Client Director – Planning, Consultation and Stakeholder Engagement Services Job Description
Reporting to: Managing Director
Working alongside: Director of Strategy and Media Director and the wider Coast team
Salary: £55,000+, depending on experience
Hours: 37 hours per week, full time
Location: St Mellion, Cornwall, with hybrid working
Travel: This role involves travel across the South West and wider UK for client meetings, consultations, events, networking opportunities and stakeholder engagement activities. Occasional overnight stays will be required.
Overview: Coast Communications is looking for an experienced communications professional with experience in planning and stakeholder engagement to join us as Client Director for our Planning, Consultation and Stakeholder Engagement Services.
This is a senior, hands on role for someone who enjoys building relationships, identifying opportunities and helping organisations navigate complex conversations. As a senior ambassador for Coast, you will lead some of our most important client relationships, represent Coast externally and play a key role in the future direction of our consultancy.
Please note, this is not a general marketing or consumer PR role. We are looking for someone with a strong working knowledge of the UK planning system who can confidently advise client navigating the planning, consultation, stakeholder engagement and potentially complex projects.
Working closely within the leadership group, you will help ensure clients receive exceptional service, identify opportunities for growth and support the continued success of the business.
If you're equally comfortable advising senior clients, building new relationships and rolling your sleeves up to get things done, we would love to hear from you.
The role
This role sits at the heart of our senior leadership team. You will focus on leading accounts, supporting business growth and acting as one of the public faces of the consultancy, while working with our Director of Strategy and Media Director to ensure every client benefits from excellent engagement consultancy.
This is not a general marketing or consumer PR role. We are looking for someone with a strong working knowledge of the UK planning system who can confidently advise client navigating the planning, consultation, stakeholder engagement and potentially complex projects.
Key responsibilities include:
- Leading a portfolio of key and strategic client accounts.
- Acting as a senior point of contact for clients and providing strategic engagement advice and support.
- Building trusted, long-term relationships with clients, stakeholders and partner organisations.
- Representing Coast and deputising for the Managing Director where required at client meetings, stakeholder events, public consultations, networking opportunities and industry forums.
- Travelling across the South West and wider UK to meet clients, stakeholders and partners face-to-face.
- Identifying opportunities to grow existing accounts and develop new business relationships.
- Supporting and leading proposals, presentations, bids and pitches.
- Working with colleagues to ensure projects are well planned, commercially sound and deliver an excellent client experience.
- Chairing meetings, facilitating discussions and maintaining strong relationships across client teams.
About you
You will be an experienced communications professional with experience in planning or engagement who enjoys working closely with clients, building relationships and helping organisations achieve their goals.
You will be commercially aware, confident working with senior decision makers and comfortable operating both strategically and practically. Most importantly, you will enjoy being part of a collaborative team where everyone contributes and supports each other.
You will bring:
- Significant experience in planning and stakeholder engagement or a related field.
- A strong track record of managing and growing complex or high value client accounts.
- Excellent relationship management and interpersonal skills.
- Strong presentation, verbal and written communication skills.
- The confidence to provide strategic advice and constructive challenge to senior clients.
- Commercial awareness and an understanding of agency account management.
- Experience identifying opportunities for account growth and business development.
- The ability to manage competing priorities while maintaining high standards.
- A practical, collaborative and calm approach.
- Experience developing bids, proposals, presentations or pitches.
- A willingness and enthusiasm to travel regularly as part of the role.
Experience within infrastructure, energy, transport, planning, local government or other regulated sectors would be advantageous, but is not essential.
A full UK driving licence, access to your own vehicle and a willingness to travel are essential. The role involves travel throughout the South West and wider UK, including occasional overnight stays.
About Coast
Coast is a busy communications consultancy based in Cornwall, with colleagues also based in Devon, Wales, Birmingham and London. We work with public, private and third sector clients in the South West, and across the UK and Europe.
Engaging with stakeholders is at the heart of what we do, whether it is gaining the support of influencers such as investors and politicians in one-to-one briefings, or sharing information and inviting feedback through public consultations.
Our services range from initial campaign conception and planning, to stakeholder engagement and consultation, media relations including press office function, social media management, media training and reputation management. Services include strategic advice and support, critical interventions and risk preparedness strategies, public affairs and internal/transformation communications.
As a small independent consultancy, we don't have layers of management - everyone contributes ideas, takes responsibility and plays a part in shaping the business. We value collaboration, trust and a willingness to get stuck in.
We work with clients locally, nationally and internationally from a range of sectors including energy, the environment, economy, planning and engineering.
To learn more about us, visit www.coastmarcoms.co.uk
Why join us?
We're a small, ambitious consultancy where people can make a real contribution and see the impact of their work.
You will work closely with experienced colleagues, develop genuine relationships with clients and help shape how Coast grows in the years ahead. We trust people to get on with the job, support each other when needed and bring fresh ideas to the table.
- 29 days' annual leave, plus eight bank holidays.
- Auto-enrolment into the NEST pension scheme.
- Sick pay.
- AXA healthcare, including cashback for dental/optical costs, and access to a 24-hour online GP service.
- Free on-site parking.
- The opportunity to play a key role in an established, independent communications consultancy working on important and often high-profile projects.
Closing date: 18th September 2026
How to apply
Please send your CV and a covering letter explaining why you would be a strong fit for Coast and the Client Services Director role to [email protected]
First interviews: w/c 21st September 2026
Second interviews: w/c 28th September
Coast Communications and Marketing Ltd welcomes applications from suitably qualified candidates from all backgrounds.
Pay: £55,000.00-£60,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Private dental insurance
- Private medical insurance
- Sick pay
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Saltash PL12 6RQ
