Senior Communications Business Partner - Pontypridd, South Wales

Salary: Competitive

Basis: Full time

Equal Opportunities

At Transport for Wales we value diversity. It makes us stronger, helps us understand our customers better, make better decisions and be more innovative. Everyone's different and has their own perspective so we're building a diverse team that mirrors the communities we serve. Through this we're determined to be one of Wales' leading inclusive employers. We're creating an inclusive transport network that everyone in Wales can be proud of.

Who we are

At Transport for Wales, we're on a mission to transform transport in Wales and make it fit for the future, whether that's rail, bus, walking or cycling. We want to inspire a nation to change the way it travels, so that we all travel more sustainably and help to combat the climate emergency we're all facing. We're an open and inclusive place to work, where everyone is welcome and our people are supported to reach their full potential. We want to create an environment where our people can grow and succeed. This is key to enabling us to deliver on the promises we've made to the people of Wales to build a sustainable transport network that meets their needs.

Role responsibilities

As Senior Communications Business Partner, you will provide designated support and strategic communications direction to the Chief Operating Officer and their senior leadership team. It will enable the directorate (Transport Operations) to develop a successful and long-term strategic relationship between the Customer and Communications directorate to achieve shared organisational objectives. This role will play a key role in supporting the Head of Corporate Communications in the successful delivery of TfW's 5-year internal communications strategy, as well as interfacing with all other disciplines within the Customer and Communications, as part of the broader TfW forward-planning Communications Business Partnering model.

Responsibilities will include but not be limited to:

• Proactively advise the leadership and senior management team within Transport Operations on communications issues that present organisational risk and/or unfavourable exposure. This includes the drafting and delivery of briefing material as required and influencing internal communications and engagement, by providing expertise insight and robust business cases, to align the senior leadership with the recommendations made by the Head of Corporate Communications and the overall TfW Customer and Communications strategy.
• Deliver high quality advice to various stakeholders by providing 'real-time' strategic insight to ensure communications projects are on-brand, accurate and mitigate reputational impact.
• Proactively manage 'our story' for all core units within Transport Operations, with the delivery of consistent messages - identifying and managing key communication channels that present opportunities for meaningful engagement that reinforce our new T Network vision and values.
• Champion internal communications by supporting the delivery of TfW's 5-year internal communication strategy that supports the business plan, nurtures colleague engagement and demonstrates real value to the business with effective reporting and measurement.

Who we're looking for

• Degree qualified in a relevant area such as Communication or Marketing or have equivalent 5-year minimum experience.
• Experience of directly advising and working with senior leadership teams.
• Experience of leading large-scale external-facing communications campaigns, projects or events.
• Demonstrable experience of leading on internal communications provision.
• Experience of managing and developing people and being the point of escalation where necessary.
• Experience of managing relationships with different stakeholders - internal and external.

Welsh Language Skills

The ability to speak/write Welsh would make a great addition to your application, but it is not essential for this role. Transport for Wales supports and promotes the use of the Welsh Language by employees and will encourage them to develop, improve and maintain their Welsh Language skills. We fully support our people who want to improve their Welsh language skills, and personal development for Welsh Language skills are offered in a variety of ways such as online learning, classroom courses and funding attendance at local community courses.

Next steps

Does this role sound like the opportunity you are looking for? Do you want to find out more? See attached Job Description for further details. Transport for Wales is a disability leader. We are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments you may need in the recruitment process or as part of the role if you are successful. This advert will close at midnight on the day of the application closing date stated above. We do encourage you to submit your application as early as possible. Please note, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications.