Location London
Job-type Permanent
Salary £Competitive
Reference 16547
Category EUR

Drax plays a crucial role in the communities in which it operates around the world, providing jobs, educational support, training and social impact programmes. The business' purpose is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future "which will only be realised if the biomass we use makes a positive contribution to our climate, the environment and the communities in which we operate" - Will Gardiner, Group CEO.

Drax is looking to recruit a Group Head of Community, a newly created role reporting into the Group Director of External Affairs. In this role you will oversee the creation of the new global community strategy and lead its successful delivery, building and strengthening relationships with the communities throughout the Drax ecosystem.

With passionate sponsorship from the Executive Team, the Head of Community will be provided the creative space to develop a strategic portfolio of programmes tackling local and global community issues with an overarching purpose connected to the wider Drax mission.

In this role, you will:

  • Lead the establishment and development of new, sustainable strategic partnerships at a local level to increase local engagement and ingrain Drax into local communities

  • Support the existing community teams within the UK in providing and manage the delivery of the educational facilities across Drax

  • Oversee the company's new approach to community giving, defining governance procedures to ensure relevance and global adherence

  • Work cross-functionally with business leaders throughout the organisation on approaches to respond to community needs and concerns and maximise strategic impact

  • Support and develop new innovative programmes in areas such as social enterprise and employment, volunteering and education

  • Provide strategic direction by identifying potential funding, partnership, and programme development opportunities

This role will involve leading an in-house team as part of the wider Corporate Affairs team, and overseeing the management of agency resources, as well as working in collaboration with country leads and other business and project teams. You will play an active role in the External Affairs Leadership Team and wider leadership community, positively influencing strategy and team culture.

To drive an ambitious strategy successfully across the Group, Drax is looking for someone with:

  • A creative and dynamic leadership style; you will be able to take the lead in developing a new and innovative programme of community engagement activities

  • Strong line management and peer management experience to align ambitions across stakeholders

  • The ability to think creatively; to originate beneficial change and to deliver improvements through management actions

  • Experience of communicating corporate messages and policy to local stakeholders

  • A track record of robust budget control and the delivery of fast-paced, international work programmes

Overseeing community strategy within a complex, international scope of businesses, this an opportunity not to be missed. With a rewarding outcome and an exciting scope for creative ideas, as the Group Head of Community you will have the opportunity to shape livelihoods for customers, employees, local communities, and climate scientists of the future alike.

To find out more contact Sapna Gill on sapna.gill@acre.com today.

Various locations considered but time in London will be required in the role.