Community Engagement Officer

**Purpose of the role**

Reporting to the Community Engagement Manager, the Community Engagement Officer
(C.E.O.) supports the project’s communications strategy and assists in developing plans for
engaging with all stakeholders, the local community and the public, acting as a point of
contact and the professional face of the project within a defined geographic area. The C.E.O.
proactively protects the client’s, the company’s and the project’s reputation within the
community, embedded within the delivery team and working within the community to ensure
stakeholder concerns are understood and addressed as far as possible, helping to ensure that
the project overall behaves as a considerate neighbour.
The post will require an individual who can understand the needs of the project team having
face‐to‐face contact with all different members of the community and local stakeholders
whilst appreciating the wider context and the needs of the client.

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**Main Responsibilities**

The Community Engagement Officer will:

- Support the development of an integrated community engagement and public

relations strategy for the whole project
- Assist in developing and delivering effective engagement and communications plans

for the project within a defined geographic area
- Work as part of an area delivery team to review construction impacts and minimise

effects on stakeholders, and support the delivery of training and briefings to support

this
- Support HS2 to promote a positive image of the project and raise public awareness of the benefits of the project
- Assist in the delivery of community engagement events, supporting HS2 by drafting

materials, undertaking event management, e.g. drop‐ins and exhibitions
- Support the Community Engagement Manager in coordinating external information

and messaging via the full range of media channels
- Build and nurture positive relationships with all stakeholders, adding value to the

delivery of the project, by being a good neighbour and embedding ourselves in the

community
- Assist in identifying potentially sensitive situations, and report them appropriately

within the project and client’s teams
- Record and respond to all complaints, queries, compliments and third party issues

within performance requirements, ensuring at all times that messages are consistent

and appropriate
- Assist with periodic reporting on community related matters
- Support the projects compliance with the Undertakings and Assurances, assisting on

delivering compliance for all community related commitments
- Engage proactively with local education establishments and interest groups, and work with colleagues in Skills, Education & Employment to identify opportunities for the community
- Assist with the delivery of the project’s Community Investment and Legacy

programme, working with colleagues to realise investment in legacy projects
- Proactively engage in wider HS2 activities, supporting collaborative opportunities and

sharing best practice and lessons learned

**Required Qualifications & Skills**
- Experience of community engagement / public relations
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Credible communicator / presenter with large groups of people
- Proven ability in effectively dealing with challenging situations.
- Proven ability to work under pressure
- Capability of using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems

**Desirable Qualifications & Skills**
- Experience of the construction/ infrastructure industry
- Media training
- Capability of use Microsoft Dynamics

**About Costain**

Costain helps to improve people’s lives with integrated, leading edge, smart infrastructure solutions across the UK’s energy, water, transportation and defence markets. We help our clients improve their business performance by increasing capacity, improving customer service, safeguarding security, enhancing resilience, decarbonising and delivering increased efficiency. Our vision is to be the UK’s leading smart infrastructure solutions company. We will achieve this by focusing on blue chip clients whose major spending plans are underpinned by strategic national needs, regulatory commitments, legislation or essential performance requirements. We offer our clients leading edge solutions that are digitally optimised through the following five services which cover the whole lifecycle of their assets: future-shaping strategic consultancy; consultancy and advisory; digital technology solutions; asset optimisation and complex programme delivery. Our culture and values underpin everything we do.

We welcome all applicants regardless of age, race, faith, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, socioeconomic background and physical or neurological disabilities.

We welcome you to ask about the flexibility you need for dynamic working. Such as, working part-time, remote working, or compressed hours. In return, we will explore what is possible.

To find out more about our Inclusion