What you’ll do

As an External Affairs Manager, you’ll lead NHG’s public affairs and stakeholder engagement programme, building trusted relationships with MPs, councillors, government officials, and industry bodies. You’ll position NHG as a credible, collaborative partner, influencing policy and shaping conversations around housing and community investment. This role is key to strengthening NHG’s reputation and supporting our social purpose.

How you’ll do it

• Develop and deliver a stakeholder and public affairs programme aligned to NHG’s priorities.
• Provide proactive briefings to MPs, councillors, and London Assembly members.
• Shape policy positions that reflect business needs and stakeholder expectations.
• Monitor political and sector developments, offering insight and briefings to senior leaders.
• Prepare tailored briefings and support operational teams ahead of stakeholder meetings.
• Work with casework teams to ensure elected representatives receive excellent service.
• Manage NHG’s memberships and engagement with industry bodies to maintain influence.
• Support crisis and incident response, including participating in the out‑of‑hours rota.

The ideal candidate
At NHG, we believe great service starts with great people. We look for passionate, enthusiastic, and skilled individuals who add value to our organisation.

Essential criteria

• Strong experience in public affairs, government relations, or political engagement, with a track record of delivering effective programmes.
• Recent experience in an in‑house role, agency, civil service, or parliament, with the ability to apply insights quickly in a complex environment.
• Proven ability to manage casework and prepare high‑quality briefings.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills and confidence advising senior leaders.
• Strong understanding of the UK political landscape and ability to translate developments into actionable insight.
• Ability to identify political risk and anticipate reputational issues.
• Collaborative, organised, and comfortable working across teams.
• Digitally savvy and resilient in a fast‑paced environment.

Desirable criteria

• Experience in media relations and crisis response.
• Knowledge of housing or regulated sectors.