promoting the biggest brands, products, services and corporate reputations. They influence public policy and help to shape legislation. We’ve built an industry-leading team of ex-practitioners and experienced recruitment experts who love what they do. Grow your career, work with market leading brands, and help to shape our story.

We’re a values orientated business and we’re focused on expanding our brilliant team and have exciting future growth plans. We offer uncapped earnings, generous benefits and are looking to hire a Principal Consultant to join our busy and social team at our office in Millbank Tower, which arguably has the best views in London! Reporting to a Board Director and working alongside other senior experts within the team, the role will be responsible for leading on client delivery, sales and account management within specific vertical markets (financial & professional services, FMCG and retail or technology and media). Most of our work at this level is retained and covers all levels from Managers to Senior Heads / Directors.

You will have the autonomy and support to grow your particular market area and will be well rewarded for its’ success. We’re passionate about striving for excellence and delighting our customers, and we enjoy working in a grown-up, collaborative and fun environment.

What you’ll be doing?

Principal Consultants are responsible for leading and developing a particular vertical market, including key account management and coordination of business development activity within that market. On a day-to-day basis you will manage the full recruitment life-cycle, including pitching for business, building relationships with clients, providing counsel, sourcing candidates and negotiating terms.

You will develop and embed a client development strategy to support wider business growth and will have financial responsibility for ensuring you meet practice targets. Clients could be major FMCG and technology business, banks, charities, consumer brands, professional associations, and other global corporates.

What you get from us

• Access to an unrivalled senior network within the in-house corporate affairs space
• A premium client portfolio
• A structured career path – which ensures success is rewarded with clear progression and opportunities to grow your career
• Training – we have access to the leading recruitment training network and will develop a personalised training & development plan to support your needs and aspirations
• Money – headhunting can pay well, and even very well. We’re recently launched a new pay & reward package which pays out monthly, is uncapped and offers real rewards for great performance. We also provide great benefits including 29 days holidays (excluding bank holidays), paid sabbaticals after 5 years of service, private health cover, pension, a long-term savings plan and team celebrations & socials
• Exposure to the brightest and best people & practices of the communications and advocacy world
• A lively, exciting, and flexible workplace

What we need?

If you are smart, proactive, engaging, interested in the world around you, and highly ambitious, then we will help develop your career in headhunting so you can deliver the best results possible.

To be successful in this role, you will:

• Have proven experience of working in communications / client facing roles OR recruiting professionals in marketing, communications, digital or other professional services sectors at Senior/Principal Consultant level.
• Demonstrate a high degree of credibility and confidence in dealing with senior clients and pitching for business.
• Develop and maintain a strong professional external brand through social media and external events.
• Develop and implement a proactive business development strategy.
• Establish yourself as a go-to recruiter for clients in your vertical market / specialist area.
• Be an expert in your field and be able to provide insightful career development advice for candidates at Senior Manager, Head and Junior Director level.
• Be able to lead and win new business pitches / PSL opportunities.
• Negotiate contracts and appropriate commercial terms
• Be interested and interesting. We expect you to consume news and keep abreast of what’s going on in current affairs, business and commerce and be able hold your own amongst some very lively and opinionated colleagues, clients and candidates.
• Understand the importance of teamwork – we do not succeed by undermining or competing with our colleagues but by using our collective knowledge understanding to deliver the best possible results.
• Be personally ambitious and want to get ahead - you can make a lot of money working with us, but you have to work hard and work smart.
• Have a good attention to detail and want to go the extra mile.

Please get in touch with Jules Shelly – jules@ellwoodatfield.com if this sounds like you and you’re interested in finding out more about current opportunities at Ellwood Atfield.