Senior Project Communications Manager

Balfour Beatty plc; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Smart working

25 days annual leave

Pension

Share incentive plan

Volunteering leave

Recognition schemes

Job summary

Balfour Beatty plc in the United Kingdom is seeking a senior communications leader to embed strategic governance, oversight and professional practice across our South region projects. You will drive stakeholder engagement, reputation management and consistency of communications across all programmes and interfaces with customers, partners and communities.

You will build a high-performing regional communications community, lead crisis readiness, shape bids and work-winning activities, and partner

Qualifications

• Extensive communications leadership experience in infrastructure, engineering or complex environments.
• Strong understanding of stakeholder management, customer communications and reputation management.
• Experience managing sensitive and complex issues.
• Excellent communication, written and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of regional communications strategy, governance and best practice across the South region.
• Develop and inspire the regional communications community, including talent planning and capability development.
• Oversee stakeholder engagement, customer communications, community relations and employee engagement activities.
• Identify and deliver strategic communications opportunities to enhance project profiles, relationships and market positioning.
• Establish communications standards, governance processes and performance measures; ensure compliance with branding.
• Act as the senior communications authority for the region and manage reputational risks across projects.

Skills

Communications leadership

Stakeholder management

Crisis communications

Written communication

Project delivery

Education

Bachelor's degree in marketing, public relations or communications

CIPR membership (desirable)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

About the Role

In this role, you will support the implementation of strategic leadership, governance and professional oversight for all project communications activity across the South region. The role ensures communications is embedded within project delivery, supports customer and stakeholder objectives and contractual requirements, protects and enhances reputation, drives consistency and best practice, and supports the development of a high-performing project communications community.

Accountabilities

• Drive the delivery of the One Comms Collective Strategy by shaping regional implementation plans and ensuring successful project delivery of our contractual requirements, customer satisfaction, stakeholder confidence and reputation management
• Lead, develop and inspire the regional Project Communications community, creating a high-performing culture through coaching, succession planning, capability development and talent management. Own regional communications resource planning and workforce strategy, ensuring the function has the capability, capacity and specialist expertise required to meet current and future business needs
• Provide strategic oversight of stakeholder engagement, customer communications, community relations and employee engagement activities, ensuring alignment to business objectives and customer contractual deliverables
• Lead the identification and delivery of strategic communications opportunities that enhance the profile and reputation of our projects, business and people, supporting growth ambitions, talent attraction, customer relationships and market positioning
• Establish and govern communications standards, policies, governance processes and performance measures
• Act as the senior communications authority for the region, ensuring compliance with contractual, regulatory, customer, governance and brand requirements.
• Lead the strategic management and escalation of reputational opportunities and risks arising from projects, programmes and wider business activities
• Build and maintain senior customer relationships, acting as a trusted advisor on communications, reputation and stakeholder matters
• Champion innovation, continuous improvement and best practice, driving the adoption of new approaches, tools and insights to enhance communications effectiveness
• Promote best practice and innovation in communications delivery across all projects and programmes
• Work closely with Group Communications, Media Relations, Public Affairs and Business Leadership teams on high-profile or sensitive matters
• Lead regional crisis communications preparedness and response capability, ensuring robust processes, governance and leadership readiness are in place
• Shape and influence work-winning activity, providing strategic communications leadership to bids, customer engagement and business development initiatives
• Use insight, feedback and data to drive continuous improvement
• Promote knowledge sharing and continuous learning across the business, ensuring best practice, innovation and lessons learned are embedded and replicated across projects, regions and functions

Who we're looking for

Essential

• Extensive communications leadership experience within infrastructure, engineering, construction or other complex operational environments
• Strong understanding of stakeholder management, customer communications, community relations and reputation management
• Experience managing sensitive and complex issues
• Excellent communication, written and interpersonal skills
• Self-starter with the ability to manage conflicting deadlines
• Strong analysis and problem-solving skills
• Computer literate and proficient in Microsoft Office

Desirable

• Bachelor's Degree in marketing, public relations, communications or a related field
• Member of CIPR and relevant qualification
• Valid CSCS card
• Good understanding of the regulatory environment in construction/rail/utility industries

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.

Benefits

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 Group Enabling Functions are Legal, Finance, IT and Procurement, Communications, Health Safety and Environment, HR and Sustainability. Together, they support delivery of our Build to Last strategy whilst improving efficiencies and standardising our approach, systems and processes.

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]