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) 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 in EA2030.

This is a new way of working, as the ICE team builds cohesion across directorates. Each portfolio will be overseen with collaboration 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.

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, ensure executional consistency, and adherence 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 truly matters.
• Influence teams and departments 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.
• PLAN AND DELIVER integrated activities, continually improving how we engage with our people.

Experience/skills Required

• Ability to persuade, influence and reason with others to deliver outcomes.
• Experience and understanding of planning and delivering excellent communications and engagement activities to support operational improvements.
• Ability to balance broad understanding of EA challenges with prioritisation of individual projects and programmes related to EA2030.
• Comfort in creating and maintaining relationships at all levels of the EA and Defra; able to work as part of a dispersed team.
• Willingness to challenge constructively and drive high standards for all communications and engagement activities.

Contact and additional information

This is a hybrid role with flexible work from home and your nearest Environment Agency office. Occasional travel may be required. We are committed to an inclusive workforce and flexible working patterns, including job share. Responding to incidents is a central part of our role and may attract additional payment; training and workplace adjustments are available to support this role. Interviews will take place towards the end of October. For more information, contact sam.elfer@environment-agency.gov.uk.

Competencies

• Communicates Effectively – Listens, questions, and conveys information clearly in 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 support for plans.
• Builds and Sustains Relationships – Develops and maintains effective working relationships across diverse groups.

We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. We welcome flexible working patterns, including job sharing. We also have a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support candidates with a disability. The Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service; see eligibility notes in the original posting for details.

Artificial intelligence can support your application, but all examples must be truthful and from your own experience. Do not include copied material. For more information on AI use, review Civil Service guidance.

Job specifics

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

Location geography postings: Rye, Leeds, Maidstone, Pevensey, Kent, Little London (UK).