Communications Business Partner - Public Affairs and Policy in London

We are looking for an experienced, forward thinking Communications Business Partner for Public Affairs and Policy to join our Communications team at a pivotal moment. This is a senior, high profile role at the heart of the council’s strategic direction, leading proactive campaigns and behaviour change activity that supports delivery of our priorities as set out in the Strategic Framework.

As one of our senior communications leaders, you will help ensure the council communicates clearly, confidently, and transparently with residents, partners, stakeholders, and colleagues. You will play a central role in amplifying the council’s voice where it matters most, and in shaping awareness, understanding, and action around complex policy priorities and major organisational change, including Local Government Reorganisation and place shaping.

You will act as a trusted adviser to senior leaders and elected members, providing insight into the wider public affairs landscape, and helping shape the organisation’s narrative through high quality, insight led communications. Your work will support effective decision making, good governance, and strong relationships with communities and partners.

This role is ideal for someone who is passionate about proactive campaigning, influencing behaviour, and embedding communications as a core enabler of policy delivery, service improvement, and organisational change.

This is a rare opportunity to:

• Lead campaigns that directly support delivery of the council’s Strategic Framework.
• Influence policy development and place shaping through proactive and purposeful communication.
• Drive meaningful behaviour change that improves outcomes for residents and communities.
• Play a key leadership role during a period of significant organisational change.

If you want a role where your expertise has real strategic impact, we would love to hear from you.

As our Communications Business Partner for Public Affairs and Policy, you will:

• Design and deliver integrated communications and campaigns that support the council’s Strategic Framework and corporate priorities.
• Lead proactive, insight led campaigns that influence behaviour, build trust, and improve outcomes for residents and communities.
• Lead the council’s public affairs activity, including stakeholder engagement, horizon scanning, and support to democratic and governance processes.
• Act as a strategic adviser to senior officers and elected members on complex, sensitive, and reputational matters.
• Support major organisational change and service improvement, ensuring communications plays a critical role in shaping and delivering change.
• Contribute to reputation management, including handling issues, crisis response, and participation in the out of hours rota.
• Build and facilitate cross council communication networks to embed consistent messaging and shared ownership of campaigns.
• Mentor and develop colleagues to create a high performing, innovative, and confident communications function.

This role includes line management responsibilities and leadership of work programmes delivering against a forward communications and campaigns plan.

You will be a confident and resilient communications leader with:

• Extensive experience delivering public affairs communications and behaviour change campaigns in a complex organisational environment.
• Proven ability to work closely with senior leaders and elected members, providing trusted advice and guidance.
• Strong experience of designing and delivering proactive campaigns that support policy priorities and organisational outcomes.
• Excellent writing, editing, and influencing skills, with the ability to simplify complex issues for a range of audiences.
• Experience of leading and developing high performing teams, and building organisational capability in communications.
• Sound judgement, and the ability to operate calmly and effectively under pressure.
• A commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion, and to supporting the council’s ambition to become a Net Zero organisation by 2030.

Relevant degree level study is essential. Professional communications qualifications or postgraduate study are desirable.

We value our colleagues in Cambridgeshire County Council and have developed a number of benefits in addition to the basics like annual leave, sick pay, pension and mileage:

• A comprehensive wellbeing package to cover all aspects of wellbeing, both in and out of work, which can also be accessed by your family.
• Buy up to 4 weeks additional annual leave (pro-rata) through our salary sacrifice scheme.