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About the Role

This role is responsible for all external and internal communications, including media relations, strategic stakeholder engagement, and workforce engagement. The position provides professional advice, expertise, and leadership to support the safe and efficient delivery of the railway.

Responsibilities

Deliver horizon scanning and provide strategic advice, identify emerging trends, and shape messaging.
Lead media interaction, including issues and crisis management, providing accurate information, and monitoring press coverage.
Lead proactive workforce engagement (HS2 Ltd and supply chain) to support safe and efficient railway delivery at the lowest feasible cost.
Proactively build HS2's reputation as an expert delivery organisation by telling the story of railway delivery and leading externally facing campaigns.
Articulate and build the story of the benefits of railway construction through building the programme's reputation.
Lead the strategy for the public affairs team, engaging with senior stakeholders nationally and along the route regarding key requirements, changes, and impacts.
Support representation at the highest level across government, parliament, and regions, liaising with the HS2 Commissioner.
Offer advice on day-to-day reactive media handling and proactively communicate HS2’s longer-term strategic objectives.
Actively promote and embed Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in all work, supporting and complying with all organisational initiatives, policies, and procedures on EDI.

Requirements

Proven ability to grasp, understand, and promote complex and sensitive issues persuasively to different audiences.
Strong analytical skills and proven ability to interpret and respond to changing landscapes and stakeholders’ needs and views.
Proven ability to successfully influence and manage stakeholder relationships at a senior executive level.
Proven leadership and team management skills.
Excellent written communications, verbal communications, and interpersonal skills.
Experience operating within a highly commercial environment within an organisation undertaking extremely high value and high-profile programme of work.
Political awareness and understanding.
Knowledge of British media and press operations and news cycles.
Understanding of government communications processes.
Experience working with local councils, government, and private sector organisations.
Experience in leading the development, delivery, and measurement of media relations strategies and campaigns.
Experience operating within a contentious or complex environment with evidence of effective media, parliamentary, business, and stakeholder engagement.
Extensive experience working in a high-profile, fast-paced matrix organisation.
Extensive experience leading a Public Affairs team to a high standard with flexibility, responding to changing business needs.
Attach an updated word version of your CV for each new application, ensuring evidence directly related to the criteria in the job advert is included.

Skills

Media relations
Strategic stakeholder engagement
Workforce engagement
Horizon scanning
Strategic advice
Issues management
Crisis management
Reputation building
Public affairs strategy
Government liaison
Parliamentary liaison
Regional engagement
Media handling
Strategic objective communication
Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
Persuasive communication
Analytical skills
Stakeholder relationship management
Leadership
Team management
Written communication
Verbal communication
Interpersonal skills

Location

Work Type

Full-time

Experience Level

Senior executive level
Extensive experience

Benefits

Flexible working
Personal and professional development opportunities

About the Company

HS2 Ltd will be the UK’s new high speed rail network.
The new scheme will improve capacity, shorten journey times between Britain’s major population centres, boost the economy, and create thousands of jobs.
HS2 Ltd will create a skills legacy and develop a diverse range of talent.
We aim to be a leader in EDI practice by creating a safe & inclusive working environment for all our staff - living our values of Safety, Respect, Integrity and Leadership.
HS2 Ltd is also a safety-critical organisation. Employees are required to ensure reasonable care of their own and others’ health and safety by taking personal responsibility for working to our ‘Safe at Heart’ programme principles and following safe working procedures at all times.

Equal Opportunity

HS2 Ltd endeavours to ensure everyone working for us and with us feels included, thrives and achieves their full potential.
In practice, this means we are positive and inclusive about making adjustments, providing flexible working, encouraging our staff networks to flourish and providing personal and professional development opportunities.
In a further development of our efforts to create a more diverse workforce, your CV will be anonymised and personal information will be removed during the first stage of the application review. This removes bias from the process.