Account Manager - Planning & Infrastructure

Account Manager - Planning & Infrastructure

Location: London or Leeds

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

At Grayling, you'll be part of one of the UK's most respected integrated communications agencies.

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!

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.

The day to day:

• Working with the wider team to develop and implement engagement strategies
• Drafting materials such as issue briefings or policy statements for public consultations and community engagement plans
• Attending stakeholder and community consultation events
• Leading day-to-day client servicing, giving robust advice with confidence
• Demonstrating excellent account management, including the likes of workback plans, cost trackers and actions trackers
• Assisting in the production of collateral materials, collaborating with Grayling's design studio
• Contributing to new business pitches and presentations
• 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:

• You will ideally have already gained stakeholder and community engagement experience within a reputable agency, across the property, development, infrastructure or energy sector
• Ability to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the UK planning process, along with a keen interest in trends in the sector – you'll be an authoritative source of information on national/local government policy, as it impacts your clients
• Strong understanding of pre and post consent infrastructure project communications
• Creative thinker and problem solver
• Confident networker
• Personal drive and passion for the industry
• Ability to juggle multiple and changing priorities
• Ability to assimilate information quickly and recommend a practical response

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
• Flexible benefits platform where you are in complete control of what you receive. It could be anything from dental to gym membership, wellbeing initiatives, training, discount deals or simply a contribution to everyday bills and subscriptions (think Netflix, Amazon, Spotify etc!)
• Enhanced family-friendly policies
• 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 and have just been shortlisted for PRWeek UK's brand-new People and Places Awards 2025.

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.