G5 Communications and Engagement Business Partner - 31973

This is an opportunity to help tell the story of the Environment Agency. The Internal Communications and Engagement Business Partner roles support the Strategy, Transformation and Assurance (STA) Directorate across several high-profile areas as the organisation evolves to respond to environmental challenges, set out in our corporate strategy, EA2030. This is a new way of working, as the Internal Communications and Engagement (ICE) team builds cohesion across directorates. Each role will oversee a portfolio of work but collaborate to share insight and provide resilience. The roles involve planning and coordinating activity across STA, ensuring our people receive the right information, in the right format, at the right time.

Areas include:

• Transformation: working with the Director for Service Transformation to understand the totality of change programmes across the EA and help describe the narrative for change.
• People: working with the People and Inclusion directorate to understand themes such as the People Plan and Health, Safety and Wellbeing.
• Strategy: helping colleagues understand their role in delivering our corporate strategy, business plan, and the STA Leadership Team’s role in leading the organisation.

You will:

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

Team

The business partner team is a small cross-functional team of communication and engagement experts. We are part of the Internal Communications and Engagement team within the Strategy, Transformation and Assurance 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.
• PLAN AND DELIVER integrated activities, continually improving how we engage with our people.

Experience/skills Required

• Your ability to persuade, influence and reason with others will be vital in this role.
• Experience and understanding of planning and delivering excellent communications and engagement activities to drive operational improvements.
• Ability to balance broad understanding of EA challenges in delivering EA2030 with prioritisation of individual projects and programmes.
• Comfortable creating and maintaining relationships at all levels of the EA and Defra. Able to work as part of a dispersed team.
• 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 with your nearest Environment Agency office. Occasional travel may be required. We are committed to being an inclusive employer and welcome flexible working patterns, including job share.

Responding to incidents is a central part of our work. You may be required to have an incident role and be available to respond or provide support during an incident. Training and workplace adjustments will be available to support you with your incident role.

Interviews will take place towards the end of October. For further information, please contact sam.elfer@environment-agency.gov.uk.

We are an equal opportunities employer and support a diverse workforce. We guarantee interview to candidates with a disability whose applications meet the minimum criteria. If you are applying from the Civil Service, note that Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service and you would not be a Crown Servant if appointed.

We welcome flexible working patterns and explicitly invite information about your preferred working arrangements in your application.

Artificial intelligence note: AI can help with your application, but any examples must be truthful and from your own experience. Do not present others’ ideas as your own. For guidance on AI use, review Civil Service guidance.

Seniority level: Associate

Employment type: Full-time

Job function: Marketing, Public Relations, and Writing/Editing