The Communications and Events Manager will provide support to the Middle East's established Marketing and Business Development team in the delivery of the region's and international firm's Marketing and Business Development strategy.This is a strategic role and would suit someone with solid experience in professional services marketing and communications.You will work directly with the regional Marketing and Business Development team servicing the firm's partners and lawyers across the Middle East region. You will have a proactive, accountable and efficient approach to work, and be willing to work to the firm's values of being Collaborative, Bold, Exceptional and Supportive.The regional (and at times international) scope and varied nature of this role means candidates will have exposure to all areas of marketing activity across the business, receiving a unique opportunity to develop their career as a result of the rounded knowledge they will obtain.MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIESEvent Planning and Execution
Lead the planning, coordination, and execution of high-profile events, conferences, and seminars in alignment with DLA Piper's strategic goals and brand. Oversee all aspects of event logistics, including venue selection, catering, AV needs, guest lists, and post-event evaluation.
External Communications
Develop and manage external communication strategies to enhance DLA Piper's brand reputation in the Middle East. Craft and distribute press releases, newsletters, and other communications to ensure clear and consistent messaging across various channels.
Stakeholder and Client Engagement
Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including clients, press, and agencies. Identify and implement initiatives to strengthen client engagement through targeted events, corporate communications, and industry partnerships.
Digital and Social Media Management
Oversee DLA Piper's digital presence in the region, including website content, social media platforms, and email campaigns. Develop and execute content strategies to increase online visibility and audience engagement, ensuring alignment with the global brand standards.
Performance Analysis and Reporting
Establish KPIs for events and communications initiatives. Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of all activities, providing regular reports and insights to senior management to drive continual improvement.
Collaborative Partnership with Global Teams
Collaborate with DLA Piper's global communications and events teams to ensure consistency of messaging and alignment with the firm's overall objectives. Share insights on regional trends to influence global strategies.
ABOUT YOUThe successful candidate must be able to demonstrate the confidence to provide support in the following areas:
Contributing information and ideas to a broader team
Comfortable exchange of information with others inside and outside of the marketing function.
Stakeholder management and effective communication skills.
Efficient and effective ways of working.
The ideal candidate must:
Have experience working within an event environment.
Prior PR experience, journalist relationships and the ability to write high quality content.
Be able to demonstrate a strong commercial awareness in both approach and delivery.
Possess good project management skills in relation to delivering projects
Be confident operating on their own initiative, owning projects and seeing them through to conclusion seeking appropriate supervision.
Demonstrate a professional approach in terms of commitment and internal client care.
Have excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to exercise tact and diplomacy.
Demonstrate a proven ability to deal with confidential and sensitive information.
Be able to demonstrate experience in dealing with a demanding workload and conflicting priorities.
Have strong interpersonal skills, working as part of a small, hands-on local team.
Be able to multi-task and work to deadlines, be methodical and logical, as well as thrive in a robust and fast-paced environment.
Have the ability to stay calm and composed in often demanding situations.
Possess excellent communication skills.
Display a consistently positive attitude and adopt a proactive 'can do' approach as well as being able to work well on own initiative and also as part of a wider team; collaborative working style.
Be IT literate - experience of Excel, PowerPoint, Word and Outlook is essential; experience of using InterAction/CRM systems would be beneficial.
Hold a Degree/CIM Professional Certificate in Marketing (desirable).