Head of Internal Engagement

We are Ofwat, the Water Services Regulation Authority, a non-ministerial government department responsible for regulating the water sector in England and Wales.

We have a Head of Internal Engagement opportunity to join our Communications and Engagement team, situated within The Office of the Chief Executive Directorate.

Ofwat’s Communications and Engagement team sits within the Office of the Chief Executive Directorate and plays a crucial part in the delivery of Ofwat’s strategy, working across the business to encourage effective engagement and communication
amongst our own people and with external audiences. It is a very collaborative team which takes an integrated approach to communications in a fast-changing sector.

You can find out more about why you should join Ofwat, our strategy, values and our framework for success in the attached Information for Candidates Pack.

The Role

We are seeking a communications expert who is passionate about engaging internal audiences. You will work closely with the Director of Engagement and Marketing Campaigns, Senior Director of Communications and Engagement and the Chief Operating Officer to drive our change programme and ensure we maximise staff buy-in.

You will lead and shape our internal engagement and communications strategy, ensuring it aligns with staff needs and requirements as well as the senior leadership’s vision for the organisation. You will be responsible for developing and managing our internal engagement channels, keeping them effective, engaging, and widely used by staff. This role offers a varied and dynamic workload, where no two days will be the same.

Key deliverables:

Internal engagement at Ofwat is evolving and has great potential to become a professional and impactful function. As Head of Internal Engagement, you will play the leading role in advancing our integrated internal communications and engagement strategy, ensuring it meets the needs of both staff and the organisation.

The role will include:

• Developing and delivering a coherent strategy which supports Ofwat people to feel connected to, and engaged with, our vision, mission and resulting activity.
• Working with the communications and engagement team to ensure that our internal activity aligns with and bolsters any wider activity, supporting Ofwat to meet the opportunities and challenges we face in the coming year and beyond.
• Leading the communications of our Change Programme, articulating a compelling story to enable our people to connect with it and take actions as a result.
• Working with the Director of Engagement and Marketing Campaigns and Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to progress internal initiatives, setting the narrative and tone from the top.
• Developing and delivering an internal events programme that drives interaction between Ofwat colleagues and promotes our values.
• Being an exceptional storyteller, bringing to life our organisational strategy, culture and values to inspire our people and help them understand the role they play in creating a great place to work.  This will include: Keeping our SAILOR values fresh and relevant and in the fore front of our internal communications.
• Establishing and maintaining a strong network of stakeholder relationships across Ofwat, ensuring that internal engagement has its finger on the pulse of Ofwat.
• Leading the communication of the EDI strategy and help team members feel supported to deliver by promoting an inclusive team environment based on trust-based relationships, transparency and collaboration.
• Supporting a culture of continuous improvement, evaluating engagement activity regularly and building from lessons learned.