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Senior Engagement Manager

Job Purpose

• This role is responsible for delivery of the Community Engagement Strategy through the development and implementation of engagement events, interactive projects, innovative tools and other communication activities. This includes collaborating with internal and external stakeholders, contractors and partners and supporting the front-facing engagement teams to ensure engagement and communications are co-ordinated, consistent, timely and accessible to those communities that may be affected by the route.
• HS2 will be subject to ever increasing interest from the public, communities, media, stakeholders and other audiences across the UK. Clear, timely and effective communication and engagement will be vital to the success of the project.
• The Community & Stakeholder Engagement Directorate has a crucial role in embedding a dynamic, agile and responsive engagement culture within the organisation, which builds and protects the reputation of the organisation and helps the organisation meet many of the challenges facing HS2 in the years to come.
• The Community & Stakeholder Engagement Directorate provides strategic leadership for the development and delivery of the Community Engagement Strategy, supporting the organisation to achieve its business goals through clear, timely and effective two-way communication and targeted engagement.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• Experience of working within an engagement or communications leadership role, devising a strategy and managing the delivery of engagement activities and communication and engagement tools in the public and private sectors, on projects of comparable scale, scope and complexity.
• Proven expertise in building, training and leading a team within a high-pressured environment.
• Successful track record of implementing innovative and interactive solutions in community engagement and response across a diverse and challenging environment
• Ability to develop challenging relationships and build trust amongst stakeholders and communities exercising diplomacy at every stage
• Strong analytical skills and a proven ability to interpret and respond to changing landscapes and understand and communicate complex issues with clarity and consistency
• Robust under pressure and able to work to tight deadlines in dynamic, fast-moving organisation
• Managing external agencies as part of an in-house client team
• Understanding of the complex political environment within which HS2 operates, including relevant governance and accountability issues
• An ability to be heard through personal credibility and the exercise of sound judgement
• High level communication, networking and ambassadorial skills
• Excellent influencing and listening skills
• Excellent written communications, verbal communications and interpersonal skills
• Experience working across multi-disciplinary communications teams including marketing, corporate affairs, branding, PR, media relations and corporate communications is advantageous

Type Of Experience

• Demonstrated experience of community engagement during the delivery/construction phase in high profile and large-scale infrastructure projects.
• Ability to develop and deliver difficult messages to highly sensitive audiences.
• Proven experience of designing and developing innovative and interactive engagement and communications tools.
• A strong track record of successful delivery in a maturing environment against challenging timescales and developing requirements.
• Experience in managing teams to deliver multiple overlapping activities under pressure to meet tight deadlines
• Experience of providing counsel at a senior leadership level across an organisation on community engagement
• Proven ability to build working relationships with key internal and external stakeholders
• Experience of working in a political and/or regulated environment/sector
• Experience of dealing with local or national media during external activities and public consultation