External Affairs Director

SF Partners; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Job summary

SF Partners is seeking an External Affairs Director in Birmingham. This senior role is hybrid, reporting to the CEO and guiding policy, advocacy, and strategic relations across the region.

You will lead a team, shape external affairs strategy, and build high-level relationships with business and public-sector leaders to elevate the organisation's influence.

Qualifications

• Senior-level experience across external/public/corporate affairs or policy.
• Ability to influence senior decision-makers and turn opportunities into action.
• Experience leading teams and navigating sensitive stakeholder environments.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver the organisation's external affairs strategy.
• Build relationships with business leaders, policymakers and regional stakeholders.
• Oversee policy research, advocacy and sponsorship opportunities.
• Provide strategic direction across media and communications.
• Represent the organisation at senior meetings and events.
• Lead and develop a high-performing team.

Skills

External affairs

Public affairs

Stakeholder management

Policy development

Media relations

Job description

External Affairs Director

Location: Birmingham - Hybrid Working

Contract: Permanent, Full-Time

Open doors. Influence decisions. Create opportunities that matter.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an accomplished External Affairs Director to join a prominent business-focused organisation in Birmingham.

Reporting to the CEO and sitting on the Senior Leadership Team, you will lead external affairs, policy and advocacy, strategic relationships, media and communications. You will strengthen the organisation's influence and profile, build relationships with senior business and public-sector leaders, and ensure the regional business community is represented where it matters most.

The Role

Leading an established team, key responsibilities will include:

• Developing and delivering the organisation's external affairs strategy.
• Building influential relationships with business leaders, policymakers, local authorities and regional stakeholders.
• Developing and retaining strategic corporate relationships and partnerships.
• Overseeing policy, research and advocacy activity.
• Identifying commercial and sponsorship opportunities.
• Providing strategic direction across media and communications.
• Representing the organisation at senior meetings, events and in the media.
• Leading and developing a high-performing team.

About You

You will bring senior-level experience across external affairs, public affairs, corporate affairs, policy, strategic communications or a related discipline.

You will combine strong stakeholder and political judgement with commercial awareness, with the ability to build trusted relationships, influence senior decision-makers and turn opportunities into action.

You will also have experience leading teams, communicating confidently at senior level and navigating complex or sensitive stakeholder environments.

Experience within an agency, private-sector, membership, trade association or business representative organisation would be advantageous, as would established regional networks.

The Opportunity

This is an opportunity to work at the intersection of business, public policy, communications and regional leadership, engaging with influential organisations and decision-makers while shaping the organisation's external agenda and impact.

The role offers hybrid working, typically with two to three days per week in the Birmingham office, alongside meetings and events across the region.