National Grid
Regional Engagement Manager, ED
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Job Purpose
The Strategy & UK External Affairs function is responsible for protecting, preserving, and enhancing the reputation of the National Grid. Whilst a group function, Electricity Distribution Corporate Affairs (EDCA) act as a dedicated support service to the Electricity Distribution Business (NGED), serving 20 million customers across the Midlands, South West and Wales.
The External Affairs team is accountable for managing and leveraging relationships with political, business and media stakeholders across the region, telling NGED’s story and creating a favourable policy environment for the company’s priorities. The team is also responsible for providing tactical support to NGED project teams and managing high volumes of stakeholder queries, as well as providing direct support to the BU President and other Executives with briefings, speaking notes, and policy support.
The team is also key to ensuring customer and stakeholder views are reflected in the strategic direction of the organisation, as well as that distribution policy positions are reflected in groupwide strategy and policy positions.
Key Accountabilities
- Lead the day-to-day engagement across the NGED region with external stakeholders such as MPs, MSs, Metro Mayors, Councillors, trade associations, and business groups to improve National Grid's reputation and influence, while working closely with the External Affairs Manager (Public Policy) on engagement relating to legislation, regulation and public policy development.
- Build and maintain a network of influential political, policy and industry stakeholders to support the successful delivery of the company’s policy priorities, providing insight and intelligence that informs business decision-making.
- Provide leadership to NGED’s two Regional Engagement Officers, ensuring the effective delivery of regional external affairs strategies, stakeholder engagement programmes and reputational risk management activities across NGED's licence areas.
- Lead the delivery, performance, and development of the team, including setting clear objectives, regularly reviewing performance, giving timely, open, and honest feedback, and supporting personal and professional development.
- Develop and deliver an external affairs strategy for each of NGED’s licence areas, including the planning and delivery of a programme of regional engagement aligned to NGED’s policy and reputational priorities.
- Support the Regional Policy Manager in the development of responses to Government, devolved and regional consultations, providing regional stakeholder insight and intelligence where appropriate.
- Advise leaders within NGED and the wider Group on political, policy and regulatory developments in NGED’s licence areas that may impact the business, leading horizon scanning activities to identify emerging risks and opportunities.
- Monitor and assess political, economic and stakeholder developments across NGED's licence areas, ensuring emerging opportunities and risks are identified and communicated effectively within the business.
- Oversee the delivery of stakeholder and external affairs support to specific NGED infrastructure projects where a business need is identified.
- Manage the response to MP and MS casework, ensuring issues are resolved quickly and satisfactorily and that the stakeholder management system is routinely used to track incoming and outgoing stakeholder communications.
- Using insights from relationships and incoming correspondence, identify ‘hot spot’ areas in the region where reputational issues may arise and deploy strategies to address these.
- Represent NGED in its licence areas at events, conferences, and public meetings, making sure the company’s voice is heard and reputation is protected.
- Work with the Regional Policy Manager to support the business make representations to relevant select committees, parliamentary debates, APPGs and other influential events.
- Develop executive briefings and speeches where required, working closely with the Regional Policy Manager.
- Work with the wider external affairs team to ensure alignment between public affairs, public policy and media activities, delivering a coordinated and highly effective function.
- Position NGED as a trusted and influential voice with stakeholders across the areas NGED serves, supporting the development of positive relationships and sentiment towards the business and its activities.
- Maintain an up-to-date stakeholder map of NGED’s licence areas, ensuring the business is aware of the influential figures who the business should be engaging with.
- Support the wider work of the ED Corporate Affairs team, including supporting NGED’s public policy work, dependent on the needs of the business. This includes participation in NGED Corporate Affairs’ storm response rota.
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Qualifications
- Strong knowledge of the UK political environment and machinery of Government
- Strong understanding of regional politics and stakeholder networks within the NGED operational area.
- Demonstrable experience delivering high quality and effective public affairs activities
- Understanding of regulated industry or infrastructure, as well as the important relationship between industry and government.
- Ability to build strong and effective networks, influencing and negotiation at the highest level externally.
- Experience coordinating responses to public policy consultations, with the ability to identify key priorities and ensure the company’s interests are represented in a clear and effective way.
- Experience in using different communications channels and tactics to achieve positive outcomes
- Strong track record of successfully communicating complex policy solutions in a clear and concise manner to multiple audiences
- Experience of working with and influencing key internal stakeholders in a large, complex organisations, working in a collaborative manner to reach shared objectives.
- Able to prioritise and manage competing issues, working with and through others – maintaining high and consistent standards and alignment, working at pace and with minimal guidance.
- Strategic thinker with ability to contribute to key communications and decisions by interpreting external and internal trends and changes.
- Ability to communicate to a high level, highly articulate and a determined and proactive leader and influencer. High quality, clear and concise written communications.
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About Us
At National Grid, we’re at the heart of a major change in how energy is produced, delivered and used. We connect millions of people to the energy they need across Great Britain and the US, while investing to support a cleaner, more reliable system for the future.
Joining us means working on challenges that matter. You’ll help shape how the energy system evolves, supporting the transition to net zero while helping keep energy affordable and reliable.
This role is flexibly based within NGED’s licence areas of Bristol Avonbank, England; Castle Donington Herald Way, England; Warwick NGHouse, England; or Gwent Ty Coch Way, Wales, with regular travel within the Midlands, South West and South Wales.
More Information
As well as a base salary of £60k to £70k (commensurate with experience), you will receive a bonus of up to 30% based on personal and company performance and a competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%. You will also have access to a number of flexible benefits such as a share incentive plan, salary sacrifice car and technology schemes, support via employee assistance lines and matched charity giving to name a few.
We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace for all. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates – we make appointments purely on merit, assessed against objective selection criteria. We support flexible working and will make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process should you have any physical or mental impairment which may affect your ability to participate in the process.
Please note that in most cases, National Grid is unable to offer sponsorship for employment under the UK points-based immigration system. As such, applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship now or in the future under the UK points-based immigration system. However, in exceptional circumstances where there is a clear and demonstrable need for specialist skills that cannot be sourced from the local labour market, National Grid may consider offering sponsorship. All applications are welcome from candidates who meet these requirements, regardless of race, nationality, or ethnic origin.
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