External Affairs Lead

National Highways; England; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A major infrastructure organization in England seeks an External Affairs Lead to manage and execute their strategic outreach initiatives in the Midlands and East of England. The candidate will have a strong track record in stakeholder engagement and public affairs, responsible for advising senior leaders and building influential relationships. This role requires a hybrid work model, with flexibility to work remotely alongside in-person commitments. The organization is committed to diversity and offers competitive salary opportunities.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in external affairs or public affairs.
• Experience building relationships with senior leaders.
• Ability to work under pressure and handle tight deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and delivery of the external affairs strategy.
• Advise and connect senior leaders with key stakeholders.
• Conduct horizon scanning to manage risks and opportunities.
• Develop up-to-date position papers on key issues.
• Build a network of external affairs relationships.

Skills

External affairs expertise

Political awareness

Strategic networking

Stakeholder engagement

Excellent communication

Ability to work under pressure

Job description

External Affairs Lead National Highways•Bedford, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom

About the job

Are you looking for an opportunity to play a leading role in a mission that’s vital to the country, helping us to drive the engagement we need to ensure the strategic road network continues to deliver for our stakeholders?

We’re looking for an outstanding candidate to lead our external affairs programme in the Midlands and East of England. You’ll be responsible for the development and delivery our external affairs strategy across the region, working with senior leaders at National Highways to connect us with some of our most influential stakeholders. With a proven track‑record of delivery in external affairs, public affairs or stakeholder engagement, we’re looking for strong leadership skills to help us promote and support best practice across National Highways.

You’ll be a champion of stakeholder engagement, able to bring new and creative ideas to the team. You’ll also be capable of building and managing your own network of external relationships, listening to the views of external stakeholders and acting on them. With political nous and sound judgement, you’ll help us to manage issues and challenges, acting with integrity in line with National Highways values and behaviours. You’ll be joining an established external affairs team, but you’ll have the opportunity to shape our approach and our strategy, helping us to continually improve and do things even better.

This is a hybrid role requiring two days per week in the office, based at either our Birmingham or Bedford location with travel required across both regions. The remaining days can be worked remotely, offering flexibility in your work schedule.

• Developing and delivering of our external affairs strategy and plan across the Midlands and East of England connecting us with our most influential stakeholders across the region, including in support our key campaigns.
• Advising senior national and regional leaders, connecting them with influential stakeholders, providing strategic and trusted advice, briefings and reports.
• Leading the development of up-to-date position papers on key issues, to ensure senior leaders are well briefed on all political, regional and national issues
• Ensuring effective horizon scanning to identify risks and opportunities in the external environment and delivery engagement strategies that will protect and enhance our reputation.
• Developing a network of external affairs relationships across relevant organisations, enabling partnership working, collaboration and intelligence sharing.

About you

• A strong track‑record in external affairs, public affairs or strategic stakeholder engagement.
• Political nous, with the confidence and ability to develop and maintain relationships with senior leaders and influential stakeholders.
• A strategic approach and an eye for detail, with the ideas to help us improve what we do.
• A commitment to delivering excellent communications and championing best practice stakeholder engagement.
• To be comfortable working under pressure and to tight and changing deadlines, with an ability to manage complex issues.

About us

Here at National Highways, we manage and improve the strategic road network to make journeys safer, smoother and more reliable. Our priorities are safety, customers and delivery.

The Customer, Strategy and Communications directorate plays a critical role in National Highways. We set the course for strategic roads, enabling the company to deliver economic and social benefits through meeting the needs of our customers and clients, as well as our regulatory obligations. We are the focal point within National Highways responsible for providing the corporate strategic planning function for the organization. We deliver critical analytical support, provide strategic direction for our customer service imperative, partner with colleagues across the business to devise and deliver communications activities, and we shape, lead and drive the overall transformation of National Highways.

External candidates will be offered a starting salary at the lower end of the pay scale, while current employees will be appointed in accordance with our established pay policy.

We are committed to creating a diverse environment and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.