Business Support Manager - Group Public Affairs (9 month FTC)

Just as the UK's nations have increasing power over their public policies, devolution deals across England mean that regional policy makers, alongside those in Westminster and Whitehall, have an important role to play in making decisions that affect our business and customer objectives.Through the Group Ambassador Programme, we strive to enhance the reputation and influence of Lloyds Banking Group (LBG), enabling us to play an important advocacy role for policies and ideas that will support resilience and recovery across the UK. Be it the supply of quality housing, opportunities posed by green finance, or even how the apprentice levy can benefit small businesses, we are passionate about securing advocacy for proposals that will help the UK's nations and regions to recover - and prosper.Are you interested in playing a part in this programme? Then we've got news for you: an exciting opportunity has arisen to join Group Public Affairs (GPA) on a 9-month fixed term contract as a Business Support Manager (BSM). You'll be responsible for enhancing the Group's reputation by supporting the Ambassadors for the East and South-East of England in their role as trusted and credible influencers within these regions, thereby helping to amplify and promote the Group's main strategic priorities. We're looking for a high-calibre colleague who's engaged and passionate to work with us from no later than February 2025. The BSM is a member of the wider GPA team, made up of colleagues from a variety of political, policy and industry backgrounds. The main focus areas will be political engagement and public policy advocacy, with a requirement to use traditional and social media to enhance the Group's reputation and secure engagement with our policy positions in these regions. The BSM will be required to maintain and build a good political network in the East and South East of England. Key responsibilities

• Devising a comprehensive regional engagement strategy.
• Preparing and briefing Ambassadors ahead of meetings with political stakeholders.
• Political monitoring of political and public policy issues relevant to the Ambassador's regions.
• Convening, and preparing for, roundtables and bilateral meetings with regional stakeholders including local MPs, Metro Mayors, Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) leaders (both virtually and face-to-face within the region or Westminster). This will require travel to and around both regions.
• Supporting the delivery of division-wide engagement and policy advocacy campaigns e.g. The Big Conversation 2020.
• Developing and delivering comprehensive political engagement plans for the Ambassadors, crafted to deliver LBG's strategic priorities. While balancing this with 'reactive' engagement on topics which matter to regional stakeholders e.g. support for business, domestic abuse, inclusion, branch closures etc.
• Developing good working relationships with local MPs, thereby becoming a trusted and known LBG contact for the region's stakeholders.
• Identifying, escalating and mitigating emerging risks arising from decisions taken by the Group in the region.
• Representing the Group at, sometimes difficult, political meetings and functions with regional government officials, trade bodies and other opinion formers.
• Responding swiftly (and socialise with other GPA peers) to enquiries or complaints from politicians. This could involve monitoring of political activity during weekends or bank holidays.
• Providing expertise and input into government consultations specifically affecting the regions.
• Working with social and traditional media agencies to develop opportunities for being recognised for our social activity and, ultimately, to increase advocacy of our ideas. This will involve managing the Ambassadors' Twitter handles ensuring co-ordination with Group handles where required while embracing opportunities for bespoke content.
  
  Curious about the social and cultural forces that affect the environment in which the Group operates.
• Ability to learn quickly and to grasp regional politics, media and policy debates impact the Group and its activity.
• Strong oral and written communication skills and the ability to collaborate across GPA, GCA and the wider business to help deliver regional political engagement priorities.
• Experience in, or knowledge of, managing and developing content for core social media channels.
• Ability to provide timely and reliable briefing and counsel to Ambassadors (and other relevant senior leaders as required).
• Can prioritise workload optimally.
• Adaptability in a fast-changing environment driven by political and media demands.
• Proactive networking skills both within the bank and externally.
• Ability to analyse and interrogate quantitative and qualitative data sets, assessing trends and insight to aid the development of political engagement resources.
• Curiosity about the external environment through extensive reading of a wide range of current affairs sources, and participation in external events such as seminars, roundtables and similar activities.
• A willingness to develop networks and the familiarity of broad range of influencers in politics, devolved government and public affairs.
• The role is a key part of the GPA agile pool and is expected to show adaptability at short notice to help colleagues across GPA and GCA to meet the needs of the business whenever they arise.
It is required that candidates have experience of working with external stakeholders (political or media), managing reputational challenges and risks, and good knowledge of corporate affairs. We have a flexible working arrangement and expect colleagues to come into the office at least two times a week to enable team collaboration.

We're on an exciting journey to transform our Group and the way we're shaping finance for good. We're focusing on the future, investing in our technologies, workplaces, and colleagues to make our Group a great place for everyone. Including you.

Our focus is to ensure we're inclusive every day, building an organisation that reflects modern society and celebrates diversity in all its forms. We're committed to creating a consciously inclusive workplace where our colleagues can be themselves, thrive and perform at their best. We were one of the first major organisations to set goals on diversity in senior roles, create a menopause health package, and a dedicated Working with Cancer Initiative. As an inclusive employer, we offer Workplace Adjustments for colleagues with a disability (which may include long-term health and neurodivergent conditions) where it is reasonable to do so. This could include flexibility with regards to office attendance, location, and working pattern. We are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. If you have a disability, you can also apply via our Disability Confident Scheme (DCS). Through the DCS, we guarantee to interview a fair and proportionate number of applicants with a disability, whose application meets the minimum criteria for the advertised job role. We also provide adjustments that are reasonable throughout the recruitment process to reduce or remove barriers for applicants with a disability, long-term health condition or neurodivergent condition. If you'd like an adjustment to the recruitment process just let us know. We also offer a wide-ranging benefits package, which includes:
• A generous pension contribution of up to 15%
• An annual bonus award, subject to Group performance
• Share schemes including free shares
• Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping
• 30 days' holiday, with bank holidays on top
• A range of wellbeing initiatives and generous parental leave policies
We're dedicated to providing you with opportunities and support to develop you and to optimise your potential! If you're excited by the thought of becoming part of our team, get in touch! We'd love to hear from you!