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The role of Head of External Engagement reports directly into the Director of Communications and will function where required as their deputy.

For a communications and public affairs professional, this role offers a rare chance to see how a regulator works from the inside. It is an opportunity to connect across the rail and road landscape in Great Britain and to work alongside economic, health & safety and policy officials who are among the best in the country in what they do.

What are my responsibilities?

Principally, we’re looking for someone with excellent competence and experience in strategic engagement and public affairs.

Your initial task will be to develop and implement an uprated stakeholder engagement strategy for ORR, working collaboratively with the heads of media, campaigns and digital and of internal communications. You will also have oversight in creating an enhanced Parliamentary public affairs programme as part of stakeholder engagement.

We will also expect you once fully in post to understand the external environment in which we operate, including the Government’s policy on road and rail transport, the health and safety regimen, regulatory reform, competition and consumer protection.

The successful candidate will be a member of the Communications Senior Management Team (SMT), and will lead a small team of professionals.

You will hold the following responsibilities and accountabilities:

  • Be the internal champion for our stakeholders and promote the benefits of external engagement among key policy officials;
  • Develop, implement and manage an enhanced stakeholder engagement strategy and function, pursuing this collaboratively with our policy leads. This will include horizon scanning, insight, stakeholder mapping & segmentation and evaluation;
  • Drive forward the range of strategic engagement across the organisation with external business partners, both in the Westminster village and beyond;
  • Develop, implement and oversee a comprehensive Parliamentary public affairs programme and provide Parliamentary briefing in conjunction with the Parliamentary and Government Relations Manager (who will be a member of your team);
  • Build and maintain close professional relationships with ORR’s CEO, Chair, Executive Team and policy leads, providing advice on stakeholder engagement and reputational risks / opportunities on key issues;
  • Support a visibility programme for our key Principals which will also include some speechwriting and presentation preparation;
  • Build and maintain close professional relationships with stakeholder leads across the transport industry;
  • Oversee operation of an effective contact and enquiries database and exploit its capabilities to the full in pursuit of effective strategic engagement;
  • Ensure an effective service to the Westminster and Edinburgh Parliaments and Welsh Assembly, including through our handling of MPs’ correspondence and Parliamentary Questions;
  • Contribute as a member of the Senior Management Team in leadership of the communications function and as a senior leader within ORR, being a champion for professional communications and continuous improvement across ORR and the wider Civil Service.

Closing date

Applications for this post closed 11:59pm on Sunday 25th June 2017