Interim Head of External Affairs

The Company is seeking an experienced Head of External Affairs to strengthen its external reputation and increase engagement with a long-term strategic vision and its goals. The role involves building relationships with stakeholders and partners, engaging elected representatives to advance business priorities, and coordinating participation in external steering groups and representative bodies. The successful candidate will turn strategy into action, support policy progress, and provide strategic counsel to senior leaders. They will also lead and develop a high-performing team. Candidates should have a degree or at least ten years of equivalent experience, along with senior-level stakeholder management experience in the ports, maritime, transport, logistics, or a comparable sector. Essential qualifications include familiarity with policymaking and influencing, strong political awareness, established networks across government, and a record of using relationships to deliver policy change or improvements. Applicants should also bring line-management experience, excellent written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to advise senior leaders. Experience in a highly unionised workforce is desirable.