End Date
Friday 22 September 2023
Salary Range
£56,421 - £62,690
Agile Working Options
Hybrid Working
Job Description Summary
Through the Group Ambassador Programme, we strive to improve the reputation and influence of Lloyds Banking Group (LBG).
Job Description
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JOB TITLE: Group Ambassador Programme – Business Support Manager, South West and Wales
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SALARY: £56,421 - £62,690
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LOCATION(S): Bristol, Cardiff, London
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HOURS: Full Time
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WORKING PATTERN: Our work style is hybrid, which involves spending at least two days per week, or 40% of our time, at one of our office sites or in the region engaging with political stakeholders.
Just as the UK’s nations have growing power over their public policies, devolution deals across England mean that regional policy makers, alongside those in Westminster and Whitehall, have a meaningful role to play in making decisions that affect our business and customer objectives.
Through the Group Ambassador Programme, we strive to improve the reputation and influence of Lloyds Banking Group (LBG). This enables us to play an important advocacy role for policies and ideas that will support resilience and recovery across the UK. Be it the supply of quality housing, opportunities posed by green finance, or even how the apprentice levy can benefit small businesses, we are passionate about securing advocacy for proposals that will help the UK’s nations and regions to recover – and prosper.
Drawing on the considerable expertise and insight available, both within and outside of LBG, the Business Support Manager (BSM) will be responsible for enhancing the Group’s reputation by supporting the Ambassadors for the South West and Wales in their role as trusted and credible influencers within these regions, thereby helping to amplify and promote the Group’s main strategic priorities.
The BSM is a member of the wider Group Public Affairs (GPA) team made up of colleagues from a variety of political, policy and industry backgrounds. The main focus areas will be political engagement and public policy advocacy, with a requirement to use traditional and social media to enhance the Group’s reputation and secure engagement with our policy positions in these regions. The BSM will be required to maintain and build a good political network in the South West and Wales.
Why Lloyds Banking Group!
We’re on an exciting journey to transform our Group and the way we’re crafting finance for good. We’re focusing on the future, investing in our technologies, workplaces, and colleagues to make our Group an excellent place for everyone. Including you.
What are we looking for!
Duties and tasks
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Devise a comprehensive regional engagement strategy.
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Preparing and briefing Ambassadors ahead of meetings with political stakeholders.
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Political monitoring of political and public policy issues relevant to the Ambassador's regions.
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Convening, and preparing for, roundtables and bilateral meetings with regional stakeholders including local MPs, Metro Mayors, LEP leaders (both virtually and face-to-face within the region or Westminster). This will require travel to and around both regions.
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Supporting the delivery of division-wide engagement and policy advocacy campaigns e.g. The Big Conversation 2020.
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Developing and delivering comprehensive political engagement plans for the Ambassadors, crafted to deliver LBG's strategic priorities. While balancing this with ‘reactive’ engagement on topics which matter to regional stakeholders e.g. support for business, domestic abuse, inclusion, branch closures etc.
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Developing good working relationships with local MPs, thereby becoming a trusted and known LBG contact for the region’s stakeholders.
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Identifying, escalating and mitigating emerging risks arising from decisions taken by the Group in the region.
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Representing the Group at, sometimes difficult, political meetings and functions with regional government officials, trade bodies and other opinion formers.
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Responding swiftly (and socialise with other GPA peers) to enquiries or complaints from politicians. This could involve monitoring of political activity during weekends or bank holidays.
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Providing expertise and input into government consultations specifically affecting the regions.
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Working with social and traditional media agencies to develop opportunities for being recognised for our social activity and, ultimately, to increase advocacy of our ideas. This will involve leading the Ambassadors’ Twitter handles ensuring co-ordination with Group handles where required while embracing opportunities for bespoke content.
The skills and qualities required include, but are not limited to:
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Curious about the social and cultural forces that affect the environment in which the Group operates.
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Ability to learn quickly and to grasp regional politics, media and policy debates impact the Group and its activity.
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Strong oral and written communication skills and the ability to collaborate with across GPA, GCA and the wider business to help deliver regional political engagement priorities.
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Experience in, or knowledge of, managing and developing content for core social media channels.
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Ability to provide timely and reliable briefing and counsel to Ambassadors (and other relevant senior leaders as required).
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Can prioritise workload effectively.
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Adaptability in a constantly evolving environment driven by political and media demands.
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Proactive networking skills both within the bank and externally.
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Curiosity about the external environment through extensive reading of a wide range of current affairs sources, and participation in external events such as seminars, roundtables and similar activities.
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A willingness to develop networks and the familiarity of broad range of influencers in politics, devolved government and public affairs.
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The role is a key part of the GPA agile pool and is expected to show adaptability at short notice to help colleagues across GPA and GCA to meet the needs of the business whenever they arise.
It is required that candidates have experience of working with external stakeholders (political or media), leading reputational challenges and risks, and good knowledge of corporate affairs. We have a flexible working arrangement and expect colleagues to come into the office at least two times a week to enable team collaboration.
About working for us
Our focus is to ensure we're inclusive every day, building an organisation that reflects modern society and celebrates diversity in all its forms. We want our people to feel that they belong and can be their best, regardless of background, identity or culture. We were one of the first major organisations to set goals on diversity in senior roles, create a menopause health package, and a dedicated Working with Cancer initiative. And it’s why we especially welcome applications from under-represented groups. We’re disability confident. So if you’d like reasonable adjustments to be made to our recruitment processes, just let us know.
We also offer a wide-ranging benefits package, which includes:
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A generous pension contribution of up to 15%
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An annual performance-related bonus
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Share schemes including free shares
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Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping
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30 Days’ holiday, with bank holidays on top
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A range of wellbeing initiatives and generous parental leave policies
Want to do amazing work, that’s interesting and makes a difference to millions of people? Join our journey.
So, if you have the skills we’re seeking then we’d love to hear from you! Please get in touch with Lucie Sudworth.
At Lloyds Banking Group, we're driven by a clear purpose; to help Britain prosper. Across the Group, our colleagues are focused on making a difference to customers, businesses and communities. With us you'll have a key role to play in shaping the financial services of the future, whilst the scale and reach of our Group means you'll have many opportunities to learn, grow and develop.
We keep your data safe. So, we'll only ever ask you to provide confidential or sensitive information once you have formally been invited along to an interview or accepted a verbal offer to join us which is when we run our background checks. We'll always explain what we need and why, with any request coming from a trusted Lloyds Banking Group person.
We're focused on creating a values-led culture and are committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the customers and communities we serve. Together we’re building a truly inclusive workplace where all of our colleagues have the opportunity to make a real difference.