Overview

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 high-profile areas, as the organisation evolves to respond to environmental challenges in 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 while collaborating to share insight and provide resilience. The roles involve planning and coordinating 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 develop effective relationships with stakeholders and customers across the organisation.
• Plan strategy, share and drive best practice, set editorial standards, executional consistency, ensure adherence to organisational priorities and our 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 the teams and departments you work with to maximise the effectiveness of the work.

The Team

The business partner team is a small cross-functional team 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 improve how we engage with our people.

Experience/skills Required

• Your ability to persuade, influence and reason with others is vital in this role.
• Experience and understanding of how planning and delivering excellent communications and engagement activities can bring operational improvements.
• Ability to balance broad understanding of EA challenges in delivering EA2030 with prioritisation of individual projects and programmes.
• Comfort in creating and maintaining relationships at all levels of the EA and Defra. Ability to work as part of a dispersed team.
• Comfort in challenging constructively and driving high standards for all communications and engagement activities.

Contact and additional information

This is a hybrid role with flexible working from home and an Environment Agency office. Occasional travel may be required. We are committed to an inclusive workplace and welcome flexible patterns including job share. Responding to incidents is a central part of the role and may attract additional pay; training and workplace adjustments will be provided.

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

Competencies

• Communicates Effectively: Listens and questions to understand and engage; conveys information clearly through speech and writing.
• Engages others: Plans, carries out and evaluates effective engagement with internal and external stakeholders.
• Influences and Persuades Others: Presents a case to win people over and gain alignment.
• Builds and Sustains Relationships: Develops and maintains effective working relationships.

Note: If you are applying from the Civil Service, Environment Agency is not HM Civil Service and you would not have continuous service. See policy details within the job text for more information. Environment Agency is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce and welcomes flexible working patterns, including job share. A Guaranteed Interview Policy is available for applicants with a disability whose application meets minimum criteria.

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