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General information

Posting ID
PSR1JP00099989
Type of employment
Contract
Organisation
Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs
Contract duration
6 months
Workplace Type
Remote

Description & Requirements

On behalf of DEFRA we are looking for a Strategic Engagement and Communications Advisor (Inside) for a 6 month contract based remotely.

In the Defra group, we deal with a vast range of issues that profoundly impact on people’s lives. We are responsible for England’s environment, our countryside and rural economy, the food and farming sectors and have lead responsibility for protection from a wide range of natural threats and hazards. We have developed a set of three strategic objectives covering our policy outcomes and corporate objectives. These objectives help us to deliver our ambitious vision to build our green and healthy future and provide a framework for all the important work we carry out.

Our objectives are:

  • To pass on to the next generation a natural environment protected and enhanced for the future. 
  • To lead the world in food, farming, and fisheries with a sustainable model of food production. 
  • To be an outstanding organisation focused on making a difference, with world class delivery capability. 

 

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (https://www.gov.uk/)

25 Year Environment Plan - GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/)

 

About the Role:

The UK is committed to tackling global deforestation and promoting sustainable forest management. As agriculture accounts for approximately 90% of global deforestation — largely driven by internationally traded commodities — the Government is introducing legislation to eliminate illegal deforestation from UK supply chains.

This role plays a central part in shaping and delivering the Division’s strategic engagement and communications function. The postholder will support consultation and implementation of secondary legislation, ensure clear and consistent messaging to industry and stakeholders, and help manage key bilateral and multilateral relationships that underpin the UK’s approach.

The role requires strong coordination across teams, delivery at pace, and the ability to provide high-quality briefing and engagement support to Ministers and senior officials.

 

As a Strategic Engagement and Communications Advisor your main responsibilities will be to:

  • Support planning and delivery of Ministerial, senior official, and parliamentary engagement, ensuring alignment with wider programme objectives
  • Prepare briefings, agendas, speaking notes, and stakeholder summaries for senior engagement and visits
  • Draft stakeholder messaging, reactive lines, short communications products, and forward-look communications moments
  • Support the development of clear, accessible external guidance for businesses, civil society, and international partners
  • Help manage bilateral relationships with key international partners (e.g. Brazil and Indonesia), ensuring consistent messaging and follow-up actions
  • Coordinate divisional inputs to align with International Biodiversity and Climate (IBC) priorities, multilateral fora, and Ministerial visits
  • Deliver structured engagement with businesses, industry groups, commodity traders, civil society organisations, and devolved administrations
  • Maintain stakeholder databases, track engagement commitments, and produce concise engagement reports
  • Contribute to a positive, inclusive, and high-performing team culture across the division and wider government

 

Essential Criteria:

  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to draft clear and compelling briefings and stakeholder-facing materials
  • Demonstrable experience supporting stakeholder engagement or communications activity
  • Strong organisational and planning skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and deliver at pace
  • Ability to collaborate effectively across teams and build constructive working relationships
  • Confidence analysing information and presenting clear, concise summaries for senior colleagues

 

Desirable Criteria:

  • Interest or experience in sustainability, deforestation, responsible supply chains, or environmental policy
  • Experience working with industry, NGOs, parliamentary stakeholders, or international partners
  • Familiarity with programme or project delivery approaches (e.g. RAID, milestone tracking)
  • Understanding of communications strategy, stakeholder mapping, or international engagement

 

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Disability Confident

As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, Defra guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group.

This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

 

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following: this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different.

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