Environmental Communications Officer

Are you passionate about improving and promoting better environmental performance?  

Can you increase engagement amongst our stakeholders? 

We want to be the water company people want to be supplied by and want to work for. 

You’ll partner with our environment team to deliver highly integrated communication campaigns.  This is the chance to use your full range of skills to coordinate, create and execute communications plans that enhance public awareness, brand perception and contribute to better business performance.

Ideally, you’ll hold a degree in Communications or Public Relations discipline or an equivalent qualification, as well as a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience.  Additionally, individuals with proven success in communications, media, and events within the environmental, farming, agricultural, horticultural, or land-based industry will also be considered.

You’ll be responsible for developing and implementing an annual programme of stakeholder and community engagement to support the delivery of our Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP).  The WINEP is our response to the climate and environmental emergency we face as a country.  As a water supplier, we play a key role in protecting and enhancing the environment around us. 

For example, our colleagues within the environment team work with farmers and land owners across different catchment management areas to encourage the adoption of sustainable practices, and to promote the take up of available funding and support packages.  You’ll develop an annual stakeholder engagement programme that includes organising stakeholder meetings and events, attending community briefings and presentations and working to deliver other key elements of our decided communications strategy.  You’ll proactively identify opportunities for positive media or social media coverage.  So you’re experienced managing communications to customers and producing content across a range of media channels.

Being a natural collaborator and influencer, you have the ability to project credibility and produce shared results through the relationships you forge.  You’ll work with a range of stakeholder audiences interested in our environmental performance and business strategy – such as farming communities, local government, regulators and environmental agencies for example. 

We offer hybrid working with around two days per week in the office for team time.  There’s also a need to travel across the supply area for meetings and events.  In return, we offer the chance to apply your communications expertise to help showcase our commitments to being a responsible, sustainable business. 

What do you get from work at South East Water?

You’ll grow a career with a meaningful purpose.  Be you, belong and be valued.

• Come to work to feel safe, valued and trusted.
• We’ll encourage you to create and pursue new opportunities for personal growth.
• A place to be the real you, build deeper connections and enjoy a sense of belonging.
• Be invested in helping us to create a sustainable water supply for now, and in the future.

What will you mainly be responsible for delivering?

Stakeholder engagement:

Working closely with the Environmental Team, you’ll implement an annual programme of stakeholder and community engagement to support delivery of our Water Industry National Environment Programme.

This will include:

Identifying key community leaders and stakeholders in the area affected

Managing a programme of events, newsletters, press activity and other communications

Supporting the Catchment Team to deliver farmer events and stakeholder meetings

Be responsible for organising and attending any community briefings, presentations or meetings in and out of normal office hours to assist with the successful delivery of the communication strategy

Creation of an integrated communications strategy to support delivery of business plan and Water Industry National Environment Programme objectives

Working with internal stakeholders to agree priorities, key messages and the annual programme of events and other communications activities

Manage a range of suppliers and external parties to deliver the communications and events programme, such as graphic designers, photographers, videographers and communications agencies

Media relations and social media

Promoting the work of South East Water by identifying opportunities for positive media and social media coverage. At the same, helping to manage communications to our customers through various media channels.

This includes:

• Brief media spokespeople ahead of radio and TV interviews
• Answer and respond to media calls during office hours, escalating where appropriate
• Help identify and manage news stories for South East Water
• Update the South East Water website and social media content in particular when promoting news stories or during emergency incidents
• Participate in the Communications out-of-hours service on a shared rota basis responding to media enquiries and assisting the management of crisis communications.

What do you bring to the role?

• Ideally, you’ll hold a degree in Communications or Public Relations discipline or an equivalent qualification, as well as a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience.
• Additionally, individuals with proven success in communications, media, and events within the environmental, farming, agricultural, horticultural, or land-based industry will also be considered.

• Full driving licence.
• Experience of event management, media relations and dealing with customers, stakeholders and the press.
• Be adept at pivoting between multiple projects, sometimes with competing needs, to produce appropriate and high quality communications outputs to deadline.
• Competent in drafting accurate customer and stakeholder communications materials required for a project or event, including, but not limited to; communications plans and evaluations, briefing notes, statements, press releases, presentations, exhibition materials, articles, advertising, website copy, FAQs and social media content such as videos.
• Competent in turning complex information into appropriate and easy to understand materials for public and stakeholder consumption
• Able to use a range of digital tools, including but not limited to, social media, email marketing/newsletter, website content management system and public relations management software
• Keen to learn, develop as well as try new ideas and communications methods as they arise
• Competent at identifying potential risks to company reputation and have confidence in raising these with appropriate managers
• Knowledge of the environmental and/or agricultural industry would be advantageous.

What can you expect from us?

£5,985 car allowance

Excellent Stakeholder pension scheme, up to 10% employer contribution

5 weeks holiday rising to 6 with length of service.

Flexible annual leave to purchase and sell holiday.

Health Cash Plan.

Life assurance.

Wellbeing related benefits.

Everyone needs water, South East Water welcomes everyone

We know the communities we serve are diverse.  We recognise creativity comes from diversity not similarity.  That’s why we are enthusiastic about creating inclusion across age, race, gender, ethnicity, religion and identity.  You will experience our dedication to equal opportunities and fair treatment for all: through your recruitment, employment and career progression with South East Water.

What can you expect from your recruitment?

• Please upload a CV via our careers website.
• You are required to have the right to work in the UK on commencement of employment with us.
• You will be asked to complete satisfactory background, identity and employment referencing checks as part of receiving your employment offer from South East Water.
• If you require assistance / adjustments to engage with our recruitment process and to ensure you're able to compete on equal terms, please contact the recruitment team.

If this sounds like the opportunity you’ve been looking for, apply now!