Associate Director – Corporate Communications (12m Mat Leave Cover)
Location – London
Grade- Assistant Director
About Federated Hermes;
Federated Hermes, Inc. is a global leader in active, responsible investment management, with $829.6 billion in assets under management, as of December 31, 2024. We deliver investment solutions that help investors target a broad range of outcomes and provide equity, fixed-income, alternative/private markets, multi-asset, and liquidity management strategies to more than 11,000 institutions and intermediaries worldwide.
Our clients include corporations, government entities, insurance companies, foundations and endowments, banks, and broker/dealers. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Federated Hermes has more than 2,000 employees in London, New York and offices worldwide. For more information, visit FederatedHermes.com
Main function of the role:
The Global Corporate Communications team’s primary role is to build, enhance and protect the Company’s reputation with both external and internal stakeholders. The team today oversees media engagement programmes in ten countries / territories globally.
This specific role acts as Communications Business Partner for the $20bn AUM Private Markets business of Federated Hermes (Private Equity, Private Credit, Real Estate and Infrastructure) covering media engagement, crisis communications, internal communications and client communications advice as needed.
In addition, the role manages PR agencies in Singapore and Sydney which requires covering all investment areas of the firm (public and private) as well as stewardship business EOS. This includes supporting PR for Executive and Portfolio Manager visits to the region and the proactive distribution of content and commentary in tandem with the PR agencies.
Key task and responsibilities:
* Proactively promote the Private Markets businesses of Federated Hermes in relevant media mainly in UK but also in Europe and Asia Pacific.
* Promote investment products – public and private markets – in Singapore / Hong Kong and Australia markets as prioritised by the relevant sales teams.
* Work collaboratively with Corporate Communications colleagues to respond to media enquiries given the large number of incoming calls from media on a daily basis.
Public Relations
• Act as Communications Business Partner to the Private Markets business globally, creating plans and promoting activities and stories in a coordinated and strategic way which aids improved market understanding and profile of the business.
• Maintain regular contact with journalists and ensure awareness of stories they are writing each week to position Federated Hermes’ Private Markets spokespeople as ‘go-to’ sources of expert insight. Where applicable, draw on PR agency support in these activities.
• Drafting press releases and other written content, working with investment teams and PR agencies, in order to distribute relevant and timely commentary to the media.
• Respond to journalist enquires and requests across asset classes and jurisdictions as needed.
• Manage day-to-day engagement with the PR agencies in Singapore and Australia including bi-weekly account calls.
• Support wider team with maintaining a regular stream of content for social media and intranet channels.
Crisis communications
• Act as trusted advisor to Private Markets leadership team on issues surrounding reputation management and crisis communications.
• Develop and execute crisis communications plans and prepare draft messaging for internal and external audiences.
Client communications
• Support the wider Business Development team with both proactive and reactive client communications as required.
• Drafting client Q&As, working with key stakeholders across the business to gather correct information and compile appropriate messaging.
Internal communications
• Ensure internal communications is included as a key factor when developing comms plans, keeping colleagues informed of business developments or press coverage.
• Improve the profile, understanding of - and engagement with - Federated Hermes Private Markets within the global business.
Administration
• Support the team with administrative duties including monthly and quarterly reports.
• Responsible, with the rest of the team, for posting of all press releases and external announcements, ensuring the external website is up to date.
• Ensure all compliance records are maintained and up to date.
• Arrange media training for new spokespeople.
• Ensure spokespeople are appropriately briefed prior to media engagements.
• Maintain up-to-date media lists to ensure target audience is reached.
Minimum knowledge & experience required:
* Financial services experience either in-house or agency, preferably in asset management and private markets more specifically
* An understanding of the media and good media contacts at national/trade/wire/broadcast
* Enthusiastic, resilient, collaborative team player with strong influencing and stakeholder management skills
* Ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with internal and external clients and colleagues
* Dynamic self-starter, with good initiative and communication skills
* Keen attention to detail
* Excellent writing and oral skills
Experience Required:
* A good understanding of financial markets
* Proof of ability to multi-task and cover a wide range of topics in an extremely fast-moving environment
Candidate Profile:
* Curiosity, creativity and willingness to learn
* Effective planning and organisational skills
* Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
* Drive to succeed
* Ability to meet deadlines and work in a high pressure environment
* Ability to multi-task
* Ability to listen and take direction
* Understands the importance of client service
Diversity, Inclusion and Flexible Working
We believe in genuine opportunity, fairness, and respect for all applicants and aim to ensure that no current or prospective employee is subject to discrimination or treated less favourably on the basis of their disability, gender identity or expression, race, ethnicity, religion or belief, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, age, sex, or sexual orientation, or disability.
We understand that applicants may have different needs and expectations related to their working arrangements and are committed to a discussion on flexible working. Please raise these with your Recruitment contact to discuss what type of arrangements can work for you and the role for which you are applying.
We welcome applications from all eligible candidates, and we particularly encourage applications from qualified candidates who identify as women and/or are from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic background, as these groups are underrepresented throughout the financial services sector.
We are a Disability Confident Employer and participate in the “Offer of Interview” scheme, intended to actively encourage applications from people with a disability or long-term condition and offer an interview to those who meet the minimum criteria set out within this job description. You will need to let us know if you would like to opt in to this scheme by contacting Jessica Sheehan at Jessica.sheehan@federatedhermes.com or +44 207 702 0888. You do not need to share details of your disability or long-term condition.
If you would benefit from alternative methods of applying or for workplace adjustments during the recruitment process, please also let us know by contacting Jessica Sheehan at Jessica.sheehan@federatedhermes.com or +44 207 702 0888 to discuss the support you need.