Overview

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 (ICE) team supports the Strategy, Transformation and Assurance (STA) Directorate across high-profile areas. This is a new way of working to build cohesion across directorates, with a focus on planning and coordinating activity across STA to ensure the right information reaches people in the right format, at the right time.

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

You will

• Work across a portfolio of themes, acting as a vital link between the directorate and the wider ICE team.
• 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 brand.
• Align communications and engagement with the central narrative and assure corporate discipline to improve message consistency.
• Champion high standards and help people engage with what matters most.
• Influence teams and departments to maximise the impact of the work.

Team and scope

The ICE team is a cross-functional group of communication and engagement experts within STA. We collaborate with Defra Group Communications and other colleagues to enable effective communications and engagement by providing the right tools, skills, and ways of working, and by planning and delivering integrated activities that continually improve engagement with our people.

Experience/skills Required

• Ability to persuade, influence and reason with others.
• Experience in planning and delivering excellent communications and engagement activities that support operational improvements.
• Ability to balance a broad understanding of EA challenges with prioritisation of individual projects and programmes.
• Comfort in 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 role with home and nearest Environment Agency office, with occasional travel. We are committed to inclusivity and flexible working patterns, including job share. An incident response role may attract additional payment, with training and workplace adjustments provided. Interviews are planned for late October. For more information, contact sam.elfer@environment-agency.gov.uk.

Competencies tested (examples):

• Communicates Effectively — listen, ask questions, convey information clearly and persuasively.
• Engages others — plan, carry out and evaluate engagement with stakeholders.
• Influences and Persuades — present a convincing case and gain voluntary alignment.
• Builds and Sustains Relationships — develop and maintain effective working relationships.

Note: If applying from Civil Service, EA is not part of the HM Civil Service and would not be a Crown Servant. See the full policy at the Environment Agency website. We encourage flexible working and have a Guaranteed Interview Policy for applicants with disabilities who meet minimum criteria.

We are seeking to fill the role with a focus on diversity and inclusion. Applicants currently in local government may be eligible for continuity of service for redundancy calculations under the relevant order. Please verify status with your HR team.

Seniorities and job function

• Seniority level: Associate
• Employment type: Full-time
• Job function: Marketing, Public Relations, and Writing/Editing

Locations and related postings are listed for reference and may be updated. This description consolidates the core responsibilities and qualifications of the G5 Communications and Engagement Business Partner role.