We have an opportunity for an External Affairs Manager to join our successful team on a full time, permanent basis and will receive a highly competitive salary plus bonus and excellent benefits. We are flexible on location so you can either be based in London, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool or Birmingham areas. You will spend significant time in your geographic area establishing, building and developing relationships with a complex group of stakeholders.
InLinkUK is a cutting-edge communications network that is replacing payphones with ultrafast free Internet hotspots called InLinks, starting in London and most recently Leeds, with plans to build out the network across the UK. InLinkUK is provided through a joint venture between Intersection and Primesight in partnership with BT.
About the External Affairs Manager role
As our External Affairs Manager you will be responsible for drafting regular communications to Councillors, stakeholders including BID’s and conservation groups, also community groups including newsletters and briefings on issues of relevance to InLinkUK deployment and roll out, including responding to consultation responses and supporting the wider InLinkUK team with increasing awareness of the product and services.
The successful candidate will be comfortable working in a startup environment, a great team player and confident self-starter. Reporting to the Head of Communications & External Affairs, the successful candidate will be responsible for supporting the delivery of a programme of engagement across the UK being a key interface with communities across the Country.
We are specifically looking for experienced external affairs / stakeholder engagement experience working across the UK. It will be expected this role spends significant time in their geographic areas establishing, building and developing relationships with a complex group of stakeholders.
You will also be responsible for drafting regular communications to Councillors, stakeholders including BID’s and conservation groups, also community groups including newsletters and briefings on issues of relevance to InLinkUK deployment and roll out, including responding to consultation responses and supporting the wider InLinkUK team with increasing awareness of the product and services.
The External Affairs Manager will also actively encourage adoption of service among stakeholder groups including and not limited to local businesses, community organisations, Council’s and from time to time local Government, MP’s to form community partnerships and support of the programme as we continue to roll out and develop our project across the UK.
Key responsibilities
- Continue to support and roll out InLinkUK’s community engagement plan and execute multi-layered, multi-channel campaigns with the Head of Communications & External Affairs - external communications is a fundamental part of this role so we’re looking for someone exceptional;
- Manage day-to-day activities with InLinkUK’s Public Affairs and Communications agency and other external partners;
- Manage relationships within local communities, including government and not for profits to influence adoption and engagement essential for our roll out and ongoing community engagement;
- Assist spokespeople with presentations, talking points, and background info;
- Manage relationships and facilitate communications activities between JV and BT’s public affairs / Regional Directors and external partners;
- Identify and produce local/community events and lead supporting communications; activities alongside the Communications Manager and other JV partners;
- Drive local content communication from local community groups;
- Monitor and analyse results against metrics and goals.
What we’re looking for in an External Affairs Manager
- Significant experience in relevant field;
- Previous experience of working in external engagement or public affairs role, either agency or in-house and/or with local government;
- Desirable experience working on planning projects and/or telecommunications environment;
- Relationships with strategic Government departments and influencers in technology and digital;
- Demonstrable experience on delivering creative strategies for engaging and communicating with our key stakeholders;
- Experience of devising and delivering interesting and compelling communications;
- Experience of working in a fast-moving, deadline-driven environment;
- Experience of working independently as well as part of a team;
- Strong planning and organising skills;
- Excellent verbal and written communications skills (presentations, briefings etc) with the ability to convey business and technical concepts;
- Ability to work effectively with a range of various stakeholders;
- Self-directed, results-driven and able to multi-task in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
The successful candidate will also have the below qualities
- Proactive approach in keeping abreast of emerging technologies in telecommunications and digital media;
- Strong commercial awareness of the competitive business environment in which they work;
- Ability to take ownership of work and managing this effectively and efficiently;
- Highly efficient at organising and prioritising workload;
- Resilient and adaptable to change;
- Used to traveling in the UK for business and remote working considered;
- Used to working in a fast paced, demanding and changing function;
- Customer focused and delivery orientated.