Senior Stakeholder Manager

Senior Stakeholder Manager 

Job Description 

 

POSITION:  Senior Stakeholder Manager 

EMPLOYER:  Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade 

POSITION STATUS:   Fixed-term contract (to 31/12/26)

LOCATION:  Hybrid  

SALARY RANGE: £85,000 -£95,000 annual

 

The Chartered Institute of Export and International Trade is the premier association for exporters and importers, empowering organizations and individuals with the tools and knowledge required for effective, sustainable, and competitive international trade.  
 
We provide a comprehensive suite of memberships, qualifications, training, events, and advisory services for global trade professionals. In collaboration with the UK government, we set trade standards nationally and internationally. In summer 2024 we were proud to become the Chartered Institute of Export and International Trade, highlighting our role and the professional status of our members in global trade. 

 

Role Purpose 

The Senior Stakeholder Manager plays a critical role in assisting our Programme consortium in shaping, delivering, and embedding customs and trade related change across complex multiagency environments. This role leads strategic engagement with internal and external stakeholders—including government departments, border agencies, traders, logistics operators, and international partners—to support compliant, efficient, and secure trade flows. 

The postholder ensures stakeholder needs, risks, and regulatory considerations are understood and built into programme delivery, helping to drive alignment, readiness, and adoption across the border ecosystem. 

 

Key Responsibilities 

Strategic Stakeholder Engagement 

• Develop and deliver an engagement strategy and engagement plans aligned to the Programme outcomes and outputs and aligned with customs, trade, and transformation objectives. 

• Conduct advanced stakeholder mapping across government, industry, Northern Ireland and international trade communities. 

• Provide strategic advice to senior leaders of the Programme on stakeholder impacts, regulatory considerations, and dependencies. 

• Align stakeholder engagement with Government standards, trade agreements, and evolving customs policy. 

• Enhance CIOE&IT’s profile by promoting the skills and knowledge within the business to the consortium and the wider stakeholder community. This may include representing the Programme in Northern Ireland and other relevant events. 

Relationship & Partner Management 

• Build trusted relationships with key stakeholders including:  

• HMRC, Border Force, Defra, Cabinet Office 

• Ports, airports, carriers, freight forwarders, customs intermediaries 

• Importers, exporters, supply chain partners 

• International customs authorities and trade bodies 

• Facilitate multiagency workshops, negotiations, and cross border discussions to resolve issues and secure alignment. 

• Act as the escalation point for conflicts on regulatory interpretation, operational impact, or programme direction. 

Programme & Regulatory Support 

• Work with project managers, customs policy teams, operational delivery, and legal advisors to ensure stakeholder requirements are captured and reflected in:  

• Solution design 

• Operational changes 

• Policy and regulatory updates 

• Identify stakeholder related risks, identify opportunities and threats, and ensure they are managed within programme governance. 

• Support readiness assessments for new or changed customs processes, ensuring clear communication of impacts across supply chains. 

Communications 

• Produce high-quality content tailored for customs and trade audiences and deliver this content and key messages to these stakeholder communities.  

• Ensure clarity of messaging around regulatory changes, compliance obligations, systems migrations, and operational impacts. 

Insight & Continuous Improvement 

• Provide guidance and direction to Programme team members both within the CIOE&IT and the wider consortium members.  

• Gather insight from trade stakeholders to inform policy development and operational design. 

• Track sentiment, feedback, and emerging issues across the border landscape. 

• Promote best practice in stakeholder engagement across multiagency programmes. 

• Mentor junior colleagues or comms specialists involved in trade engagement. 

 

Essential Skills & Experience 

• Significant experience in customs, trade, border operations, regulatory environments, or international supply chain. Including, but not limited to, the Northern Ireland Protocol and the Windsor Framework.  

• Strong understanding of customs processes, import/export frameworks, trade compliance, and the wider border ecosystem. 

• Proven success managing senior stakeholders across government, industry, and international partners. 

• Ability to navigate complex political, regulatory, and operational landscapes. 

• Excellent communication skills, able to translate technical regulatory requirements into clear, user-friendly messages. 

• Skilled in negotiation, conflict resolution, and maintaining strong partner relationships. 

• Experience supporting largescale transformation or digital customs programmes. 

 

Desirable Skills & Experience 

• Experience working within or alongside government (HMRC, Border Force, Defra, Cabinet Office, etc.). 

• Knowledge of the NI trading landscape and key stakeholder groups would be valuable, as would experience of goods moving to and from Northern Ireland. 

• Knowledge of customs systems and platforms (e.g., CDS, GVMS, trade facilitation tools). 

• Familiarity with international trade regulations (WCO guidelines, trade agreements, origin rules). 

• Certifications in stakeholder engagement, change management, or project delivery methodologies (MSP, PRINCE2, Agile). 

 

Key Competencies 

• Strategic Thinking: Understands global trade landscapes and anticipates regulatory impacts. 

• Influencing & Negotiation: Secures alignment across complex, multiagency environments. 

• Leadership: Drives direction, builds consensus, and shapes programme culture. 

• Analytical Mindset: Decodes complex regulatory and operational challenges. 

• Resilience: Handles competing priorities and high pressure border delivery environments. 

 

Qualifications 

• Degree or equivalent experience in international trade, supply chain, public administration, business, or related field. 

• Relevant trade or customs qualifications beneficial (e.g., Certificate in Customs Compliance, WCO training). 

 

BENEFITS:  

• 36.5 hours per week including 4pm Friday finish. 

• 25 days annual leave and day off for your birthday too 

• Annual performance-related bonus 

• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) 

• Private healthcare including Optician/Dental costs. 

• Life Assurance (Salary x4) 

• Personalised training 

• A range of discounts for shopping, holidays and cinema attendance  

• Free breakfast in Peterborough 

• 2 days volunteering a year. 

 
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION:  

Life would be boring if we were all the same! The Chartered Institute is a company with a charitable status that believes in diversity and inclusion, as shown in the hiring and progression of our team members. The workforce is truly diverse – in age, nationality, gender and location.  

With a passion for nurturing, supporting and including all team members – no matter who you are – we celebrate identity. We are proud of who we are and where we come from.   

As an Investors in People accredited organisation, we care about and prioritise all of our team members daily. We ensure to engage with and listen to everyone.  

Our Disability Confident and Mindful Employer accreditations express our commitment to the specialist needs and mental health of our team members.   

Having family-friendly policies allows our employees to partake in a flexible work environment so they can take care of children and loved ones.  
 

 

 

HOW TO APPLY:

Fill in your details below and upload your CV for review by the Talent Acquisition team. 

If you are having difficulty completing the application and would like some support or if you have questions, please contact our Head of Talent Acquisition, Gary Watson on:

01733 404 400

g.watson@export.org.uk