Senior Engagement Advisors (FCRM) - One Full-time Permanent, One 18 month Assignment - 5201

Engaging internally and externally is fundamental to the way we work in flood & coast risk management (FCRM). It helps bring people together to secure investment in flood defences, maintain our assets, help communities understand their risk and respond to incidents.

We are looking for two accomplished senior advisors to work in the national Engagement team – one permanent and one 18-month assignment. The roles will provide expert guidance and support to develop capacity and capability in engagement. The successful candidates will play a crucial role in supporting area and national teams to embed and improve the way we work with others.

The national FCRM Engagement team provides strategic leadership and support to national and area FCRM teams as they engage with communities and partners to manage flood risk. We work with colleagues to ensure we are engaging as effectively as possible across different FCRM activities. We identify and share good engagement practice across the country and support areas in articulating what services and support communities and partners can expect from us.

You will need a high degree of tenacity to ensure engagement is fully embedded into the way we work as a business. As well as excellent interpersonal and written/verbal communication skills, you will need to demonstrate leadership and expertise in community/stakeholder engagement, and be able to pass that expertise on through coaching others.
You must be able to influence senior decision makers and set the strategic direction for FCRM engagement and stakeholder management work, creating a culture of improvement and sharing good practice.

Key capabilities
• Focuses on Customers and Partners
• Influences and Persuades Others
• Communicates effectively
• Engages Others

Closing Date: 28th May 2017 at 23:55 hours

Please contact Rhiannon Clancy (rhiannon.clancy@environment-agency.gov.uk / 07500 915828) for further information.

• Plans, delivers and evaluates effective stakeholder engagement for a project, issue, plan or site
• Ensures engagement with others is considered and planned at the outset
• Decides, or helps others to decide, how much and what type of engagement (provide to, receive from, or collaborate with) is needed, and who with
• Appreciates and adapts to the different needs of stakeholders, and identifies and fills gaps in information, to ensure joint understanding
• Develops relationships with stakeholders to build trust and achieve better outcomes
• Works with colleagues across the business to understand factors which may affect the way we engage, and ensures our work with stakeholders is joined up and appropriate
• Seeks, listens to and acts on feedback from stakeholders
• Plans, delivers and evaluates participative engagement activities
• Uses appropriate facilitation techniques to run participative events to build trust, manage conflict, create joint understanding of issues, and to seek views
• Understands and works within situations that are appropriate for collaboration (working together to achieve something, or some benefit, which we could not achieve working alone).

• Recognises the concept of both internal and external customers and treats both equally well.
• Identifies and addresses the needs of customers, delivering what is promised and ensuring that they are satisfied with the outcomes.
• Takes personal responsibility to meet customer needs; is polite, courteous and professional
• Ensures customers receive consistent and clear messages supported by accurate and timely information.
• Regularly monitors and measures customer satisfaction and looks for ways to improve customer service
• Anticipates and balances the needs of a range of customers with conflicting priorities.
• Keeps customers informed and manages expectations
• Handles complaints effectively, defuses anger and tension and resolves problems

• Gathers relevant data, marshals facts and prepares sound arguments
• Listens to other’s opinions, understanding their viewpoints, needs and concerns; responds appropriately; lobbies others in advance
• Presents a credible case and explains the benefits to the audience/listener; anticipates the main objections/arguments
• Responds to the needs and style of the listener when influencing.
• Seeks to achieve a “win-win” outcome and develop the relationship with the person(s) being influenced.
• Prepares convincing written arguments on complex issues, presenting information logically, concisely and persuasively
• Able to modify and reformulate case, read the listener’s mood and adjust accordingly
• Plans and prepares influencing strategies for key players and opinion leaders.