Associate Director, Corporate Communications (Financial Services)
Salary £ Competitive
London
Vacancy listed 08/12/2025
Application deadline 18/01/2026
Details
About Hawthorn
 
We are an independent and agile strategic communications consultancy. For over 10 years, we’ve delivered exceptional work for individuals and organisations worldwide, from Forbes, Maybourne Hotels and Kering, to DAZN, Aegon, and News UK.

We’re small enough to give clients our full attention, yet big enough to handle the most complex and high-stakes briefs. Our dynamic, deeply connected team works across corporate communications, crisis management, and public affairs.

Our structure enables us to deliver fully integrated, data and behaviour-driven solutions. We’re ambitious, for ourselves and for our clients, and we’re growing every day.

We believe in empowering our people with autonomy, supporting innovation, and having fun along the way. Diversity of thought and background fuels our creativity and collaboration, and we’re committed to building an inclusive, connected culture where everyone can thrive.

Our People

At Hawthorn, we put our clients and our people at the heart of everything we do. We empower our colleagues with the freedom and autonomy that enables them to deliver outstanding results for our clients. We thrive on challenges, embrace innovative ideas, and believe in having fun along the way. If you’re seeking a dynamic environment that values creativity, ambition, and entrepreneurial spirit; offers diverse and challenging opportunities; fosters continuous learning; and encourages collaboration among big thinkers, then Hawthorn is the place for you.

Building an inclusive and connected culture is crucial to our success. Hawthorn is a sum of its people, and we believe the best way to drive collaboration, unlock creativity, and enable innovation is through combining different perspectives, experiences, and ideas. Therefore, we are committed to building a diverse and equitable environment where everyone at Hawthorn feels they belong.

Our Values

·         Creative: You are an innovative thinker who brings originality and flair to every challenge.

·         Ambitious: You are driven and passionate, with an unwavering commitment to achieving both your personal goals and the company’s objectives.

·         Entrepreneurial: You are a proactive self-starter, always looking to build networks and capitalize on new opportunities.

·         Collaborative: You are a dedicated team player who supports colleagues, builds strong partnerships, and is committed to helping others succeed while delivering impactful results.

·         Connected: You excel at forging and maintaining strong relationships, ensuring that ideas and opportunities flow smoothly within the team and with clients.

Overview

Associate Directors at Hawthorn are strategic thinkers with deep experience developing and overseeing the execution of high-quality, multidisciplinary communications programmes on behalf of clients. The Associate Director leads their team to deliver impactful, multidisciplinary communications programmes with high quality results for their clients. They are a trusted advisor to senior clients and go-to source of insight and counsel.

Associate Directors are central to the running of the consultancy, driving Hawthorn’s entrepreneurial culture and taking responsibility for managing junior members of the team – playing a key role in developing and retaining Hawthorn’s talent. Associate Directors contribute to the strategic direction of Hawthorn as the business develops, building connections that support Hawthorn’s commercial objectives and working closely with Directors and Partners to ensure that the firm continues to deliver on its core values as it grows.

This is an opportunity for an ambitious and enterprising candidate with Financial Services experience to be part of the next exciting phase of the Hawthorn journey, and to help further shape the direction and culture of the organisation as it continues to go from strength to strength.

Key responsibilities 

·         Working primarily with clients across alternative assets and asset & wealth management, devising and overseeing high quality, impactful and innovative communications programmes, based on strategic insight and drawing on the firm’s connectivity

·         Building strong relationships with clients, ensuring regular interaction and bringing in additional senior resource within the business at the appropriate time

·         Acting as an ambassador for Hawthorn’s entrepreneurial and innovative values – ensuring that teams deliver results for clients that go beyond the usual expectations that they might have of communications programmes

·         Ensuring that work is being consistently delivered to a high standard by teams, according to an agreed scope of work; and that clients’ specific needs are being met by the team at all levels

·         Building and maintaining a network of contacts that help to deliver outcomes for clients and to grow the Hawthorn business

·         Attracting, developing and retaining the best talent in the sector, and from a range of professional backgrounds

·         Empowering Consultants and Analysts to take ownership of their professional development, providing opportunities for growth and regular, consistent feedback to drive a culture of constant improvement throughout the firm

·         Overseeing the day-to-day account management activity that is delivered by Senior Consultants and Consultants, ensuring that activity is delivered on schedule and to a high standard

·         Supporting Directors and Partners in driving business development activities in the financial services sector.

Candidate specification 

·         Must have experience in financial services communications - experience in private equity, private debt, alternative assets, asset management, wealth management or corporate finance is desirable. 

·         Ideally experience working within both a communications agency advising on business-critical issues and working in-house at a financial institution in a communications function. 

·         Strong leadership skills. An inspiring person to work with, clearly showing a collaborative approach to account management and showing an ability to think creatively 

·         Strategic advisor to clients with a deep understanding of their industries and markets 

·         Wide-ranging experience of leading responses to issues and crisis management and advising clients 

·         Adept at handling sensitive media relations issues 

·         Strong relationships with media and broader stakeholder contacts 

·         Trusted advisor to senior clients and prepared to take well-considered risks 

·         Develops and nurtures high-performing teams that enjoy coming to work each day 

·         Exceptional written and verbal communications skills 

Benefits

We offer competitive salaries that fully reflect your skills and experience, and benefits that support your mental, physical, financial, and social wellbeing, including:
• Benefits including Pension, Salary Exchange, nursery salary sacrifice scheme, medical and life insurance, plus cycle to work and technology schemes
• Flexible working options based around home and office locations, with flexible hybrid working patterns
• Time-off including annual, parental and volunteering leave
• Long service paid sabbaticals at three, five and ten years and every five years after that
• 25 days annual leave in year one, 26 days thereafter.
• Annual charity day where an employee can volunteer their time to a chosen charity of their choice
• A continuous learning culture to support your growth
• Proactive wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), sick leave provision, mental health first-aiders, and menopause app Peppy
• Office perks including breakfasts, lunches, snacks and drinks
• A packed social calendar which includes sports and cultural activities, charity bike rides, plus not-to-be missed summer and Christmas parties each year.

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