Communications & External Affairs Advisor

BP p.l.c.; United Arab Emirates; Hybrid; AED 300,000 - 400,000; Full time

Job summary

A global energy corporation seeks a Communications & External Affairs Advisor to lead strategic communications efforts in the UAE. This role requires high proficiency in Arabic and English, a strong background in crisis communications, and effective stakeholder management. The advisor will shape corporate strategy, manage reputational risks, and engage with key government partners. Join a diverse and inclusive environment where your voice matters, as you help redefine the energy landscape and support initiatives aimed at net-zero goals.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Life and health insurance

Tremendous learning and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Relevant university degree or equivalent work experience.
• High proficiency in Arabic and English.
• Crisis communications experience, serving as spokesperson in events.
• Experience with governments, NGOs, and media.
• Strong analytical and negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and strategic direction on CEA for bp UAE.
• Develop and deliver integrated communications strategy at strategic platforms.
• Manage crisis communications and stakeholder engagement.
• Provide strategic oversight of the Strategic Corporate Partnerships portfolio.

Skills

High proficiency in Arabic

High proficiency in English

Crisis communications

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical skills

Education

Relevant university degree (e.g. Masters)

Job description

Entity

Gas & Low Carbon Energy

Job Family Group

Communications & External Affairs Group

Job Description

Bp is reimagining energy for people and our planet.

We provide heat, light and mobility to customers worldwide. We’re fundamentally redefining what we do so we can reach net zero by 2050 or sooner. We also have a strong mission to help the whole world reach net zero too – working across our industry to improve people’s lives.

It’s a big value to us that the differences we see in the world around us are reflected in our workplace. Who you are is what counts, not where you’re from or how you live your life. A culture that values everyone benefits all of us. That’s why, to help our people thrive, we cultivate a truly diverse and inclusive environment.

Join us as a Communications & External Affairs Advisor!

This role provides strategic leadership in partnerships, corporate affairs, and communications, ensuring bp’s alignment with UAE and MENA priorities. The role functions to lead and deliver strategic interventions and campaigns to support bp’s license to operate and position the company as partner of choice in country and region. The Head of CEA and Strategic Partnerships serves as a strategic advisor to the Head of Country UAE providing counsel on partnerships, non technical risks, crisis communications and stakeholder engagement.

The role holds financial responsibility for key corporate events and corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Supports bp’s growth in the UAE including international affairs opportunities that connect UAE priorities with bp’s global portfolio and institutional partners.

In this role you will:

• Provide leadership and strategic direction on CEA for bp UAE, ensuring effective government engagement, stakeholder positioning and reputational risk management.
• Maintain high trust relationships with key interested parties as identified by the HOC including government partners, community leaders, quasi government entities, embassies and trade associations to position bp as a partner of choice and support executive engagement through MoUs, G2G dialogues and high level interactions.
• Develop and deliver integrated communications strategy including external representation at strategic platforms such as ADIPEC, ENACT and Business Council engagements.
• Handle consistent messaging, executive briefing and high quality communication materials in coordination with regional and central CEA.
• Manage internal communications, townhalls and staff engagement initiatives.
• Serve as crisis communication lead, working with HOC, VP CEA MENA, bp group security to identify, monitor and mitigate reputational and non technical risks.
• Advise Head of Country and MENA leadership on stakeholder dynamics, geopolitical developments and reputational risk to ensure alignment with country and regional priorities.
• Provide strategic oversight of the Strategic Corporate Partnerships portfolio, leading origination of opportunities through MENA partners with focus on cross border expansion and global growth.
• Drive proactive engagement with UAE industrials, sovereigns and regional platforms expanding internationally, identifying SCP aligned opportunities across priority sectors including data centres, ports, industrial power, mobility and heavy industry, and connecting bp’s global capabilities with regional ambitions.
• Act as a strategic connector to relevant BD and MENA Growth teams as delegated by the HOC or VP MENA, translating market and business intelligence into opportunity prioritization and risk shaping.

What You will need to be successful:

• Relevant university degree (e.g. Masters) would be an advantage, or equivalent work experience.
• High proficiency in Arabic and English.
• A highly skilled CEA professional with proven experience in the design and delivery of company strategy and implementation.
• Strong crisis communications experience – ability to serve as PIO for crisis response activities and serve as spokesperson in event of a crisis.
• Significant experience in direct communities-related work for large-scale projects.
• Proven cross-regional experience with strong commercial savvy and the ability to navigate diverse markets effectively.
• Demonstrated capability in identifying and mitigating external, non-technical risks, complemented by international leadership experience.
• Experience working with multiple partners, including governments, communities, NGOs and media.
• Experience identifying, documenting, developing and implementing community development programs/ strategies.
• Demonstrated experience of effectively leading, managing and energizing people and teams as well as influencing change.
• Strong analytical skills in areas relevant to social and political risk along with strong negotiation skills.
• Demonstrable knowledge of communications strategies across regions, campaign planning and implementation.
• Deep subject area knowledge encompassing the full breadth of CEA and SCP activities.
• Commercial and business savvy, encompassing an understanding of budgetary management and financial decision making.
• High collaborative and proactive working style is required.

In line with UAE's Emiratisation goals, we are encouraging UAE nationals to apply.

We also would like to emphasize that candidates of all genders are welcomed too.

Why Join our team?

At bp, we provide an excellent working environment and employee benefits such as an open and inclusive culture, a great work-life balance, tremendous learning and development opportunities to craft your career path, life and health insurance, medical care package and many others.

We support our people to learn and grow in a diverse and exciting environment. We believe that our team is strengthened by diversity. We are committed to crafting an inclusive environment in which everyone is respected and treated fairly.

There are many aspects of our employees’ lives that are significant, so we offer benefits to enable your work to fit with your life. These benefits can include flexible working options, collaboration spaces in a modern office environment, and others benefits.

Reinvent your career as you help our business meet the challenges of the future.

Travel Requirement

Up to 10% travel should be expected with this role

Relocation Assistance

This role is not eligible for relocation

Remote Type

This position is a hybrid of office/remote working

Skills

Advocacy, Advocacy, Agility core practices, Analytical Thinking, Brand visual standards, Business Acumen, Campaigning, Channel Management, Coaching, Collaboration, Commercial Acumen, Communication, Content Design, Creating and measuring impact, Crisis Communications, Digital Communication, Digital Fluency, Employee Engagement, Influencing, Issues and Policy Management, Listening, Market Trends, Performance Consulting, Presenting, Stakeholder Engagement {+ 1 more}

Legal Disclaimer

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, socioeconomic status, neurodiversity/neurocognitive functioning, veteran status or disability status. Individuals with an accessibility need may request an adjustment/accommodation related to bp’s recruiting process (e.g., accessing the job application, completing required assessments, participating in telephone screenings or interviews, etc.). If you would like to request an adjustment/accommodation related to the recruitment process, please contact us. If you are selected for a position and depending upon your role, your employment may be contingent upon adherence to local policy. This may include pre-placement drug screening, medical review of physical fitness for the role, and background checks.