Director of Communications and Engagement – 2026050

Why this role matters

This is not a conventional communications role. It is an opportunity to shape national conversations, connect evidence with action, and help ensure nature is recognised as fundamental to the UK’s future prosperity, resilience and wellbeing. As a member of JNCC’s senior leadership team, you will help position the organisation at the centre of some of the UK’s most important environmental, economic and societal debates. You will ensure that robust scientific evidence informs decision-making and that JNCC’s voice is heard where it matters most. If you want to help deliver JNCC’s ambition to be a good ancestor, leaving a more resilient, equitable and nature-rich future for generations to come, we would love to hear from you.

Role Responsibilities

• Leading the team and contributing across the organisation
• Lead a respected, high-performing communications and engagement function, strengthening capability, influence and strategic impact, supporting cross-organisation relationships, while managing resources, performance, budget and priorities.
• Contribute to an experienced senior leadership team, sharing responsibility for organisational performance, culture and delivery of JNCC’s organisational strategies.
• Strategic communications and external engagement
• Lead an integrated communications and external engagement strategy that strengthens JNCC’s role as the UK’s trusted, independent scientific adviser on nature and maximises its reach, influence and impact.
• Coordinate JNCC’s approach to stakeholder engagement, supporting senior leaders and colleagues to build influential relationships beyond the environmental sector, across government, business, academia and international partners.
• Develop clear, compelling communications – including social media – that translate complex evidence into accessible messages and show why nature matters to policy, economic resilience and national security.
• Act as a trusted adviser to the Executive Committee, Chief Executive and Chair, providing expert counsel, constructive challenge and sound judgement on communications, reputation and stakeholder engagement.
• Organisational communications and engagement
• Build on the team’s strong foundations to deliver strategic internal communications that connect colleagues to JNCC’s vision, strategy, priorities and organisational change.
• Support the Chief Executive, Chair and Executive Committee in communicating strategic priorities, key messages and change.

Person specification

The successful candidate will have:

• Strategic Leadership and Influence – Proven track record of providing strategic leadership in communications and stakeholder engagement or shaping organisational reputation, influence and impact, and contributing to the delivery of wider organisational objectives.
• Strategic Communications and Advisory skills – A highly credible communications leader with significant experience advising senior executives and boards, managing reputation and risk, navigating complex and sensitive issues, and providing constructive challenge and sound judgement.
• Stakeholder Engagement and Partnerships – Ability to take a strategic overview of stakeholder engagement, working across the organisation and with key external partners to enable the development and maintenance of trusted relationships that maximise the impact of our work.
• Innovation and Impact – Demonstrable success in translating policy, evidence or complex science into compelling narratives and engagement approaches that broaden reach, influence decision-making and increase public value.
• Inclusive Leadership and Values – An inclusive and culturally intelligent leader with a strong track record of developing high-performing teams, building organisational capability and fostering a culture of learning, collaboration and continuous improvement.

It would be beneficial for the post holder to have:

• Experience working within government, a Non-Departmental Public Body or similarly complex public sector environment.
• Knowledge of environmental, scientific or nature policy.
• Experience influencing policy, strategy or decision-making through evidence-based communications and stakeholder engagement.
• Understanding of the UK political, public policy and stakeholder landscape.
• Experience building trust and engagement through internal communications during organisational change.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £64,581, Joint Nature Conservation Committee contributes £18,709 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. You will automatically be enrolled into the Civil Service Alpha pension scheme from the start of your employment with an average employer contribution of 29%. Alpha – This is an occupational pension scheme based on your career average earnings. Partnership – This is a stakeholder pension with a contribution from us, how much we pay is based on your age and the amount you chose to contribute.

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact: Name: JNCC recruitment Email: recruitment@jncc.gov.uk

Further information

Selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit, on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles, our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of appointment on the basis of merit by fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact recruitment@jncc.gov.uk in the first instance.