Director, Public Affairs

The Opportunity Teneo is seeking a high-calibre Director to join our team in Berlin. This is a senior, client-facing role for an experienced Public Affairs Director advisor. The successful candidate will bring a strong network across German blue-chip companies and listed businesses. Role Overview As a Senior Managing Director in Teneo Strategy & Communications business in Europe, you will be responsible for building trusted senior client relationships, developing new revenue opportunities, leading complex client mandates and contributing to the growth and reputation of the business. Based in Munich or Frankfurt, you will work closely with Teneo colleagues across Europe and the global network to deliver integrated advice to clients. This will include collaboration with specialists in corporate reputation, crisis preparedness and response, public affairs, geopolitics, management consulting, risk advisory, people advisory, sustainability, digital and creative campaigning. This role requires both strategic advisory excellence and a strong commercial mindset. The successful candidate will be expected to bring market credibility, senior relationships, origination capability and the ability to lead multidisciplinary teams through complex, high-profile and often sensitive client situations. Key Responsibilities Business Development and Market Growth • Drive the growth of Teneo Europe’s Corporate and Crisis Communications business from Germany by originating, winning and leading high-value client engagements. • Leverage an established network of senior relationships across German corporates and major organisations. • Identify and convert new business opportunities across corporate communications, corporate reputation, issues management, crisis preparedness and response, and special situations. • Help position Teneo as a premier corporate and crisis communications adviser in Germany and the wider European region. Senior Client Counsel • Act as trusted adviser to CEOs, supervisory and management boards, senior executives and communications and corporate affairs directors. • Provide senior strategic counsel on corporate narrative, reputation, stakeholder engagement, issues management and crisis preparedness. • Advise clients on how to communicate effectively with employees, media, government, regulators, customers, investors, partners and other key stakeholders. • Bring judgement, discretion and confidence to high-pressure situations involving complex stakeholder dynamics, significant public scrutiny and reputational risk. Corporate Communications and Crisis Situations • Lead communications strategies around major corporate events, business transformation, leadership change, restructuring, litigation, regulatory scrutiny, operational incidents, cyber incidents, activism and other significant or sensitive situations. • Advise clients on crisis preparedness, scenario planning, crisis governance, response strategies, messaging and stakeholder engagement. • Work closely with legal advisers, public affairs teams, risk specialists, management consultants and other advisers to ensure communications strategies are aligned with broader business objectives and stakeholder considerations. • Provide senior leadership in fast-moving and high-pressure situations involving intense scrutiny, competing stakeholder expectations and significant reputational risk. Media, Reputation and Stakeholder Management • Develop and execute media strategies involving German, European and international business, corporate and national media. • Advise clients on reputation management, corporate positioning, proactive storytelling, executive positioning, crisis situations and complex issues. • Help organisations build and protect trust with their most