G5 Communications and Engagement Business Partner - 31973

The Internal Communications and Engagement (ICE) team supports the Strategy, Transformation and Assurance (STA) Directorate across high-profile areas as the Environment Agency evolves to respond to environmental challenges, outlined in EA2030.

This is a new way of working as the ICE team builds cohesion across directorates. Each role will oversee a portfolio of work while collaborating to share insight and provide resilience. The roles involve planning and co-ordinating activity across STA to ensure our people receive the right information, in the right format, at the right time.

Responsibilities

• Work across a portfolio of themes, acting as a vital link between the directorate and the wider ICE team.
• Interact widely and be responsible for developing effective relationships with stakeholders and customers across the organisation.
• Plan strategy, share and drive best practice, set editorial standards, ensure executional consistency, and adherence to organisational priorities and our brand.
• Align communications and engagement with the central narrative and assure corporate discipline to improve message consistency.
• Champion the highest standards and help our people engage with the things that truly matter.
• Influence teams and departments to maximise the effectiveness of our work.

Team and scope

The business partner team is a small cross-functional group of communication and engagement experts within the ICE team, part of the STA Directorate. We collaborate with Defra Group Communications and other colleagues to enable effective communications and engagement by ensuring we have the right tools, skills and ways of working, and to plan and deliver integrated activities that continually improve how we engage with our people.

Experience / skills Required

• Your ability to persuade, influence and reason with others will be vital in this role.
• You will bring experience and understanding of how planning and delivering excellent communications and engagement activities can bring operational improvements.
• You will need to balance a wide understanding of the challenges facing the Environment Agency in delivering EA2030 with prioritisation of individual projects and programmes.
• You will be comfortable in creating and maintaining relationships at all levels of the EA and Defra, and must be able to work as part of a dispersed team.
• You will be comfortable challenging constructively and driving high standards for all communications and engagement activities.

Contact and additional information

This is a hybrid working role with flexibility to work from home and at your nearest Environment Agency office. Occasional travel may be required. We are committed to an inclusive workplace and flexible working patterns, including job share. Responding to incidents is a central part of the role; you may be required to respond to or support during incidents, which may attract additional payment. Training and workplace adjustments will be available to support you with this role. Interviews are expected toward the end of October. For more information, please contact sam.elfer@environment-agency.gov.uk.

Competencies

• Communicates Effectively — Description: Listens and asks questions to understand and engage. Conveys information and ideas clearly, accurately and persuasively through speech and writing.
• Engages others — Description: Plans, carries out and evaluates effective engagement with internal and external stakeholders following the ‘Working with others’ approach.
• Influences and Persuades Others — Description: Presenting a case in a convincing and attractive way that will win people over, encouraging them to follow plans willingly; often succeeding where logic and reason alone would fail.
• Builds and Sustains Relationships — Description: Develops and maintains effective working relationships.

Important guidance — If applying from the Civil Service, note that the Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service and you would not be a Crown Servant if appointed. There are details about continuous service and eligibility for redundancy, and contact your HR team if unsure. We promote a diverse and inclusive workforce and welcome flexible working patterns, including job share. We also offer a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support applicants with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria. For supplier opportunities on government frameworks, refer to government guidance.

Artificial intelligence notice — AI can assist your application, but all examples must be truthful and from your own experience. If plagiarism is identified, applications may be withdrawn. The Environment Agency aligns with Civil Service guidance on AI use.