• Future Suffolk / Suffolk County Council
• Address: Endeavour House, Ipswich, IP1 2BX, Hybrid working
• Salary: £74,716 – £84,404 per annum
• Hours: 37 hours per week, flexible working options available
• Contract: Permanent

Suffolk’s councils are working together on one of the most ambitious change programmes the county has ever seen. Through Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), we’re creating three new unitary councils and building the foundations for the future of local services across Suffolk.

We’re looking for talented people to join our programme team and play a key role in making that happen.

As our Communications and Engagement Lead, you’ll be the strategic lead for storytelling across the Suffolk LGR Programme. You’ll drive and embed a clear, consistent and effective communications and engagement approach, ensuring the Future Suffolk programme speaks with one voice across Suffolk’s councils and partners.

Your role and responsibilities

You’ll be responsible for how the programme communicates and engages with staff, residents, elected members, partners and stakeholders. Working across Suffolk’s councils and partner organisations, you’ll help people understand what is changing, why it matters and what it means for them, while building confidence, understanding and engagement throughout the programme.

You will:

• Work with colleagues across the system to evolve and drive the communications and engagement strategy for the programme, ensuring it remains aligned to key milestones and priorities.
• Ensure clear, timely and consistent communication across the Suffolk system.
• Lead and evolve the Future Suffolk brand and narrative.
• Provide strategic oversight of communications activity across participating councils and partners.
• Influence and build trusted relationships with senior leaders, elected members and stakeholders.
• Provide oversight of programme communication channels, including websites, newsletters and engagement activity.
• Use insight, creativity and innovation to support engagement and readiness for change.

You will need

We’re looking for an experienced communications and engagement professional who can develop strategic approaches, build confidence across a range of audiences and help shape a clear and compelling narrative for the Future Suffolk programme.

We hope you’ll bring:

• Significant experience leading communications and engagement activity, ideally within local government or the wider public sector.
• A strong understanding of organisational change and the political and public context in which local government operates.
• Experience developing strategic communications and engagement plans.
• Exceptional communication, storytelling and audience engagement skills, with the ability to adapt messages for different audiences.
• An understanding of stakeholder engagement, behavioural insight and approaches that support readiness for change.
• Strong influencing, networking and relationship-building skills.
• A creative, innovative and strategic approach, with the confidence to identify new ways of engaging audiences.

Most importantly, you’ll share our commitment to making a positive difference for Suffolk’s residents, communities and public services.

You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (JPP), which you can find in the ‘How to apply’ section towards the bottom of this advert.

If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don’t meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

The team

Although hosted by Suffolk County Council, this is a genuinely system-wide role working across the full LGR system, bringing together multiple councils, disciplines and partners behind a single shared objective. The team will act on behalf of all Suffolk councils and be accountable to the Future Suffolk Implementation Board.

You’ll join a newly established programme team, united by a shared commitment to delivering change that protects services for residents and creates strong, sustainable new councils.

For more information on LGR in Suffolk, please visit the Three Councils for Suffolk and the Future Suffolk websites.

Applications from Suffolk’s five councils

Colleagues currently working for one of Suffolk’s five councils are encouraged to apply. Where possible, appointments will be made on a secondment basis, allowing you to retain your substantive role.

Empowering Everyone

We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.

For more information

Please contact Lysanne Eddy, Programme Director for LGR, for a casual conversation. You can reach them by emailing Lysanne.Eddy@suffolk.gov.uk.

How to apply

Step 1 – Read the Job and Person Profile (Word).

Step 2 – Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application.

Step 3 – Please upload the following to your application:

1. An up-to-date copy of your CV
2. A supporting statement (maximum 500 words) outlining what you would bring to the Suffolk LGR Programme and how your approach would help you succeed in a complex, multi-organisational environment.
3. Case studies (up to three examples, maximum 250 words each) demonstrating where you have led or played a key role in developing and delivering communications and engagement approaches for large-scale organisational change, transformation programmes or public-facing initiatives. Please include the scale and complexity of the work, your role and contribution and the outcomes achieved.

Please note: Without a supporting statement and CV, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format.

For guidance on completing your application, please see our How to Apply page.

Planning to use Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Please ensure your application still reflects your own skills, experience and ideas. If used inappropriately, your application may not be processed. Please read our guidance for using AI to understand what’s acceptable.

Do you need any reasonable adjustments to help you to apply? If you are disabled and/or have additional support needs, you can request reasonable adjustments. You can do this by contacting our Recruitment Team at recruitment@suffolk.gov.uk or 03456 014412. You can find examples of possible adjustments on our Reasonable Adjustment pages.

Closing date: 11.30pm, 8 September 2026

Provisional interview week: Week commencing 14 September 2026 (subject to change).

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. #LI-Hybrid #FutureSuffolk