Strategic SRO Stakeholder Engagement Lead

South West Water; Exeter; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Salary

Company Car or Car Allowance

Annual Bonus Scheme

Pension Scheme

Healthcare Benefits

Professional Development

Employee Discounts

Generous Annual Leave

Job summary

South West Water invites an experienced Stakeholder Engagement Lead to shape engagement, consultation and communications for the Strategic Resource Options Programme. You will work with regulators, communities and partners to translate complex proposals into clear, accessible messages.

This role requires strategic vision, strong relationship management and the ability to steer multidisciplinary teams through demanding programmes while maintaining a focus on customer and environmental outcomes.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in stakeholder engagement, consultation, communications or public affairs.
• A track record of delivering complex engagement and consultation programmes.
• Exceptional communication and influencing skills.
• Experience working with senior stakeholders and multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong stakeholder mapping and relationship management expertise.
• The ability to manage competing priorities, risks and deadlines.
• Confidence working with technical specialists and translating complex information for non-technical audiences.
• Degree-level education or equivalent relevant experience.

Responsibilities

• Creates and delivers a compelling engagement and consultation strategy for a major infrastructure programme.
• Builds trusted relationships with customers, communities, regulators, policymakers and industry partners.
• Leads consultation activity that is transparent, meaningful and compliant.
• Translates technical and engineering concepts into clear, accessible and engaging content.
• Ensures stakeholder insights influence project development and decision‑making.
• Manages engagement programmes, events, budgets and delivery partners effectively.
• Provides strategic advice to programme leadership and project boards.
• Helps identify and mitigate reputational and delivery risks through proactive stakeholder management.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Public affairs

Communication skills

Relationship management

Strategic thinking

Multidisciplinary teams

Translation of technical concepts

Education

Degree-level education or equivalent experience

Job description

South West Water invites an experienced Stakeholder Engagement Lead to shape engagement, consultation and communications for the Strategic Resource Options Programme. You will work with regulators, communities and partners to translate complex proposals into clear, accessible messages.

This role requires strategic vision, strong relationship management and the ability to steer multidisciplinary teams through demanding programmes while maintaining a focus on customer and environmental outcomes.