Communications & External Affairs Manager / Iraq

Communications & External Affairs Manager     
                                                
Location and Travel: Basra 28:28 rotation
Role Synopsis:
This role is responsible for promoting and protecting the operator’s reputation and creating value through strong relationships with key stakeholders, impactful social performance, and proactive community engagement.

Reporting to the General Manager and part of the major operators leadership team.

Key Accountabilities Stakeholder engagement:

• Engage local government stakeholders and community leaders to identify opportunities to create value and manage reputational / non-technical risks.
• Develop and maintain accurate risk registers and stakeholder engagement plans.
• Ensure clear alignment with our client on the above.

Issues management:

• Working closely with our clients security, advise on leadership and our clients on local/national developments and potential reputational impact.

Community engagement and social welfare:

• Work with our client on the development of a multi-year, strategic social welfare plan, ensuring inclusion of local community and stakeholders, compliance with Ministry of Oil guidelines and delivery of final government approvals.
• Support the effective and timely implementation of above social welfare plan, providing monthly operational updates to the client and impactful quarterly updates to key stakeholders.
• Support the development of an updated community engagement approach, building capability across community interfaces, implementing refreshed policies and procedures, and engaging with local community representatives. 
• Build organisational awareness to effectively manage social impacts and social responsibility issues.

Communications:

• Develop and deliver integrated C&EA strategy (internal and external communications), providing quarterly performance reports to the client.
• Prepare annual C&EA budget and provide regular financial reporting.
• Effectively manage C&EA third party contracts and contractors.

  Criteria & Qualifications

• Degree qualified.
• Minimum 15 years’ experience in a similar environment, with at least five years spent at a team leader / management level.
• Possess extensive knowledge and skill in all aspects of communications and external affairs.
• Highly skilled communicator with the ability to represent the major operator in the most difficult situations.
• Strong business acuity and integrity.

• Significant experience in direct community engagement for large-scale projects.

• Extensive experience working with multiple stakeholders, including governments, communities, third-party contractors/ NGOs and media.
• Demonstrated experience of effectively leading, managing and energizing local teams as well as influencing change.
• Experience of managing large multi-million contracts and sourcing of materials and services.
• Proficient English and superior communication, presentation, mentoring and coaching skills. Arabic advantageous.
• A track record of working to international standards.