Public Affairs Manager

Location:

Stafford/Telford - Hybrid

Hours:

36 hours per week

Contract Type:
Permanent

We have an exciting opportunity for a Public Affairs Manager to join our team. We’re looking for a passionate and driven professional who can bring our values to life and ensure our customers and stakeholders benefit from outstanding services. If you thrive in an ambitious, and evolving organisation, that supports its people, this could be the perfect role for you.

As Public Affairs Manager, you will play a key role in promoting, enhancing, and protecting the Group’s reputation, while championing our services and brands. Working closely with the Director of Communications, Marketing and Public Affairs, you will champion our customers by helping to develop and deliver strategies that reflect our organisational values, engage key stakeholders, and support our wider business objectives and our corporate strategy.

A key focus of the role will be to drive a dynamic programme of strategic public affairs and influencing activity, strengthening our engagement with regional and national influencers and elevating our profile as a forward-thinking housing provider on a national scale.

You will also lead the development of a data-driven approach to insight, ensuring we effectively listen to customers, colleagues, and stakeholders and translate this into actionable strategies across our Communications and Marketing activity.

• Develop and deliver impactful public affairs and stakeholder engagement strategies
• Build strong relationships with local, regional, and national policymakers
• Monitor and respond to the political and regulatory landscape affecting the housing sector
• Provide expert advice on political risk, policy development, and lobbying compliance
• Support media engagement, briefing senior spokespeople and contributing to crisis response
• Lead stakeholder insight and ensure data informs strategic decision‑making
• Work collaboratively across teams to ensure aligned messaging and activity
• Represent the organisation with professionalism when engaging with senior stakeholders, VIPs, and external partners

We are looking for someone who brings:

• At least 5 years’ experience in a public affairs or related role within a complex organisation
• Proven experience working with local, regional and national government, policymakers, and external stakeholders
• Strong understanding of the housing sector, including its challenges, legal and regulatory frameworks
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor messages for different audiences
• Experience in policy development, political risk analysis, lobbying compliance, and impact measurement
• Strong analytical skills, with experience producing data-led reports and insights
• Confidence managing sensitive and confidential information, and working with senior leaders
• The ability to prioritise, delegate, and deliver high-quality work to deadlines
• A proactive, flexible approach, with a focus on solving problems and driving improvement
• The ability to communicate complex information clearly and concisely
• Demonstrable experience delivering successful public affairs and stakeholder engagement activity
• Strong knowledge of national and regional political landscapes
• Experience of media handling and crisis communications
• Full UK driving licence
• Flexibility to work evenings/weekends where required and provide on-call support for media enquiries

We can offer 25 days holiday (increasing with each year of service, up to a maximum of 31 days), bank holidays and three concessionary days over the Christmas period. We also offer the option to join our contributory pension scheme, access to a dedicated Employee Healthcare Portal, eye care vouchers and a cycle to work scheme.