Third Party Liaison Lead

Mott MacDonald Group; Poole; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Training and development

Chartership support

Benefits package

Job summary

JN Bentley Ltd is seeking a skilled Stakeholder and Community Engagement lead to drive engagement across the Wessex Framework. You will coordinate interactions with Local Authorities, landowners and planners, ensuring compliant, proactive communications and robust consultation outcomes.

The role demands a proven track record in complex stakeholder landscapes, translating technical detail for external audiences, and strong organisational skills to support project success.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in stakeholder and community engagement within large-scale infrastructure projects.
• Understanding of statutory EIA planning requirements and regulatory frameworks.
• Experience translating technical detail into externally facing communications.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate engagement with project stakeholders across local authorities and other bodies.
• Develop and deliver project-specific stakeholder engagement activities aligned with strategies.
• Identify third-party drivers to support relationship building and value opportunities.
• Conduct stakeholder identification and mapping by influence and impact.
• Identify reputational risks and implement proactive engagement.
• Utilise CRM and GIS tools for tracking, trends and risks.
• First point of contact for stakeholder queries, concerns and complaints.
• Apply lessons learned to improve future engagement.
• Support and deliver consultation activities to maximise participation.
• Prepare reports meeting statutory requirements and document feedback.
• Monitor sentiment and provide early warnings of opposition.
• Collaborate with technical leads to resolve conflicts with stakeholders.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Communication skills

Relationship building

Issue resolution

CRM

GIS mapping

Tools

CRM

GIS mapping

Job description

MMB has been named a capital delivery partner on two multi-million-pound 'lots' that will see the company deliver projects across the region through to 2030 - with the potential for a five-year extension into AMP9 thereafter.

Wessex Water serves 2.9 million customers with water and sewerage services across the southwest of England. Set for record investment in AMP8 - more than double that of AMP7 - MMB will bring its strong track record of innovation and direct-delivery to drive a programme of work to improve water and wastewater treatment, water and wastewater networks, storm overflows, flooding resilience, and bioresources.

You will be responsible for delivering a comprehensive range of communication and engagement activities for our Wessex Framework. You will have a proven track record in delivering stakeholder engagement, communications and consultation strategies within a complex stakeholder landscape. Ultimately this role will play a critical part in supporting the planning and consenting process, while ensuring a positive impact on community engagement, minimising customer complaints and fostering long-term project success. It is a key role in which you will liaise with external parties including Local Authorities, land owners and planners.

It is essential that this role works effectively in a collaborative and multi-disciplinary project environment and align all communications and engagement activities drawing on best practice and statutory requirements.

• Coordinate engagement with project stakeholders across local authorities, statutory and non-statutory bodies (including environment & technical organisations), communities and other parties to establish strong working relationships.
• Successfully develop and deliver project specific stakeholder engagement activities, ensuring alignment with established strategies and framework
• An understanding of, and ability to quickly and effectively identify, third party drivers to assist in relationship building, issue resolution and maximising value opportunities.
• Conduct stakeholder identification and mapping to categorise stakeholders based on influence, interest and impact.
• Identify potential reputational risks and issues and implement proactive engagement using a range of techniques and approaches tailored to the target audience.
• Utilise stakeholder management tools (e.g. CRM, GIS mapping) for engagement tracking, trends, emerging risks and opportunities.
• Act as the first point of contact for stakeholder queries, concerns and complaints, ensuring timely, professional, and empathetic responses.
• Apply lessons learned and adjust plans as needed to improve future engagement.
• Support and deliver effective consultation activities, such as workshops, exhibitions, virtual events, site visits to enhance stakeholder engagement and to maximise participation.
• Prepare detailed reports that meet the statutory requirements and document stakeholder feedback.
• Monitor stakeholder sentiment and provide early warnings of potential project opposition.
• Collaborate with technical leads to address conflicts and resolve stakeholder issues effectively.
• Stay updated on industry best practice and regulatory changes to refine engagement approaches.

You will be able to demonstrate

• Proven experience in stakeholder and community engagement, preferably within large-scale infrastructure projects
• Understanding of the statutory EIA planning requirements, regulatory frameworks and stakeholder consultation best practices.
• Proven ability to implement stakeholder engagement plans that align with organisational frameworks.
• Demonstrable experience translating technical detail into appropriate, relevant and agreed communications for external audiences
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills
• Experience managing sensitive stakeholder issues and conflict resolution
• Ability to work collaboratively with internal teams and external partners
• Strong organisational skill and attention to details

What's in it for you:

Alongside our significant training and development investment, bespoke progression plan and support to achieve professional chartership, we offer a wide range of financial, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits that you can tailor to your needs.

To view our full range of benefits, please see the Bentley benefits brochure attached.

Our application process has been carefully designed to enable us to assess your own skills, abilities and personality. Whilst we are fully embracing the responsible use of AI as an organisation, we recommend you don't rely solely on this technology to generate your application.