Interim Head of External Affairs

The Guinness Partnership; Greater London; On-site; GBP 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A well-known housing association in Greater London is seeking an experienced interim Head of External Affairs to lead their external affairs strategy during a crucial election year. The role requires a confident communicator with strong networking skills and a robust understanding of lobbying in the British political system. Successful candidates will have proven team leadership abilities and excellent written communication skills to produce impactful documentation.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of influencing and lobbying in the British political system.
• Proven leadership and management skills to drive team performance.
• Excellent communication skills to produce impactful reports and presentations.

Responsibilities

• Implement and shape external affairs strategy in an election year.
• Guide a small in-house team and enhance the company's external profile.
• Manage strategic stakeholder engagement and represent the company at external events.

Skills

Influencing and lobbying in the political system

Collaboration and networking

Self-motivation

Excellent written and oral communication

Team leadership

Education

Educated to Level 6 (degree or equivalent)

Job description

About the role

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced, interim Head of External Affairs to provide fixed term cover from April – December . This is a full-time vacancy with two days a week based in Guinness’s central London office.

Reporting into the Director of Strategy and Policy, you will work to implement and shape Guinness’s external affairs strategy in this crucial election year. Taking responsibility for a small in house team of external affairs professionals, you will guide their work to help enhance Guinness’s external profile and reputation through strategic stakeholder engagement, horizon scanning and intelligence sharing, and collaboration across the sector to secure positive outcomes for Guinness and social housing.

You’ll be a confident communicator with a strong understanding of influencing. You will be practised at building relationships with our key MPs and local authorities. Your knowledge of housing will help you to produce effective, evidence-based consultation responses and briefings.

Your key responsibilities will include managing environmental and horizon scanning activities, ensuring short, medium and long-term strategic challenges are anticipated and relevant colleagues are engaged and informed. You’ll be expected to represent Guinness at external events and to help influence policy outcomes for social housing. You’ll work with the Director to manage a wide range of relationships with relevant sector bodies and groups, always looking for opportunities to add our voice in areas where we have strong knowledge and expertise.

What we’re looking for

We know that how we do things is just as important as what we do, so you’ll not only be highly self-motivated with the rigour to pursue goals, but you’ll also be a confident collaborator, networker and relationship builder with a willingness to go the extra mile to get the job done. You’ll be an excellent, engaging leader of your team.

Essential

• Strong understanding and experience of influencing and lobbying in the British local and national political system.
• Confident collaborator and networker both with colleagues and with external stakeholders who can build and maintain excellent working relationships.
• Highly self-motivated and will pursue goals with rigour and good judgement.
• Proven ability to ‘hit the ground running’ or previous experience of interim practice.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills for creating impactful, timely reports, letters, briefings, consultation responses and presentations.
• Confidence in delivering strategy and effective influencing.
• Leading and managing a team to deliver results and ensure strong engagement.
• Ability to deliver a varied programme of work with a range of deadlines and audiences.
• Commitment to the Guinness Behaviours.

Desirable

• Understanding of the role of customer voice in external policy and influencing work.
• Knowledge of housing policy, particularly those areas most relevant to social landlords.
• Experience of undertaking or managing research projects that enhance business understanding of key issues.

Essential qualifications

• Educated to Level 6 (degree or equivalent).