Stakeholder Engagement Manager in Worthing

Location: Hybrid working between our Durrington office and home.

Contract Type: 6 month FTC

Hours: 22.5 hours per week, including Mondays and Fridays but otherwise flexible across the week.

Salary: Commensurate to skills and experience

About the role

We’re looking for a Stakeholder Engagement Manager to join our team on a 6 month fixed term contract. This role is intentionally broad in scope and designed to focus on high-impact, high-value engagement activity across the business. You’ll bring experience and judgement to identify where stakeholder engagement can make the biggest difference, whether that’s supporting priority programmes, strengthening key relationships, or helping shape how we engage more effectively as an organisation.

You’ll work across a wide range of internal teams and external stakeholders, acting as a trusted partner and connector. From local authorities and regulators to community groups and senior leaders, you’ll help ensure our plans are understood, our relationships are strong, and opportunities for collaboration are maximised. This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys variety, thrives in a fast-moving environment, and wants to influence meaningful outcomes without being constrained to a narrow remit.

What you’ll be responsible for:

• Leading and shaping stakeholder engagement activity in priority areas, focusing on where you can add the most value
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with key external stakeholders, including local authorities, regulators, and community groups
• Acting as a bridge between external stakeholders and internal teams, bringing insight into decision-making and helping shape business priorities
• Identifying emerging issues, risks, and opportunities across the external landscape and ensuring these are understood internally
• Supporting and advising colleagues across the business to improve how they engage with stakeholders at all levels
• Contributing to engagement plans, briefings, and activity aligned to business priorities and key programmes
• Enabling effective engagement around our plans, performance, and investment activity, gathering insight to inform future decisions

What you’ll bring to the role:

Essential

• Strong experience in stakeholder engagement, public affairs, or a related field
• Proven ability to build credible relationships with senior stakeholders internally and externally
• Strong influencing skills, with the confidence to challenge and guide at a senior level
• Ability to work across a broad and changing agenda, identifying priorities and focusing on impact
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal

Desirable

• Experience working with local government, regulators, or NGOs
• Experience operating in a complex, regulated or infrastructure environment
• Experience delivering projects or programmes involving multiple stakeholders
• Understanding of the policy or political landscape relevant to utilities or public services

About Southern Water

Southern Water is at the forefront of transforming Britain’s water industry, investing significantly to enhance resilience, sustainability, and service excellence. With £7.8bn planned investment for 2025-30, this is an unparalleled opportunity to join a business committed to delivering a generational shift in the way water services are managed.

You will be joining at a time of significant change, working alongside a highly skilled leadership team with a clear vision for the future. We offer an environment where senior professionals can make a meaningful impact, influence major strategic decisions, and drive long-term value creation.

Our mission is to protect and enhance life through water and we need passionate people to help us achieve it. If you’re inspired by our purpose and believe you can contribute, apply today. You don’t need to meet every criterion; what matters most is your drive to make a difference.

If this role isn’t quite what you’re looking for but are keen to be contacted about opportunities at Southern Water, you can register your details here: Introduce Yourself.

Our Commitment to Diversity

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, or any other protected characteristic. If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.

Additional information

In line with Southern Water’s security requirements, successful candidates will be required to provide evidence of their identity, eligibility to work in the UK, criminal record check (DBS) and verification of their employment and/or education history for the past three years. Appointment to this role is subject to the successful completion of all pre‑employment checks, including security vetting. Please note that if a candidate does not meet the required security standards or fails to pass the vetting process, Southern Water reserves the right to withdraw the offer of employment. Some positions may also require higher levels of security vetting, which may involve providing additional documentation.