Stakeholder Engagement Manager – Capital Delivery
Closing Date: 2025-11-09
Location: Hybrid working between our Durrington and Falmer offices, with travel across Hampshire, Sussex and Kent.
Contract: 12-month fixed-term contract with potential transition into permanent role based on performance and business needs.
Hours: 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday (some evening and weekend events may be required).
Salary: up to £60,000 DOE.
Play a Key Role in Delivering Southern Water’s Capital Investment Programme
Southern Water is embarking on one of the most ambitious infrastructure programmes in the UK water sector, with over £8 billion planned investment between 2025 and 2030. As part of this transformation, we are looking for a Stakeholder Engagement Manager to help shape how we engage with communities, regulators and partners on a wide range of capital delivery projects, from local water mains replacements to major environmental schemes valued at over £100 million.
Your Contribution
* Coordinate and deliver stakeholder engagement plans for capital projects across the Southern Water region.
* Support consultation and communications for large-scale construction schemes subject to regulatory approval, and help build trusted relationships with environmental organisations, local authorities, community groups and industry partners.
* Play a key role in supporting planning applications, hosting site tours, preparing engagement materials and ensuring messaging is consistent and compelling across all channels.
A Role with Long-Term Potential
This is a fixed-term position, but we are committed to building a long-term partnership. This is a unique opportunity to shape and expand the role beyond its initial scope. We welcome individuals ready to bring their ideas, energy and expertise to help us evolve how we engage, communicate and collaborate across the region. If you are looking for a role where you can make a lasting impact, we would love to hear from you.
Scope of the Role
* Design and deliver stakeholder engagement strategies for capital projects, ensuring alignment across internal teams and external partners.
* Undertake stakeholder mapping and use local insight to identify sensitivities and opportunities.
* Support consultation and engagement for ‘large gated’ schemes valued over £100 million.
* Collaborate with county stakeholder engagement managers and the public affairs team to coordinate activity.
* Provide briefings, host site visits and respond to stakeholder queries.
* Contribute to reactive communications and participate in the communications on-call rota.
* Analyse engagement performance and make recommendations to inform future strategy.
What You Will Bring
* Proven success in delivering engagement strategies for infrastructure or environmental projects.
* Understanding of the planning process and regulatory environment in the water sector.
* Experience in public consultation and stakeholder relationship management.
* Ability to manage reputational risk and navigate sensitive issues.
* Strong track record of independent delivery and cross‑functional collaboration.
Skills and Attributes
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
* Ability to translate complex technical information into clear, engaging content.
* Strong influencing and relationship‑building skills.
* Highly organised, resilient and calm under pressure.
* Comfortable working across multiple priorities and adapting to changing needs.
Why Join Us
This is a unique opportunity to help shape how Southern Water engages with stakeholders during a period of significant investment and transformation. You’ll be part of a collaborative, purpose‑driven team working to deliver environmental and societal change across the South East. We value diverse perspectives and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.
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