Head of External Communications

**Head of External Communications**:
Are you an excellent media operator? Do you have the skills to take forward an ambitious strategy to enhance the Agency’s reputation and build its influence within the market it operates in?

This this an exciting opportunity for a highly skilled communications professional to take forward our external communications function. This function covers media handling, marketing, external affairs and events.

You will be an expert in media handling and strategies, with the ability to build excellent relationships to enable the Agency to get its messages out to our audiences.

You will have experience of preparing and delivering on marketing strategies that have impact.

You will have the skills to advise on our external affairs programme and steer the delivery of this.

You will be experienced in the management of communications in a crisis situation.

To be successful in this role, you will need to be experienced in providing strategic advice to leaders and being able to influence stakeholders.

You will oversee the development of our new channel strategy, ensuring we effectively manage our external digital platforms.

You will lead on building and protecting the organisation's profile and provide strategic advice to the CEO, Chairman and government leads.

Key accountabilities and responsibilities
- Lead the external communications, external affairs, and marketing team to deliver against our strategic objectives.
- Provide high-level, strategic advice to senior colleagues to manage the reputation of the organisation and support them to discharge duties, dealing proactively with sensitive issues.
- Lead the development and delivery of integrated marketing, communication and engagement programmes to build our profile, and influence stakeholders around our mission and strategic objectives.
- Oversee a targeted events strategy to provide leaders and experts with the right platforms for engaging key audiences around our mission and strategic objectives
- Deliver the external channels strategy, ensuring effective management of our internal and external digital platforms to increase understanding of our priorities and strengthen engagement with key audiences
- You will ensure that senior leaders are assured that communications are having a positive impact on achieving Homes England's strategic objectives
- Work with leaders and experts to ensure Home England’s messages and positions are consistent across all parts of the business and demonstrate a unified brand
- Work with peers to develop an agile, modern communications team that uses insight and evaluation and has a digital mindset to improve activities, ensuring everyone performs to high standards
- You will coach team members to increase their confidence in using different communications approaches.
- Embrace a collaborative approach, working in a multi-disciplinary way to achieve our communications objectives.
- Lead the external communications, external affairs and marketing team to embrace ethos of continuous improvement, providing coaching and management guidance to build capability.
- In line with peers, act as the people management lead for the communications team, guiding colleagues to embody the Homes England Way
- As a member of the senior management team, embrace the corporate life of the directorate, leading on ad hoc projects and contributing to the leadership of the directorate
- Provide professional assurance to MHCLG, No 10 and Cabinet Office communications leads, contributing to Government Communications Service initiatives where appropriate.
- Homes England Employees are expected to be flexible in undertaking duties and responsibilities commensurate with the general character of the role and level of responsibility.
- Act as an ambassador in industry and government networks to explore new opportunities, foster partnership working and understand the wider interests of all stakeholders.

Key skills and knowledge
- You will have significant experience in communications management, and you will have extensive demonstratable experience in leading and developing high-performing teams.
- You will have excellent media management and handling skills, with a good sense of the media landscape and you able to build successful relationships the media outlets.
- You will have confidence in dealing with and briefing senior members of staff and in presenting information to groups at the highest level of an organisation.
- You will have significant experience of issues management and managing communications around a crisis situation.
- You will have excellent written, verbal and interpersonal skills in order to liaise at all levels of the organisation and with external bodies.
- You will have excellent skills and experience in marketing, and the delivery of successful campaigns.
- You will have experience in external affairs and how speaking opportunities and events can help to market your organisation and build influence.