Senior Account Director, International Public Affairs and Strategic Communications Consultancy, Brussels

Hanson Search is partnering with an international public affairs and strategic communications consultancy to appoint a Senior Account Director to its Brussels office. This Senior Account Director role sits within the firm’s competition, antitrust and foreign investment practice, working on high-profile regulatory matters for leading companies.

About the Senior Account Director Role

The Brussels practice works where competition policy meets politics, advising leading companies on some of the most high-profile regulatory matters in Europe and internationally. Alongside clients and their legal advisers, the team handles merger control, foreign investment reviews, market investigations and antitrust proceedings. It combines detailed knowledge of competition and regulatory processes with expertise in public affairs, strategic communications, M&A and geopolitics.

As Senior Account Director in the Brussels team, you will help clients address complex competition, regulatory, political and reputational challenges. You will contribute to strategic advice and manage client workstreams. Supporting the continued growth of the practice is also part of the role.

You will work closely with senior advisers in Brussels and across the firm’s international network. The role offers exposure to complex, often business-critical situations and the chance to make a meaningful contribution from the outset.

Senior Account Director Responsibilities

Analysis and Advice

• Deliver media, political, regulatory and market analysis, with insight and recommendations informed by data and experience.
• Help clients understand how regulatory decisions affect their reputation and interact with broader business and geopolitical considerations.
• Develop a solid understanding of different sectors and the firm’s specialist offers.

Client Delivery

• Draft, proof, edit and manage high-quality, confidential client documents, including version control.
• Coordinate complex, fast-moving assignments and manage competing priorities.
• Build trusted relationships with clients and their advisers, and develop the confidence and judgement to provide increasingly independent advice.

Network and Team

• Nurture relationships with clients, media, advisers and stakeholders, and build a network inside and outside the firm.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across the firm to connect specialist expertise with client needs.
• Support the development of more junior colleagues through guidance and constructive feedback.
• Contribute to the continued development of the competition, antitrust and foreign investment practice.

Public Affairs and Competition Experience and Skills

Essential

• Relevant professional experience gained in a public affairs or strategic communications consultancy, law firm, EU or national institution or in-house corporate role.
• Exposure to competition, antitrust, foreign investment or related regulatory matters.
• A solid understanding of the EU institutional and regulatory environment, particularly merger control and antitrust developments within EU competition policy.
• Strong political awareness and commercial judgement.
• Excellent research and writing skills, backed by the analytical ability to distil complex legal, political, economic and regulatory issues into concise, persuasive advice.
• Project management skills, with the ability to oversee several fast-moving workstreams.
• Excellent written and spoken English.

Desirable

• Experience working alongside legal advisers on regulatory proceedings.
• Familiarity with foreign investment screening and geopolitical developments affecting business.
• Proficiency in additional EU languages.
• An interest in building a professional network and contributing to the growth of a dynamic advisory practice.
• An intellectually curious, collaborative approach, with sound judgement and a commitment to excellent client service.

What’s on Offer in Brussels

This permanent Senior Account Director role in Brussels comes with an annual discretionary bonus linked to individual and firm-wide performance. The package also includes hospitalisation and dental insurance, pension and group life assurance, commuter benefits and 25 days of annual leave. You will also have access to an employee assistance programme and wellbeing initiatives, along with ongoing training and career development.

You will join an ambitious international team at the heart of EU decision-making, supported by structured training and mentorship. Early exposure to senior clients and policymakers on high-profile issues is part of the role.

Apply for This Senior Account Director Role

To find out more about this Senior Account Director position, apply via the form below and a member of the Hanson Search team will be in touch.

Hanson Search Group is a global talent consultancy providing executive search, recruitment and leadership advisory services. Built on more than twenty years of trusted relationships, we operate as a connected global platform of specialist practices with expert consultants embedded in key markets. Our specialist practices include public affairs executive search and corporate communications executive search, where we partner with organisations to appoint the leaders shaping policy engagement.