External Relations Lead

We are recruiting for three roles - two of these will be focused on political stakeholders and the third will be focused on the Met's wider relationships with other stakeholders.

Our External Relations Leads support the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, and the wider Chief Officer group in their interactions with senior Government figures, the Mayor's Office and MOPAC, as well as London MPs and Assembly Members. You will also be advising on engagements with senior international delegations to the UK.

In this role, you will design and deliver focused engagement knowing when to deploy Chief Officers and when to manage something at official-to-official level. You will also lead on our scrutiny relationships and arrangements ensuring the Met approaches these in line with our values and guiding principles.

You will develop and own relationships with a range of partners and stakeholders including City Hall and the Home Office, the London Assembly and Parliament, international policing, and London partners (e.g., TfL, LAS and BTP). As part of this you will know how to use events and visits as an advocacy tool. You will also identify and develop proactive engagement opportunities with influential voices and key stakeholders e.g., charities and think tanks.

You will own a portfolio of policy issues and aim to balance your efforts across proactive and reactive work to ensure we are forward leaning and prioritising enquiries and responses to reactive activity including rebutting inaccurate or misinformed commentary.

We face a high level of demand, and this role will be fast paced. It will involve sensitive handling of sometimes contentious and complex issues that are in the public spotlight. All role holders will be part of an out of hours on call rota and will at times be expected to work on the weekends.,

• Identifying opportunities to engage with stakeholders in support of New Met for London.


• Building a wide network of influential organisations and voices who provide constructive challenge and advocacy to the Met and policing.


• Represent communications and engagement with senior officers (including the Commissioner) and staff, including strategic meetings overseeing significant incidents and long running issues, to provide the highest quality communications and political advice.


• Development of clear organisational policy positions informed by engagement and the external environment.


• Leading the organisation in navigating scrutiny and oversight arrangements


• Spotting risk, escalating as appropriate and putting in place mitigations.


• Delivering visits and events which support organisational priorities.


• Manage and hold risk on behalf of the Commissioner and management board knowing when to escalate.


• Lead and quality assure the work of team members as they set up and manage engagements, briefings, policy development and correspondence.


• Collaborate with disciplines across Communications and Engagement and Strategy and Transformation, to maximise the effectiveness of stakeholder engagement and advocacy.


You will be leader who supports their team and other members of staff by providing clear line direction, management, objectives, feedback, and support, with particular attention to managing and developing their skills to build potential and ensuring that key objectives set for communication delivery are met.

Our External Relations Lead will be required to be driven, forward thinking and able to communicate across the breadth of our key stakeholder groups.

You may be expected to work at other Met buildings across London as part of a blended working agreement. There are also some opportunities for remote working when appropriate.

You will be part of working a weekend rota (approximately one weekend in five) with premium pay for weekends and time off in lieu and may be required to provide other out of hours cover with appropriate notice. You will also be part of an on-call rota.

Benefits Package

• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of almost 29%.


• Up to 33 days of annual leave in addition to public holidays.


• Access to employee benefits, such as dental, cycle to work and savings when you shop.


• Learning and development tailored to your role.


• A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance.


• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.


• Generous maternity, paternity, and parental leave.


• Interest free Season Ticket Loan.