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Join the Network

The Department for International Trade (DIT) is offering the right candidate the chance to make their mark and help continue to build the best external affairs function in government.

The External Affairs team works on partnerships and advocacy with our stakeholders, which is core to developing and delivering our policies, and building trust in our work. DIT stakeholders include influential business organisations, sector specific bodies, exporters and investors, Parliamentarians, think tanks, academics and NGOs and a range of regional and international opinion-formers.

You will support engagement with business organisations and other stakeholders, promoting the benefits of international trade and investment, building strategic partnerships and co-ordinating departmental engagement with them.

You will be part of a team that build advocates and supporters for our vision, our policies and our promotional campaigns.

You will be confident working with a broad range of people within the department, across Whitehall and with the external stakeholders. You will understand the department’s business objectives and define external affairs activity to meet them.

Key Accountabilities

You will support the Senior External Affairs Manager and lead projects to:

  • Using communication tools and methodologies to map, track and report on the stakeholder landscape (external and cross-government) and the expressed views of important and influential organisations, so that these can be considered during planning and influence the communications approach;
  • Support stakeholder engagement in the policy development process, ensuring that stakeholder views are sought, captured and analysed, including through departmental consultation exercises;
  • Work with press office and external relations colleagues to factor stakeholder engagement into media activity plans and work with stakeholders’ communications teams to develop content that will amplify campaign and policy objectives through their channels;
  • Support our Parliamentary engagement programme and when appropriate, provide briefing to advise Ministers and senior officials’ on meetings and events and respond to commissions;
  • Help plan and provide support for high profile stakeholder events when necessary;
  • Working closely with a team member own and be responsible for updating, the stakeholder grid for the department;
  • Working with colleagues in the team, develop and maintain an effective evaluation mechanism for engagement activity and prepare routine reports on engagement effectiveness in meeting the objectives of the department;
  • Act as a champion and raise awareness of the External Affairs function, contributing to the wider department’s understanding through close and positive working with colleagues across the department. 

Closing date

Applications for this post closed 11:59pm on Sunday 17th March 2019