Head of Internal Communications & Engagement in Newcastle upon Tyne

Are you a communications leader who thrives on building relationships, driving collaboration, and making a real difference to how people connect with their organisation's purpose? Defra group has one of the most diverse and far-reaching portfolios in government, spanning environment, flooding, food, animal welfare and biosecurity. Our family of organisations includes some of government's most high-profile Arm's Length Bodies (ALBs) — from the Environment Agency to the Animal and Plant Health Agency and beyond — each with their own identity and culture, yet united by a shared mission to restore nature, support economic growth and enhance security.

We're recruiting a G6 Head of Internal Communications and Engagement to lead our strategic relationship with ALB internal communications teams across the Defra group. This is a senior leadership role at the heart of a high-performing, ambitious communications function, and an opportunity to shape how tens of thousands of colleagues across our ALBs are informed, engaged and connected to the priorities that matter.

Working as one of a complementary pair of G6 Heads alongside your counterpart who leads internal communications for the core department, you will report to the Deputy Director, Group Head of Internal Communications. Together, you will ensure a joined-up, coherent approach to internal engagement across the whole of Defra group.

In this role, you will provide professional oversight, quality assurance and strategic direction to embedded communications teams across our ALBs — building capability, fostering a collaborative network, and ensuring communications activity aligns with Government Communication Service (GCS) and Group Corporate Services priorities, while always respecting each organisation's operational independence.

This is a role for a confident, credible professional who can operate at pace, build trusted relationships with senior leaders including Executive Committee members, Chief Operating Officers and Chief People Officers, and champion a culture of innovation and continuous improvement. You will uphold GCS professional standards and have a specific responsibility for driving professional development across the whole function.

If you're ready to lead at scale, connect a community of communicators, and help shape the culture of some of government's most important organisations, we'd love to hear from you.

As G6 Head of Internal Communication and Engagement (ALBs), you will:

• Lead the strategic relationship with Defra group ALBs on internal communications and engagement, providing professional oversight, quality assurance and strategic direction to embedded IC teams as part of the group communications operating model.
• Ensure ALB communications activity aligns with Government Communication Service and Group Corporate Services priorities whilst respecting operational independence, and foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing across the ALB network and the wider Government Communications community.
• Drive professional development and capability building across all internal communications teams, support consistent standards and approaches whilst tailoring support to the diverse needs of different ALBs.
• Provide active and visible leadership to motivate, engage and develop your team members.
• Act as an effective deputy to the Group Head of Internal Communications and work in close partnership with the other G6 Head of Internal Communications & Engagement to ensure a joined-up, coherent approach to internal engagement and team management.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with senior leaders across relevant organisations, providing trusted strategic communications advice to support business and operational delivery.
• Oversee the creation and maintenance of high-quality channels, events and engagement activity to support organisational and internal communications objectives.
• Champion a culture of innovation, proactivity, flexibility and collaboration, with the ability to work well under pressure, manage multiple priorities and tight deadlines, and balance reactive demands against strategic organisational goals.
• Uphold and embed GCS professional standards, propriety guidance, and accessibility requirements across all communications activity.
• Provide functional leadership for your team, including line management, performance oversight, quality assurance of outputs, and building capability through skills development and best practice.
• Work collaboratively across all senior managers in communications to deploy functional expertise across priorities.
• Provide leadership on incident response communications as required, including out-of-hours working where necessary to ensure timely and coordinated communications during critical situations.