MANAGER, EXTERNAL AFFAIRS & INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT

ROLE DETAILS

• Remuneration package midpoint: $140,400 incl. super
• Permanent, full-time opportunity
• Sydney
• ASAP start
• Hybrid working model with WFH flexibility

ABOUT THE COMPANY
This high-profile national organisation combines commercial thinking with strong public purpose. Growing rapidly and operating in a complex external environment, it offers interesting, evolving work and genuine opportunity to influence. The team is collaborative, energetic and pragmatic, with a strong appetite for people who bring ideas, take initiative and confidently navigate change.
ABOUT THE ROLE
This role sits at the heart of external relationship management. You'll map key stakeholders, build strategic engagement plans, manage frontline relationships and provide valuable intelligence on emerging issues and sentiment. You'll work closely with senior leaders, industry, government and delivery stakeholders, helping the organisation strengthen trust, anticipate risks and engage with purpose.
DUTIES

• Develop stakeholder maps capturing influence, interests, relationship strength and priorities
• Translate stakeholder intelligence into practical relationship and engagement plans
• Build and maintain productive relationships with government, industry and sector stakeholders
• Plan and coordinate meetings, briefings, roundtables and targeted engagement activity
• Monitor policy, regulatory, economic and industry developments
• Analyse stakeholder sentiment and provide concise advice on risks and opportunities
• Coordinate responses to external complaints and enquiries where required
• Prepare stakeholder correspondence, briefings, speaking points and engagement advice
• Maintain accurate records of stakeholder activity, commitments and emerging issues
• Partner across communications and engagement teams to ensure consistent external positioning

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• 5+ years' experience in stakeholder engagement, external affairs, government relations or similar
• Demonstrated experience developing stakeholder maps and engagement strategies
• Strong frontline relationship management skills — this is not a purely behind-the-scenes role
• Excellent political and situational awareness
• Strong written communication and briefing capability
• Ability to synthesise complex sector information into practical advice
• Strong judgement when managing sensitive or high-profile stakeholders
• Experience in government, property, infrastructure, financial services, construction, a peak body or similarly regulated environment will be highly regarded
• Existing industry networks are advantageous but not essential
• Relevant tertiary qualifications or equivalent professional experience

BENEFITS

• Competitive $140,400 remuneration package midpoint
• Hybrid working with WFH flexibility
• High-profile external stakeholder exposure
• $500 annual wellbeing benefit following probation
• Three gifted leave days during the Christmas/New Year shutdown
• Ability to purchase additional annual leave and swap public holidays
• Five days of special leave annually, subject to relevant criteria
• EAP, income protection and paid parental leave benefits subject to eligibility
• Opportunity to shape a growing external affairs function

OUR RECRUITMENT PROCESS
At Lotus People, we are committed to fostering diversity, equity and inclusion. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply and will ensure a fair and equitable recruitment process.
Every application we receive is reviewed by a real person, never by AI. If your experience aligns with the requirements of the role, a consultant will be in touch within 2-3 business days for an initial phone screen. Shortlisted candidates will then proceed to a virtual interview with the consultant managing the role.
Due to the volume of applications and the specific nature of our briefs, we are unable to take phone enquiries about roles before an application is submitted. We ask that all interested candidates please apply online and wait to hear from us. Rest assured, we respond to every applicant, regardless of the outcome, so you will not be left wondering.
Lotus People are proud to have been awarded Best Agency for Candidate Experience for five consecutive years. We look forward to providing you with a positive and respectful experience.