Government and External Relations Adviser - 20613

In this role you will protect and enhance the Environment Agency's reputation by working flexibly within the Government and External Relations team to help shape how we engage government and stakeholders.
You will support the Environment Agency and its senior leaders to deliver effective engagement with political stakeholders and external organisations.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Overseeing briefings for government ministers, ensuring that these are of consistently high quality.
- Co-ordinating briefings for our Chair, Chief Executive and Executive Leadership Team where they are due to meet MPs, Ministers and key stakeholders.
- Leading an organisation-wide community of practice (Political Engagement Group) for people who work in engagement with MPs, government and our stakeholders.
- Helping deliver impactful engagement with key external stakeholders. This will include:
o Planning, identifying and helping to deliver engagement opportunities for senior leaders;
o Stakeholder mapping for upcoming corporate announcements;
o Maintaining team products, including a forward look of engagement opportunities and stakeholder list;
o Monitoring stakeholder activity where this relates to the EA or our work and sharing this information with the business.
- Assisting the team with other responsibilities as and when required

The team is friendly and welcoming. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply.
We work collaboratively to solve problems and create opportunities. The work is high-profile and fast paced. We lead on the Environment Agency’s input to parliamentary processes, ensure ministers have timely and accurate briefing and advise and plan engagement with strategic stakeholders. We work with senior leadership to build and enhance the reputation of the Environment Agency with government, Parliament and stakeholders.

- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Good political judgement and experience of managing reputational risks.
- An attention to detail and capable of presenting data and information in a clear, comprehensible style and format.
- Experience in a customer-facing role, with an emphasis on building relationships with stakeholders and maintaining the positive reputation of an office or service.
- The ability to work closely with senior managers and foster a broad network of contacts across the business, building rapport and relationships.
- A flexible approach and ability to deliver high quality work to tight deadlines.
- The ability to work well under pressure, knowing when to refer to colleagues for guidance and support.
- Experience within a Communications or External Affairs role is desirable, but not essential.

The team is currently predominantly home working with colleagues based in London, Leicester and Sheffield. Travel to London will be required, depending on the movement of senior leaders and the development of engagement plans. We are happy to discuss working patterns. If you are based in London the role will attract additional London weighting of £3776/year.
There is potential for the role to become permanent.
For more information please contact rob.micklewright@environment-agency.gov.uk

Communicating effectively with internal and external customers to achieve results, often working under pressure and to tight deadlines. Working with others to ensure written briefings are drafted to a high standard and ensuring technical / complex information is clear and concise.
Question: Using examples describe how you have adapted your communication style for different audiences.

Understanding an organisation’s role and priorities. The ability to work closely with senior managers and foster a broad network of contacts across an organisation, building rapport and relationships quickly.
Question: Demonstrate how you have worked with a senior colleague or customer to manager an organisational risk.

Sets and delivers high work standards, demonstrates the drive to meet targets. Prioritises and organises tasks and resources to ensure timely achievement of results,
Question: Describe an example of when you have overcome barriers to deliver a successful outcome