Community Relations Manager - Grays

Balfour Beatty; Grays; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Balfour Beatty is seeking a Community Relations Manager for the Lower Thames Crossing project in Grays. In this role, you'll be instrumental in fostering relationships with communities, ensuring clear communication about construction activities, and supporting the project's commitment to responsible construction practices. Responsibilities include developing community engagement plans and managing stakeholder relationships, while benefiting from a supportive workplace that values diversity and inclusion.

Benefits

Smart working with up to 40% remote options

25 days paid annual leave

Family friendly policies

Pension and share incentive plan

Qualifications

• Experience in community relations and stakeholder management is essential.
• Confident in engaging with diverse audiences and external customers.
• Strong writing, storytelling, and presentation skills required.

Responsibilities

• Lead customer and community engagement for the Roads North contract.
• Develop and manage the Customer and Community Relations Plan.
• Oversee delivery of tailored communications to inform and engage stakeholders.

Skills

Community relations

Stakeholder management

Writing

Communication

Problem-solving

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in marketing, public relations, communications

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

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About the role

Balfour Beatty has an exciting opportunity for a Community Relations Manager to join our Lower Thames Crossing project based in Grays.

Within this role you'll be a key member of the Customer and Social Impact team whilst playing a critical role in fostering positive relationships between our project teams and the communities in which we operate. You'll support the Project Director and Customer & Communications Lead to embed a customer-focused culture, meeting the expectations of the Development Consent Order (DCO) and Balfour Beatty's commitment to responsible construction.

You'll be the voice of the community within the project, ensuring timely, meaningful, and accessible communication to minimise disruption and build trust with those affected by the works

What you'll be doing

As a Community Relations Manager you'll:

• Lead day-to-day customer and community engagement requirements for the Roads North contract.
• Work with the project team and National Highways counterparts to develop a robust Customer and Community Relations Plan which outlines how our works will consider the needs of all customers during its development and throughout delivery
• Develop and/or manage delivery of the Customer Plan, Roadworks Customer Toolkit and Community Relations Plan
• Develop and oversee delivery of tailored communications to keep communities, residents, businesses, and road users informed about construction activities and impacts, championing inclusive and accessible communication practices and acting as a visible point of contact
• Lead the planning and delivery of community engagement events, public information/exhibition events, community liaison working groups and site visit program to build trust with the local community
• Work with National Highways' Customer Contact Centre to ensure customer enquiries and correspondence is responded to in a prompt and professional manner
• Develop and own delivery of processes that ensure effective and timely responses to customer complaints, public enquiries and information requests
• Collaborate with the Traffic Management Lead to ensure delivery of timely communications and optimise customer experience in line with National Highways protocols and metrics

Who we're looking for

You will have / be:

Essential:

• Strong community relations and stakeholder management experience
• Ability to manage, engage and develop direct reports
• Confident engaging with external customers and stakeholders
• Excellent writing, storytelling, and presentation skills
• A self-starter able to quickly build relationships through effective written and verbal communication
• Be able to quickly source and interpret technical information from a variety of sources and translate into customer-friendly written communications
• Be able to demonstrate creativity through multi-media communications to reach all audiences
• Strong analysis and problem-solving skills
• Team player with ability to engage, influence and negotiate at all levels
• Computer literate and competent in Microsoft Office applications
• A willingness to travel as required along the route of the project

Desirable:

• A bachelor's degree or equivalent higher education/industry recognised qualification in marketing, public relations, communications, or a related field
• Experience of working on construction/civil engineering infrastructure projects
• Member of CIPR or other recognised industry body
• Good understanding of the regulatory and political environment in construction.

Why work for us

Day in, day out, our teams deliver some of the UK's most ambitious, exciting and meaningful projects; developing, building and maintaining the vital infrastructure that supports national economies and strengthens communities.

Why join us?

As if contributing to and supporting work that makes life better for millions wasn't rewarding enough, we offer a full range of benefits too. You'll have the freedom to shape the package that's right for you and your life. Here are some of our key benefits:

- Smart working, giving you more flexibility such as staggered start and finish times, with up to 40% remote working, where roles allow.
- 25 days paid annual leave (pro rata)
- Family friendly policies which include 28 weeks full pay for maternity/adoption leave and four weeks full pay for paternity/partners leave
- Pension, share incentive plan, volunteering leave, recognition schemes and much more...

About us

Balfour Beatty's Highways business delivers major schemes including motorway upgrade programmes, complex national infrastructure projects and regional investment programme works for National Highways. We have a strong orderbook and a positive pipeline of opportunities, we put the road user, at the heart of everything we do. We work safely, reduce carbon emissions and added social value to the communities within which we work.

Diversity and inclusion

At Balfour Beatty we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential components of any successful, happy workplace. Through our Value Everyone Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Action Plan, we are growing our diverse workforce and developing our inclusive culture where everyone is able to thrive and reach their full potential, regardless of their identity or background. To find out how we are making this a reality, visit www.balfourbeatty.com/diversityandinclusion

To help and support us with our desired commitment to create an inclusive culture we are members of WISE, enei, Business Disability Forum and the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE). In 2020, we signed the Audeliss and Involve Open Letter to demonstrate our commitment to taking key long term and sustainable actions on Black Inclusion. Balfour Beatty is also a Gold Award holder in the Ministry of Defence 'Employer Recognition Scheme' and actively encourage applications from Armed Forces personnel, veterans and reservists.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are committed to working with people who have disabilities and long-term health conditions to remove barriers for them in obtaining employment. We are also committed to offering applicants with a disability an interview if they meet the minimum requirements for the role. For more info, visit: https://disabilityconfident.campaign.gov.uk/

We are looking to continually improve our resourcing process and ensure that it is fair and inclusive for all. If you have any feedback on the process, please share this with us at: [e-mail]