Portland is a fully integrated communications consultancy trusted by some of the highest profile organizations, governments and individuals in the world with global offices in Washington DC, New York, Singapore, Doha and Nairobi, as well as in London.

We are pioneers in integrated communications campaigns help clients manage their reputation, improve their visibility and media coverage – and deliver global communications campaigns across multiple platforms.

Our teams of experienced and multilingual consultants invest time to understand clients from the inside out, work with them to set clear strategic direction, and then bring the whole of Portland’s abilities to bear to deliver their objectives.

At Portland we never rest on our laurels; we constantly strive to improve our work and be at the forefront of the industry.

The team:

Portland’s Disputes team is a litigation communications specialist team.

Our team is made up of communications experts, former lawyers, journalists and public sector employees.

We work alongside lawyers to protect and enhance reputations during multi-jurisdictional litigation cases, as well as those involving international businesses, group action litigations, international political campaigns, high-profile regulatory and financial investigations.

Portland manages the risks for its clients, in high-profile and high-value cases across multiple jurisdictions and languages. Our work extends beyond the courtroom to encompass complex public and political considerations.

Portland’s specialist and experienced Disputes team is diligent, discreet and focused on results. We are ranked in Band 1 Chambers & Partners for Litigation PR.

The role:

We are looking for an intern who can support our growing team working across multiple clients and projects for a period of six weeks with the option to extend following a performance review to three months.

The intern may be required to carry out all or some of the following key tasks to a high standard:

Media

• Assistance with daily media monitoring and creation of summary and analysis emails to be sent to clients;
• Management of press cuttings, including preparing monthly/quarterly coverage reports;
• Conducting sell-ins, and building journalist contacts;

Content creation

• Assisting with the drafting of press releases, opinion articles, website copy, background material etc.
• Drafting social media content;
• Preparing journalist biographies and briefing notes for clients;
• Preparing and maintaining media distribution lists for press releases;

Digital

• Devising and implementing social media campaigns using advertising and promotion tools;

Research

• In-depth desk-top research for client and new business projects;
• Familiarising yourself with clients by reading legal documents and long form reports;
• Researching and managing forward calendars of key media and current affairs events relevant to designated clients.

Qualifications, skills and competencies:

You must:

• Have graduated by the time you begin the internship with a Degree (minimum of a 2:1 or equivalent). A research-oriented social science or arts is preferred, e.g. law, politics, history, economics and English;
• Have previous experience or a demonstrable interest in communications, the law and litigation;
• Be proficient in the use of Internet tools and Microsoft programmes (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel).

Desirable:

• Foreign language skills, particularly Arabic, French or Russian;
• Experience of Public Affairs, politics and campaigning;
• Experience in journalism, blogging and social media;
• Experience of using social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter) in a professional capacity.

What we offer in return:

• We are committed to employee development and have an open doors culture where you will have the opportunity to learn from some of the most experienced people in the business. We regularly reward and promote success, and actively encourage staff to take on new challenges and responsibilities to aid progression.
• In addition, every permanent member of staff that works at Portland is eligible for our industry leading annual profit share. When Portland thrives, all of our people share in that success.

Unfortunately due to the high volume of applications we receive it is not possible to respond directly to all applicants, only to those whose candidacy is being pursued. In addition, the length of the recruitment process varies based on the vacancy needs. Traditionally, the process takes approximately 3-4 weeks. Therefore, your patience is greatly appreciated.