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- Tasks: Lead external affairs strategy and manage a team to enhance Guinness's reputation.
- Company: Join The Guinness Partnership, a key player in social housing.
- Benefits: Enjoy a full-time role with flexible working in central London.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in social housing during a crucial election year.
- Qualifications: Degree-level education and experience in influencing and lobbying required.
- Other info: This is a fixed-term position from April to December.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
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Interim Head of External Affairs, London
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Client:
The Guinness Partnership
Location:
London, United Kingdom
Job Category:
Other
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EU work permit required:
Yes
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Job Reference:
7d84b24e2b2e
Job Views:
64
Posted:
15.07.2025
Expiry Date:
29.08.2025
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Job Description:
About the role
We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced, interim Head of External Affairs to provide fixed term cover from April – December . This is a full-time vacancy with two days a week based in Guinness’s central London office.
Reporting into the Director of Strategy and Policy, you will work to implement and shape Guinness’s external affairs strategy in this crucial election year. Taking responsibility for a small in house team of external affairs professionals, you will guide their work to help enhance Guinness’s external profile and reputation through strategic stakeholder engagement, horizon scanning and intelligence sharing, and collaboration across the sector to secure positive outcomes for Guinness and social housing.
You’ll be a confident communicator with a strong understanding of influencing. You will be practised at building relationships with our key MPs and local authorities. Your knowledge of housing will help you to produce effective, evidence-based consultation responses and briefings.
Your key responsibilities will include managing environmental and horizon scanning activities, ensuring short, medium and long-term strategic challenges are anticipated and relevant colleagues are engaged and informed. You’ll be expected to represent Guinness at external events and to help influence policy outcomes for social housing. You’ll work with the Director to manage a wide range of relationships with relevant sector bodies and groups, always looking for opportunities to add our voice in areas where we have strong knowledge and expertise.
What we’re looking for
We know that how we do things is just as important as what we do, so you’ll not only be highly self-motivated with the rigour to pursue goals, but you’ll also be a confident collaborator, networker and relationship builder with a willingness to go the extra mile to get the job done. You’ll be an excellent, engaging leader of your team.
You’ll be able to demonstrate:
- Strong understanding and experience of influencing and lobbying in the British local and national political system.
- Confident collaborator and networker both with colleagues and with external stakeholders who can build and maintain excellent working relationships.
- Highly self-motivated and will pursue goals with rigour and good judgement.
- Proven ability to ‘hit the ground running’ or previous experience of interim practice.
- Excellent written and oral communications skills for creating impactful, timely reports, letters, briefings, consultation responses and presentations.
- Confidence in delivering strategy and effective influencing.
- Leading and managing a team to deliver results and ensure strong engagement.
- Ability to deliver a varied programme of work with a range of deadlines and audiences.
- Commitment to the Guinness Behaviours.
- Understanding of the role of customer voice in external policy and influencing work.
- Knowledge of housing policy, particularly those areas most relevant to social landlords.
- Experience of undertaking or managing research projects that enhance business understanding of key issues.
- Educated to Level 6 (degree or equivalent).
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Interim Head of External Affairs (London) employer: The Guinness Partnership
Contact Detail:
The Guinness Partnership Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Interim Head of External Affairs (London)
✨Tip Number 1
Network strategically within the housing sector and political circles. Attend events, seminars, or webinars related to social housing and external affairs to meet key stakeholders and decision-makers who can provide insights and potentially support your application.
✨Tip Number 2
Familiarise yourself with current housing policies and the political landscape in the UK. Being well-versed in recent developments will not only help you in interviews but also demonstrate your commitment and understanding of the role's requirements.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your previous experiences in influencing and lobbying. Think of specific examples where you've successfully built relationships with MPs or local authorities, as this will showcase your ability to hit the ground running in this interim position.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your leadership skills by preparing to discuss how you've managed teams in the past. Highlight instances where you've motivated your team to achieve results, as this is crucial for the role of Head of External Affairs.
We think you need these skills to ace Interim Head of External Affairs (London)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in external affairs, influencing, and stakeholder engagement. Use specific examples that demonstrate your ability to manage teams and deliver results in similar roles.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that clearly outlines your understanding of the role and how your skills align with the responsibilities listed in the job description. Emphasise your experience in housing policy and your ability to influence within the political system.
Showcase Communication Skills: Since excellent written and oral communication skills are crucial for this role, include examples of impactful reports, briefings, or presentations you have created in the past. This will demonstrate your capability to produce high-quality documentation.
Highlight Leadership Experience: Discuss your experience in leading teams and managing projects. Provide examples of how you have successfully motivated and guided your team to achieve strategic goals, particularly in fast-paced or interim situations.
How to prepare for a job interview at The Guinness Partnership
✨Know Your Stakeholders
Familiarise yourself with the key stakeholders in the housing sector, especially those relevant to The Guinness Partnership. Be prepared to discuss how you would engage with MPs and local authorities to enhance their external profile.
✨Demonstrate Your Influencing Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully influenced policy outcomes in the past. Highlight your understanding of the British political system and how it relates to social housing.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Experience
Be ready to talk about your experience in leading teams, particularly in high-pressure environments. Discuss how you motivate and engage your team to achieve strategic goals.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Anticipate questions that may ask how you would handle specific challenges related to external affairs. Think about potential scenarios in the current political climate and how you would navigate them effectively.
