We are currently recruiting a Communications and Engagement Manager, to join our team in Bedford on a two years fixed term contract to manage the Lower Thames Crossing scheme.
This is a unique opportunity within the Communications Directorate, and an exciting time here at Highways England; as we are currently growing and seeking new ways to communicate to the public.
As a Communication Manager, you will be responsible for the delivery of communications with activities including supporting regional teams with stakeholder reviews to ensure impacts are properly identified, captured and mitigated and following up with appropriate plans to deliver accurate information to stakeholders.
Being a successful regional communications manager, you will need to demonstrate that you are good at maintaining relationships and confident working across numerous organisational boundaries. This is a role for a proactive manager, who is able to act on feedback to ensure continuous improvement of the service.
Key responsibilities:
- Act as an internal adviser to senior managers, staff and partners in the supply chain on handling communication and engagement activities;
- Supporting the senior communications manager with the development and delivery of the regional communications strategy;
- Overseeing the delivery of project communications plans that capture all scheme milestones and support requirements;
- Identifying project communications risks and hotspots;
- Ensuring regional stakeholder planning and tracking tools are kept to-up-date and maintained;
- Ensuring key stakeholders are identified and regular formal engagement is maintained by project teams;
- Coordinating the delivery of project related communications activity across offline and online channels;
- Identifying and monitoring spending on communications activities by project teams.
Essential Requirements:
- Demonstrable experience as a communications professional with a good understanding of the wider communication context;
- Specialist communications knowledge and experience, underpinned by relevant professional qualifications or training;
- Proven track record of working in a complex environment and leading a team;
- Proven track record of managing communications in a programme delivery environment, preferably in large scale infrastructure delivery and/or the development sector;
- Experience in public consultation and managing feedback;
- Evidence of effective stakeholder relationship management, influencing & negotiation skills, and be able to demonstrate effective people management skills;
- Evidence of working successfully with senior leaders from within internal and external stakeholder organisations;
- Ability to understand the context and implications of technical plans and scheme delivery activities to a sufficient level to enable effective decisions to be taken.