External Relations Manager (Corporate Comms)

Prospective staff must be held to a higher standard of behaviour and accountability than members of the public, and that therefore their right to privacy can be fettered in certain circumstances. This is to ensure that members of the police are fully aware and accountable for the unique powers entrusted to them and the standards of professional behaviour they swear to uphold.

Job Purpose

The External Relations Manager is a key role in West Midlands Police’s mission of ‘Working in partnership, making communities safer’ and our strategic communications and engagement approach, focused on building trust, satisfaction, and confidence among communities, partners, and our workforce.

Acting as a trusted expert within the Corporate Communications Department and strategic advisor to the Force Executive Team, the postholder leads on the development of accessible, inclusive communications and engagement activity that positively influences outcomes, aligned with force objectives, and deepens our ability to develop policy and strategy with partners and senior stakeholders.

This position provides strategic leadership for external and stakeholder engagement across the force, with the aim of identifying, building and maintaining relations to support the force achieve its strategic priorities.

The postholder will be part of our experienced News and External Relations Team, closely working with the Chief of Staff, to maintain positive relationships with strategic stakeholders, such as across local authorities, bluelight services, the Combined Authority, local and regional politicians and members of Government, faith leaders and community advocates. The role will therefore require that the individual cultivates and owns relationships with a range of partners and stakeholders, proactively maintaining positive engagement and seeking out events and visits as advocacy opportunities.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Communications: Develop and execute multi-channel external communications and stakeholder engagement strategies. Evaluate external relations and communications performance.

• Political & Stakeholder Landscape: Deep understanding of local and regional governance, including the mechanics of local authorities, the Combined Authority, bluelight services, and central government. Manage complex stakeholder relationships and build and maintain these as well as influencing and negotiating with senior colleagues and external stakeholders.

• Partnership Working: Identify, build and maintain high-level relationships with diverse external groups, including faith leaders, community advocates, and senior politicians. Identify, plan and execute high-impact visits and public events as advocacy opportunities.

• Executive Advising: Act as a trusted advisor to Executive Teams, Chief Officers, or equivalent senior leadership figures.

• Project management: Deliver projects to time, budget, brief and manage risk.

Click here to view the full details of the role including the Essential, Desirable and any educational requirements for the role.

Hours

Monday - Friday, 0800 - 1600 (36.5 hours), a degree of flexibility may be required.

Location

Lloyd House, B4 6AT

Allowances

N/A

Interviews

W/C 16th November

Vetting

Successful applicants will be required to pass Management Vetting and Security Clearance scrutiny prior to commencing their role, this will include a full background & financial disclosure as part of the vetting process.

Medical

Appointment to this role will be dependent upon successfully medical checks, which may include a drugs test and if required a hearing test.

West Midlands Police is a Disability Confident Leader - the highest level an organisation can achieve under the scheme run by the Department of Work and Pensions. As part of our commitment we operate a ‘Disability Confident Interview Scheme’ - all candidates who declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role will be offered an interview. 

It is important to note that there may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all disabled people who meet the essential criteria for the job. For example: in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. In these circumstances, the employer could select the candidates who best meet the essential criteria for the job, as they would do for non-disabled applicants.

“Diversity and Inclusion Vision: Maximise the potential of people from all backgrounds through a culture of fairness and inclusion to deliver the best service for our communities”

West Midlands Police is the second-largest police force in England, serving more than 2.9 million people across Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull and Walsall. Every day, our people work together to keep our communities safe, protect vulnerable people, prevent crime and bring offenders to justice.

We answer more than 2,000 emergency calls every day and provide policing 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Whether responding to emergencies, supporting victims, investigating crime or working behind the scenes, every role plays a vital part in delivering an outstanding service to the public.

We're proud of the progress we've made in reducing crime, improving emergency response times and increasing arrest rates. These achievements are only possible because of the dedication, professionalism and expertise of our officers, staff and volunteers. As we continue to transform the way we police, we're looking for talented people who are committed to making a real difference.

Why Join West Midlands Police?

A career with West Midlands Police is about more than a job, it's an opportunity to have a meaningful impact on the lives of millions of people. Whatever your role, you'll contribute to keeping our communities safe while developing your own skills and career.

When you join us, you'll benefit from:

• Meaningful work that makes a difference every day.
• A diverse range of career opportunities across policing and professional support services.
• High-quality training, development and opportunities to progress.
• A supportive and inclusive working environment where everyone is encouraged to achieve their potential.
• Competitive pay, generous annual leave, excellent pension arrangements and a wide range of employee benefits.
• The opportunity to work alongside dedicated colleagues who share a common purpose.

Our Commitment to Inclusion

We believe that a diverse workforce helps us better understand and serve the communities we protect. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and able to succeed.

As a Disability Confident Leader, the highest level of the Government's Disability Confident scheme, we are committed to removing barriers to employment and supporting disabled applicants and employees throughout their careers. Through our Disability Confident Interview Scheme, applicants who declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for a role will normally be offered an interview, subject to the scheme's terms and any recruitment constraints.

Our Diversity and Inclusion Vision is to maximise the potential of people from all backgrounds through a culture of fairness, respect and inclusion, enabling us to deliver the best possible service to our communities.

Professional Standards

Working in policing is a position of trust. Our officers and staff are expected to demonstrate the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and accountability. Successful applicants will be subject to appropriate vetting and are expected to uphold the ethical standards and responsibilities that come with serving the public.

Recruitment and the Use of AI

We recognise that many candidates use AI tools to support activities such as proofreading and improving the presentation of written applications. This is acceptable, provided the content you submit accurately reflects your own knowledge, skills and experience.

Applications must be your own work. Any evidence of plagiarism, false or misleading information, or the inappropriate use of AI during assessments or selection activities where it is not permitted may result in your application being rejected.

Benefits

We know that supporting our people is essential to delivering the best service to our communities. That's why we offer a comprehensive range of employee benefits, wellbeing support and development opportunities to help you thrive throughout your career.

Visit our Benefits page to find out more about the rewards and support available when you join West Midlands Police.