OverviewG5 Communications and Engagement Business Partner - 31973This 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 will oversee a portfolio of work but collaborate 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.Transformation: work with the Director for Service Transformation to understand the totality of change programmes across the EA and help describe the narrative for change. People: work with the People and Inclusion directorate to understand themes such as the People Plan and Health, Safety and Wellbeing. Strategy: help colleagues understand their role in delivering our corporate strategy, business plan, and the STA Leadership Team’s role in leading the organisation.ResponsibilitiesWork 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, ensure executional consistency, and align with 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 effectiveness of our work.The team: The business partner team is a small cross-functional group of communications 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 to improve how we engage with our people.Experience/skills RequiredAbility to persuade, influence and reason with others; vital to the role.Experience and understanding of planning and delivering excellent communications and engagement activities to support operational improvements.Ability to balance broad organisational challenges with prioritisation of individual projects and programmes related to EA2030.Comfortable building relationships at all levels of the EA and Defra, and working as part of a dispersed team.Comfortable challenging constructively and driving high standards for all communications and engagement activities.Contact and additional informationThis is a hybrid role with flexible working from home and an Environment Agency office, with occasional travel. We are committed to an inclusive employer and welcome flexible working patterns, including job share. Responding to incidents is a central part of our work and may involve an incident role with potential additional payment. Training and workplace adjustments are provided to support incident roles. Interviews are expected towards the end of October. For further information, contact sam.elfer@environment-agency.gov.uk.CompetencesCommunicates Effectively — Listens and questions to understand and engage; conveys information clearly and persuasively through speech and writing.Engages others — Plans, carries out and evaluates effective engagement with internal and external stakeholders following the “Working with others” approach.Influences and Persuades Others — Presents a case in a convincing way to gain buy-in and align plans.Builds and Sustains Relationships — Develops and maintains effective working relationships; can work with diverse stakeholder groups.Note for Civil Service applicants: The Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service and you would not have Crown Servant continuous service. We encourage flexible working and provide a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support applicants with disabilities.We welcome applications from people who reflect the communities we serve; include your preferred working arrangements in your application. #J-18808-Ljbffr