Senior Public Affairs Manager - Strategic Infrastructure

National Grid plc; Warwick; Hybrid; GBP 85,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company car or allowance

Bonus up to 40% of salary

Pension with 12% company matching

Flexible benefits

Job summary

National Grid plc is seeking a Senior Public Affairs Manager – Strategic Infrastructure to drive reputation-building and stakeholder engagement across England and Wales. The role will influence Parliament, government bodies, think tanks and industry groups while shaping messaging on the Great Grid Upgrade and related projects.

Based in London or Warwick with hybrid working, you will lead policy development, provide political intelligence to senior leaders and manage a team to deliver strategic

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in public affairs, government relations, or corporate communications, preferably within the energy, utilities, or corporate sectors.
• Strong understanding of the political landscape, regulatory processes, and key stakeholders impacting the utilities sector.
• Proven ability to develop and execute successful public affairs strategies that enhance corporate reputation and stakeholder engagement.
• Ability to communicate to a high level, highly articulate and a determined and proactive leader and influencer.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships with key stakeholders, including senior leadership within the business.
• Excellent presentation skills and a confident and credible spokesperson for the business when representing the company externally.
• Experience in crisis communications and managing communications during high-pressure situations.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple priorities and deadlines effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead initiatives to build National Grid and SI’s reputation and influence key stakeholders externally, including parliamentarians, Senedd members, government officials at both a UK and devolved level, through strategic corporate campaigns.
• Collaborate across the business to strengthen SI’s relationships with UK politicians, civil servants, and other key stakeholders, including businesses, trade associations, think tanks, academics, and civil society.
• Work with the Group Senior Public Affairs Manager and Group Senior Policy Manager to contribute to policy development and consultation responses that enhance National Grid’s reputation and understanding of corporate strategy externally.
• Proactively advise SI’s senior leaders on political intelligence and insights that will impact the business, supporting business development and strategic decision-making.
• Build and maintain a network of external contacts, including both UK and Welsh government officials and other stakeholders, to promote SI’s interests and proactively share intelligence from these engagements back into the business.
• Anticipate and identify current and future strategic issues and trends of commercial interest in the UK that impact SI, working closely with the wider Corporate Affairs, Investor Relations, and Corporate Strategy teams, and proactively provide this insight and intelligence to senior leaders to help shape business decisions.
• Manage the performance and development of direct reports, including setting their objectives, regularly reviewing their performance, giving timely, open and honest feedback and encouraging their development.

Skills

Public affairs experience

Government relations

Corporate communications

Stakeholder engagement

Leadership

Crisis communications

Strategic thinking

Job description

Senior Public Affairs Manager - Strategic Infrastructure

Job purpose

National Grid sits at the heart of Britain's energy system, connecting millions of people and businesses safely, reliably, and efficiently to the energy they use every day. At National Grid we are embarking on the largest overhaul of the electricity grid in generations and over the five years to 2031, we will be investing £40 billion to upgrade and transform our electricity networks. As part of this, National Grid Strategic Infrastructure will be delivering a number of major new transmission projects - known as the Great Grid Upgrade - across England and Wales to connect both new, domestic sources of generation to the grid and the businesses that rely upon it.

The Senior Public Affairs Manager – Strategic Infrastructure (SI) will be responsible for leading efforts to build and enhance SI’s reputation while influencing key stakeholders externally, including parliamentarians, Senedd members, government officials at both a UK and devolved level, lobbying groups, think tanks, trade associations, and academics. This role will focus on horizon scanning, issues management, and taking ownership of key messages on behalf of SI, ensuring that National Grid effectively communicates its strategic objectives across England and Wales.

Key accountabilities

• Lead initiatives to build National Grid and SI’s reputation and influence key stakeholders externally, including parliamentarians, Senedd members, government officials at both a UK and devolved level, through strategic corporate campaigns.
• Collaborate across the business to strengthen SI’s relationships with UK politicians, civil servants, and other key stakeholders, including businesses, trade associations, think tanks, academics, and civil society.
• Work with the Group Senior Public Affairs Manager and Group Senior Policy Manager to contribute to policy development and consultation responses that enhance National Grid’s reputation and understanding of corporate strategy externally.
• Proactively advise SI’s senior leaders on political intelligence and insights that will impact the business, supporting business development and strategic decision-making.
• Build and maintain a network of external contacts, including both UK and Welsh government officials and other stakeholders, to promote SI’s interests and proactively share intelligence from these engagements back into the business.
• Anticipate and identify current and future strategic issues and trends of commercial interest in the UK that impact SI, working closely with the wider Corporate Affairs, Investor Relations, and Corporate Strategy teams, and proactively provide this insight and intelligence to senior leaders to help shape business decisions.
• Manage the performance and development of direct reports, including setting their objectives, regularly reviewing their performance, giving timely, open and honest feedback and encouraging their development.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in public affairs, government relations, or corporate communications, preferably within the energy, utilities, or corporate sectors.
• Strong understanding of the political landscape, regulatory processes, and key stakeholders impacting the utilities sector.
• Proven ability to develop and execute successful public affairs strategies that enhance corporate reputation and stakeholder engagement.
• Ability to communicate to a high level, highly articulate and a determined and proactive leader and influencer.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships with key stakeholders, including senior leadership within the business.
• Excellent presentation skills and a confident and credible spokesperson for the business when representing the company externally.
• Experience in crisis communications and managing communications during high-pressure situations.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple priorities and deadlines effectively.

About us

A competitive salary of £85,000-£90,000.
As well as your base salary, you will receive a company car or allowance, a bonus of up to 40% of your salary for stretch performance and a competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%. You will also have access to a number of flexible benefits such as a share incentive plan, a salary sacrifice technology scheme, support via the employee assistance line and matched charity giving to name a few.
We will also support with your development during your career with National Grid.

At National Grid, we’re at the heart of a major change in how energy is produced, delivered and used. We connect millions of people to the energy they need across Great Britain and the US, while investing to support a cleaner, more reliable system for the future.

Joining us means working on challenges that matter. You’ll help shape how the energy system evolves, supporting the transition to net zero while helping keep energy affordable and reliable.

This role is flexibly based in the Strand, London or Warwick, UK with hybrid working.

More Information

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We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace for all. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates – we make appointments purely on merit, assessed against objective selection criteria. We support flexible working and will make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process should you have any physical or mental impairment which may affect your ability to participate in the process.

Please note that in most cases, National Grid is unable to offer sponsorship for employment under the UK points-based immigration system. As such, applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship now or in the future under the UK points-based immigration system. However, in exceptional circumstances where there is a clear and demonstrable need for specialist skills that cannot be sourced from the local labour market, National Grid may consider offering sponsorship. All applications are welcome from candidates who meet these requirements, regardless of race, nationality, or ethnic origin.

National Grid operates in both the UK and US, with a broad portfolio of energy businesses dedicated to providing safe, reliable, and sustainable power.

From electricity and gas transmission to advancing clean energy and modernising grids, our work covers every aspect of the energy system.

Our energy flows through absolutely everything we do

Life here at National Grid is more than just our purpose or our values, it’s everything we put into everything we do. It’s our commitment to diversity and inclusion; how we help our employees learn and grow; and how we partner with and support the communities where we live and work. It’s all this, and so much more.

We leverage our collective strengths to do meaningful BIG work so that we can be at the heart of a fair and affordable energy future.

Your salary is reviewed each year against the market for your role, skills, knowledge and experience.

Incentive

Annual performance plan or bonus (depending on your role) rewards your contribution to our success each year.

Retirement

Generous pension plan with company contributions up to 12%.

Private medical insurance for self and family.