Senior Stakeholder Engagement Manager (Sussex)
About The Position
Southern Water is committed to building strong, trusted relationships with the communities we serve. As a Senior Stakeholder Engagement Manager, you’ll be the face of Southern Water in your region, acting as an ambassador and single point of contact for key stakeholders across local authorities, community groups, NGOs, regulators, and more. This is a pivotal role in our Corporate Affairs team, ensuring our plans and priorities are clearly understood, and that stakeholders have the opportunity to shape and co-deliver solutions. You’ll lead proactive engagement programmes, manage complex issues, and collaborate with colleagues across Public Affairs, Major Projects, Capital Delivery, and Communications to protect and enhance our reputation.
Requirements
- Expert understanding of local government and NGOs, ideally gained through direct experience.
- Proven ability to build strong relationships with senior stakeholders, including MPs and council leaders.
- Excellent communication, influencing, and presentation skills.
- Ability to manage complex issues under pressure and deliver to tight deadlines.
Nice To Haves
- Experience in regulated industries or infrastructure sectors is desirable.
Responsibilities
- Design and deliver proactive engagement programmes to build understanding and trust.
- Act as the relationship owner for stakeholders in your region, building strong personal connections with council leaders, senior officers, and community representatives.
- Coordinate engagement across multiple teams and projects, ensuring consistent, evidence-based messaging.
- Oversee reactive engagement on local operational issues, including councillor casework and site visits.
- Monitor local political and stakeholder activity, providing insight to inform business decisions.
- Line manage a Stakeholder Engagement Manager and work collaboratively across Corporate Affairs.
Benefits
- Company and performance-related bonus
- Generous pension with up to 11% company contribution
- Life assurance payment equal to four times your annual salary
- Health benefits through a Cash Plan
- Two paid community volunteering days a year
- 25 days annual holiday
- Occupational health service
- Retail benefits offering discounts and savings on several products and experiences
- Study support may be available for job-related qualifications
- We offer competitive maternity, paternity and parental leave, and flexible return to work options
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
Number of Employees
1,001-5,000 employees
