Senior Manager, Community Liaison (12 Month Contract)

Join Kao Data as a Senior Manager, Community Liaison (12 Month Contract) – Drive Excellence in AI‑Focused Data Centres! Kao Data leads the industry, pioneering the development and operation of data centres engineered for AI and advanced computing. With a hyperscale‑inspired and industrial scale platform, we provide our customers with a secure, scalable, and sustainable home for their compute.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Senior Manager, Community Liaison to lead community and stakeholder engagement across our key development projects, initially focusing on Park Royal and Manchester. As the single point of ownership for community engagement, you will develop and maintain trusted relationships with local communities, key stakeholders and planning authorities. You will ensure a proactive, structured and credible approach to engagement, supporting successful project delivery while building confidence and trust throughout the development process. The role is critical to supporting successful planning outcomes, managing public perception, and ensuring Kao Data delivers robust, transparent and community‑aligned development schemes. This includes leading consultation processes, managing stakeholder relationships, and ensuring all community engagement activity is fully aligned with planning strategy and programme delivery requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Community & Stakeholder Engagement Leadership – Own and lead end‑to‑end community engagement strategy and execution across assigned developments.
• Lead delivery of public consultations, stakeholder briefings, and engagement events.
• Planning Integration & Support – Work closely with Development (Planning) to ensure community feedback is captured, interpreted and fed directly into planning strategy.
• Support the management of objections, representations and consultation responses.
• Communications & Reputation Management – Coordinate all external messaging to communities and local stakeholders.
• Manage sensitive or contentious issues (e.g. noise, design, environmental impact) proactively.
• Support Marketing on broader community initiatives, ESG positioning, and local partnerships.
• Issue Management & Feedback Loops – Establish structured processes to capture, track and resolve community enquiries, complaints and concerns.
• Provide regular reporting on community sentiment, risks and key issues to Programme Director and SMT.
• Cross‑Functional Coordination – Function as the central coordination point between Programme, Development, Marketing and external advisors.
• Support coordination with external advisors (e.g. planning consultants, PR agencies such as Cavendish).
• Community Initiatives & Social Value – Support delivery of community programmes, local investment initiatives, and SEED / ESG activities.
• Ensure effective use of community funding and commitments (e.g. S106, local benefits).

What We’re Looking For

• Extensive experience in community engagement, planning, infrastructure or major development projects.
• Strong experience working on planning‑led developments (preferably UK infrastructure / energy / real estate).
• Proven track record of managing public consultations and stakeholder environments.
• Experience engaging with local authorities, councillors, and community groups.
• Credible operator in public and politically sensitive environments.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Ability to translate complex technical/planning issues into clear community messaging.
• Structured approach to issue management and reporting.
• Strong alignment to Kao Data values around transparency and responsible development.
• Ability to balance commercial objectives with the needs and interests of local communities and stakeholders.

Benefits

• Private Medical – private health insurance including dental and optical cover.
• Holiday – 25 days annual leave plus UK Bank Holidays.
• Pension – Salary Sacrifice Pension.
• Parental Leave – Enhanced Maternity and Paternity leave.
• Life Assurance & Income Protection.
• Mental health support – 24/7 access to mental health support via our employee assistance programme, and a trained team of Mental Health First Aiders.
• Giving back – 2 Charity volunteering days a year.
• Electric Vehicle – Salary Sacrifice Scheme.
• Optical Benefit.
• Access to Unum’s Help@Hand.