Senior Local Government Relations Manager in Milton Keynes

East West Rail is a nationally significant railway project which aims to deliver much-needed transport connections for the vibrant communities between Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge. Together these communities contribute around £111 billion to the national economy each year. However, the lack of good East-West transport connections makes it harder for residents to make the most of everything the region has to offer. EWR will make it easier to reach the things that matter most, bringing a range of benefits to communities between Oxford and Cambridge, and across the UK more broadly.

EWR is also one of the UK’s largest infrastructure projects, which the government committed to delivering in full in the Autumn 2024 Budget, and again in the 2025 Spending Review as part of its ambition to unlock the potential of the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor. At East West Railway Company, we’re committed to building an inclusive railway for all. We believe that to do that, we must nurture a diverse team that represents the UK communities that we impact. Our approach is simple – to create an environment where everyone is welcome and able to be themselves. We celebrate diversity and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications of all backgrounds and experiences.

EWR is being championed by the Government as a key driver to economic growth leading to a potential £78 Billion boost to the UK economy: supporting new towns, housing, and regeneration.

• This role will be responsible for managing relationships with local political stakeholders, ensuring their interests are considered and addressed throughout the programme.
• This role involves proactive engagement, issue resolution, and collaboration with internal teams to maintain and strengthen local political stakeholder support for this locally and nationally significant infrastructure project.
• Identify and manage relationships with local political stakeholders and organisations.
• Develop and implement local political stakeholder engagement plans to support project goals including tracking and reporting.
• Monitor local political stakeholder concerns and issues, providing timely and effective responses.
• Coordinate and attend stakeholder meetings, briefings, and events.
• Collaborate with internal teams, including Strategic Communications and Media, Stakeholder Engagement, and Community teams, to ensure consistent messaging and coordinated efforts.
• Prepare stakeholder communications, including reports, presentations, and briefing materials.
• Provide regular updates to the Head of Political Relations on stakeholder engagement activities and issues.

• Proven experience in stakeholder management, preferably within a large infrastructure project and with local political stakeholders.
• Experience in developing and implementing stakeholder engagement plans.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with a particular focus on political stakeholders, especially local councillors.
• Excellent communication and negotiation abilities.

• Up to 12% employer’s pension contribution
• 36 days holiday a year (including bank holidays) + up to 2 days to buy
• Life assurance
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Access to a range of benefits on the Perkbox platform
• On-the-spot and annual awards
• Advanced learning and development programmes
• Great work-life balance and flexible working opportunities
• Enhanced family-friendly policies
• Exceptional IT tools

EWR Co strives to embrace a flexible working environment, where a degree of flexibility is maintained to accommodate both the needs and preferences of employees and what is required to achieve business objectives. EWR Co will always work with any individual to assess and accommodate an individual’s work life balance and style.

To discover the best solutions, it’s important we embrace diversity of thought. That’s why we aim to ensure our colleagues feel included, engaged and valued. Inclusiveness is not a buzzword, but a way of being. Our approach to diversity is simple – a workplace where everyone is welcome and everyone is encouraged to be themselves. It helps fuel our innovation and connects us with the customers and communities we serve.