Public Liaison Officer - Birmingham, United Kingdom - West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA)

Description

Our Communications and Engagement team have a brand-new role for an enthusiastic Public Liaison Officer to be a consistent front-line presence, working closely with the community on a variety of construction projects including Sprint, Dudley interchange and cross city. In this role, whether you are responding to the concerns of residents, sending out notifications of work, overseeing contractors or engaging with schools and businesses to discuss ongoing projects, you will serve as a vital advocate for the community. Your efforts will ensure that their voices are heard and that any disruption is minimised and resolved quickly.

This is an integral role for the organisation as it requires prompt responses to construction related issues, necessitating effective collaborative with the public. Additionally, you will play a crucial role in supporting stakeholders and the wider communications team to proactively address and mitigate potential issues before they arise. Encompassing all projects under development across the whole of the region, you will be instrumental in helping support them being completed on time and ensure proactive communication with communities ahead of scheduled works. We will rely on you to create a positive impact and provide insights into how we can best support those people that need it.

To excel in this role, you will need to prioritise the public, be resilient, proactive, highly organised and a strong team player. Please note, that this is a public facing role that will require you to be flexible and travel across the whole of the West Midlands.

What you will be doing

·Develop and deliver a community liaison function for all delivery directorate projects.

·Work closely with delivery colleagues to understand possible impacts, responding and reporting proactively before issues arise.

·Lead in communicating activities with local stakeholders including, local businesses, road users, residents and the wider public.

·Act as the first point of client contact for any stakeholder concerns

·Liaise with local authorities and their engagement leads at regular meetings.

·Organise and attend community events, such as regular drop-ins with local communities.

·Communicate updates on impacts to residents and stakeholders by sending out newsletters or notifications detailing forthcoming works.

About you

·Prior experience in a liaison role

·Experience of dealing with members of the public

·Experience of working under pressure with the ability to remain calm in pressured situations.

·Excellent communicator

·Positive attitude to working with people.

·Empathetic and a good listener

·Self-motivated and able to work with minimal supervision.

·Excellent written skills

·Ability to organise, prioritise and deliver a demanding workload.

·A flexible approach and the ability to work effectively in a range of situations and with a diverse range of people.

·Enthusiastic and a high degree of initiative and motivation

How to apply.

On clicking 'apply for this job', you will first be prompted to create an account. You will have the opportunity to upload a CV, which will be used to auto-populate your profile. Please note, we do not see your CV once you have applied. Our shortlisting decisions are based on what you tell us in your profile - and so it is important to format your profile so that it really stands out. Make sure to include your employment history and include any essential education and qualifications. You will be asked to provide a supporting statement. If you already have one that you have prepared earlier, you can simply copy and paste this into the application form.

Applicants will need to evidence that they have the legal right to work in the UK.If we make an offer of employment, we will need to check that you are eligible to work in the UK before you start work.

Salary and benefits.

We advertise salary ranges for job roles, with new appointments typically starting at the lowest salary point. In exceptional cases, where higher skill levels or experience are applicable, the salary point may be adjusted to secure the best candidate. This approach allows for potential year-on-year salary increases, offering progression and appropriate rewards to employees.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes a Local Government Pension Scheme, 28 days of paid annual leave, Cycle to Work Scheme, and discounted shopping with over 2,000 big-name retailers. For more details, please visit the benefits page on our careers site.

Hybrid working, location and working pattern.

We believe hybrid working is the best way for our organisation to fulfil our commitment to a modern, agile workplace while continuing to provide a great service to our customers. Hybrid working means having flexibility between working in the office and at home on agreed days, where a role allows. This is agreed between an employee and their line manager, considering the business, team, and employee needs.

The location for this role is 16 Summer Lane, with regular site visits required. It is expected that you can split your time between the office and working remotely, with at least 1 day a week spent in the office.

Creating an inclusive workplace.

Our vision is to create a better connected, more prosperous, fairer, greener, and healthier region. We aim to achieve this vision by living our values, which include being a partnership organisation, valuing and respecting our people, fostering a can-do attitude, and encouraging innovation. We are dedicated to creating a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace that reflects the communities of the West Midlands region. WMCA holds diversity accreditations, such as "Leaders in Diversity," and has been recognised as one of the Inclusive Top 50 Employers and The Times Top 50 Employers for Women. We are also a Disability Confident Employer, committed to interviewing all applicants with disabilities who meet the essential role criteria. WMCA believes that building a team with varied backgrounds and experiences will benefit us as an employer and enhance our work.

We recognise that certain groups, such as women and people of colour, may be less likely to apply for roles if they feel they do not meet all the requirements. However, we encourage individuals who are passionate about the role and want to make a difference to still apply. We value potential and encourage applicants to highlight their skills, including transferable ones, even if they don't fit the traditional "perfect candidate" mould.

We gladly consider part-time, flexible, and job share arrangements, so please don't let these factors deter you from applying. If your values align with ours and you are dedicated to working towards a future that we can all be proud of, we would love to hear from you.