External Relations Manager

The External Relations Manager is a new role which is being added to the National Trust for Scotland’s successful Communications Team during a time of transition within the Audiences & Support Directorate. 

The role is responsible for leading the development of the Trust’s advocacy for conservation, including campaigning initiatives, coordinating activity aimed at a wide public audience. 

Working with internal and external partners, it will deliver a strategic programme of external relations, which is heavily focused on the Trust’s nature conservation work and supporting its Plan for Nature.

The role leads the operational delivery of the advocacy elements of the strategic framework for communications established by the Head of Communications. It also supports corporate communications activity, including key annual publications like the annual accounts and annual review and the Annual General Meeting.

The post will lead stakeholder engagement, advocacy and corporate communications activity to support the Trust’s ambition to speak up for nature and heritage, while the Communications Manager retains accountability for media relations, press activity, campaign communications, editorial planning and proactive PR.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Horizon-scan media coverage relating to heritage, conservation, policy and political developments, keeping senior leaders and key internal stakeholders informed of relevant issues, debates and opportunities.
• Work with the Conservation & Policy and Audiences & Support teams to review, refine and deliver the Speaking Up for Heritage programme, ensuring it reflects Trust priorities, capacity and the Scottish and rest of UK political context.
• Develop and deliver an agreed programme of external relations activity, , integrating with colleagues across communications, marketing, policy and audience priorities to maximise impact and working with communications partners as required.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, including the communication teams of Scotland-based nature, conservation and heritage organisations, and act as the key contact for the Trust’s ambassador, ensuring requests for input and support are prioritised appropriately.
• Provide proactive and reactive external affairs and stakeholder engagement advice to colleagues, senior leaders and Trustees, working with the Communications Manager where issues have media or reputational implications, and drawing on the Trust’s public policy positions.
• Work collaboratively with the Communications Manager to ensure external affairs activity is aligned with wider communications priorities, while recognising that media relations, press office activity and proactive PR campaigns sit with that role.
• Support and strengthen the infrastructure needed for effective advocacy activity, including spokesperson support, media training, staff protection frameworks, intranet resources, website content and content-generation structures.
• Responsible for coordinating and delivering agreed corporate communications outputs including, including annual publications, external corporate documents, relevant owned-channel content and the Trust’s hybrid Annual General Meeting, working with content owners and other teams as required.
• Contribute specialist content and advice for internal communications relating to corporate activity, external affairs and key advocacy initiatives, working with communications colleagues as required.
• Attend and contribute to key cross-directorate meetings, ensuring activity is integrated with Trust-wide communications, public policy, marketing and audience strategies, and remain flexible to work non-traditional hours and travel within the UK when required.

The current duties of this job do not require a criminal records (Disclosure Scotland) check to be carried out.