Public affairs consultant
Public affairs consultants are often referred to as 'lobbyists', but their work is more wide-ranging. They use their understanding of the political system to offer political and public policy advice to their clients. Clients may include private sector companies, trade associations, charities and not-for-profit organisations, and overseas governments. Keeping abreast of political developments, in order to advise clients on a possible response, is vital to the role. Key information is sought from personal contacts, a range of media sources and political intelligence and monitoring.
Public affairs consultants identify key stakeholders in the decision-making process at European, national, regional and local government levels. They work to maintain relationships with these individuals and to assist clients to promote and protect their interests effectively.
The amount of time spent on the above activities varies according to the employer and level of experience required. At entry level, you will be involved in a high level of research and monitoring of information, while an account director will be principally involved in strategic planning and relationship management.
Although this area of work is open to all graduates, the following subjects may increase your chances:
Experience in and around politics, together with personal qualities, are more important than your degree subject.
Entry with an HND only is unlikely due to the competitive nature of the profession, although those with political and campaigning experience may be successful.
Although a postgraduate qualification is not essential, some entrants do have a Masters degree, often in politics or a related subject. There are also public affairs postgraduate courses available at various institutions. Brunel University , for example, offers an MSc in Public Affairs and Lobbying; Aberdeen Business School offers an MSc in Corporate Communications and Public Affairs; and the University of Ulster in Belfast offers a PgDip/MSc in Political Lobbying and Public Affairs. Some postgraduate degrees in PR include a government relations module.
Pre-entry experience related to politics is essential in order to develop the necessary skill set and contacts. This experience is usually gained through:
Some public affairs consultancies offer internships to undergraduates lasting from a few weeks to 12 months. Opportunities are not always advertised so you are also advised to apply speculatively using a well-thought through and targeted CV and covering letter.
Candidates will need to show evidence of the following:
It is vital to network as much as possible in order to establish and develop a relationship with decision-makers, influencers and those who lobby them. Attend debates, political seminars and receptions and attend party conferences to meet key contacts.
Competition for posts is fierce. The PubAffairs website includes a list of organisations that offer graduate opportunities. Register with specialist recruitment agencies to gain access to advice, expertise and opportunities. Use consultancies' websites and general politics sites to keep yourself informed about public affairs generally. These sites may also carry job vacancies.
For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.
Training is largely on the job, learning from more experienced colleagues, supplemented by short, external courses covering topics such as public affairs management, parliamentary procedure and policy making. Organisations offering these types of courses include Parli-training , Inside Lobbying and Westminster Explained .
Graduate programmes run by larger consultancies follow a similar approach to training, but may additionally provide a more formal induction, offer exposure to wider aspects of public relations (PR) and communications, and include some in-house courses. Some consultancies arrange work experience placements in outside organisations for their trainees. Graduates are often expected to carry out research for more experienced colleagues, which provides the opportunity to develop skills and find out more about the different areas of work available.
A number of employers encourage their consultants to obtain the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Diploma in Public Relations. This is because public affairs work is increasingly interconnected with more general aspects of PR, such as corporate communications and media work.
New entrants to a public affairs consultancy spend a large proportion of their time on research, monitoring and responding to requests for information. However, face-to-face contact with clients will come quickly - initially through attending meetings, briefings and conferences alongside more senior staff - and will increase as your career develops.
A typical career path would be from account executive to account manager, heading up a small team within the consultancy and being responsible for a group of clients. The next step may be to senior account manager or account director and then associate director, handling the consultancy’s work for a range of clients, providing strategic advice and developing new business for the consultancy. At higher levels, the ability to develop and win new business, as well as servicing existing clients, becomes increasingly important.
As public affairs consultancies are generally small, it is common to move between employers to develop your career. Many consultants also move into in-house public affairs departments as public affairs managers or policy advisers. Some may move into full-time political roles, such as working for a political party or as an adviser. These moves may be permanent or may be used to further develop experience and contacts before returning to consultancy.
Public affairs consultants typically work for a consultancy acting on behalf of a range of clients, but may also work in-house for an organisation, e.g. a charity, pressure group, private company, public sector body or professional/trade association.
Public affairs consultancies may be independent or part of a larger public relations (PR) or communications company. The Association of Professional Political Consultants (APPC) website includes links to their members, which numbers over 60 public affairs consultancies. Most consultancies are fairly small, very often with less than 20 staff. The majority of consultancies are based in London or Brussels, although there are also a significant number in Edinburgh and, to a lesser extent, Cardiff and Belfast. Several of the larger PR agencies have a specialised public affairs or government relations division.
Specialist recruitment agencies, such as Electus , Peter Childs and Ellwood and Atfield advertise vacancies on their websites.
The majority of vacancies are advertised, but you are also advised to make speculative applications to consultancies. Use the following information sources for contact details:
Get tips on job hunting, CVs and covering letters and interviews.
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