Jacobs is a strategic supplier to UK government and an industry leader in providing professional services, strategic advice, and programme management into sectors including transportation, built environment, water, environment, energy, and power. We have ambitious growth plans for our core markets and extending our growth trajectory into mainland Europe. We are looking for a purpose-driven, industry recognised Head of Government Relations & External Affairs to lead strategic relationships with our key stakeholders and influencers.
From the inside-out: You will develop, lead, and implement an innovative and industry-leading governmental affairs strategy designed to proactively position Jacobs for growth ahead of market trends and at the forefront of key government client engagement.
From the outside-in: You will inform and influence the business to create an agile growth plan that can anticipate and proactively adjust to a changing agenda and set of priorities from our key external stakeholders. You will be a trusted advisor to the Core Leadership Team (CLT) on external affairs and government relations to ensure a joined-up approach to delivering growth plans, advising the senior leadership on opportunities and policy direction to identify potential new investment areas and inform govt relationship plans. You will also be the main interface to our C-Suite on UK & European government affairs, actively partnering on opportunities for our Executive Leadership Team to engage with key stakeholders.
This is an opportunity for a senior, experienced leader to shape and influence our next steps as an organisation and our relationships with stakeholders across Europe, with the expectation of being able to build influential relationships both personally and to connect others in Jacobs to influential government contacts at the right levels. This is an exceptional time to join Jacobs, we are on the cusp of a critical milestone in our strategic portfolio transformation to a more focused, higher margin portfolio aligned to critical infrastructure tailwinds, you will be at the forefront of engaging with external markets to present this new era of Jacobs.
The expectation is that this role is majority outward facing, with significant time spent with clients and partners, focused on aligning development and influencing of our current network to underpin the future growth of the business.
* Credible executive presence and strategic mindset with ability to command respect through experience and expertise internally and externally.
* Very significant experience in public policy development and external relations, possessing high-level influencing, political and networking skills.
* Track record of successfully working with key decision makers and achieving strategic goals, using evidence to build robust cases for policy and political audiences.
* Strategic thinker, able to prioritise workloads and manage conflicting deadlines and demands.
* Direct experience in our sector, having built an understanding of our markets and drivers in a similar organisation. Ability to understand our industries, process complex information and present targeted messages to different audiences.
* Significant experience of creating and delivering ambitious external affairs strategies designed for business growth.
* Experience in a similar role with an organisation that has gone through a period of disruptive growth (e.g. big M&A that needed positioning, digital transformation of offering etc.)
* Experience of working in a complex organisation with multiple stakeholders to drive organisational objectives and priorities.
* A strong track record in developing and overseeing strategic initiatives and programmes.
* Expert ability to build strong stakeholder relationships and deliver through others, strong influencing and communication skills.
* Prior experience of international engagement/international collaboration.
* Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, able to persuade, motivate and lead others at all levels, explain concepts without technical jargon and inspire and build engagement across diverse communities.
* Ability to confidently advise senior leaders and stakeholders.
* Demonstrated leadership skills, comfortable operating in periods of uncertainty.
* Committed to developing an inclusive team culture.
* Clear evidence of a highly relevant network of contacts.
* Ability to work in a highly collaborative and flexible way, reacting quickly to changing circumstances.
* Ability to anticipate problems, develop strategic solutions and provide recommendations to senior leaders.
* Ability to use of discretion and judgement in dealing with confidential and sensitive issues and be unafraid to engage with emotive or controversial topics.
