Head of Communications & Public Affairs

An opportunity to shape the Communications and Public Affairs function in a company established to deliver one of Sweden’s major infrastructure projects.

About the role

As Head of Communications & Public Affairs you will report to the CEO and be part of the Executive Management Team. You will shape how Videberg Kraft communicates and engages with policymakers, authorities, municipalities, owners, industry organizations, local communities, media and employees.

A central part of the role is to act as a trusted strategic partner to the CEO and management team in high-level stakeholder dialogues. You will assess what Videberg Kraft should communicate, when, to whom and in what way, ensuring that messages are credible and consistent across political, local, external and internal arenas.

You will develop the stakeholder strategy, shape the company’s narrative, lead external communication and media relations, and build structures and routines for internal communication, issues management and crisis communication.

This is both a strategic and hands-on role. You will be expected to move comfortably between setting the direction and delivering the work yourself when needed, including managing high-priority communications under tight deadlines. The position is based at Videberg Kraft and reports to the CEO, Patrik Guné. The role is part of the Executive Management Team.

Your main responsibilities:

• Align communications, Public Affairs and stakeholder management in a complex and politically sensitive environment
• Act as a close strategic partner to the CEO and management team in high-level stakeholder dialogues.
• Develop the stakeholder strategy and build relationships nationally, regionally and locally.
• Provide qualified judgement on messaging, timing, channels and spokespersons.
• Assess when Videberg Kraft should engage publicly, when it should remain silent, and how messages may land with different stakeholders.
• Shape the company’s narrative and lead external communication, media relations and press-related matters.
• Build internal communication channels, routines and ways of working that support the organization’s growth.
• Establish readiness and structures for issues management and crisis communication.
• Select and coordinate internal and external resources within communications and Public Affairs.

Your profile

We are looking for a senior professional with experience in Public Affairs, corporate communications or external affairs, preferably from regulated, politically influenced or societally critical sectors. You have advised CEOs, executive teams, boards or other senior stakeholders in complex environments and have a strong understanding of Swedish political and regulatory processes.

You combine political judgement with business understanding and know how to build trust with stakeholders nationally, regionally and locally. You have experience in media relations, press matters, issues management and crisis communication, and have built or developed a function, team or governance structure.

To succeed in this role, we believe you have:

• Senior experience in Public Affairs, corporate communications or external affairs.
• Experience from regulated, politically influenced or societally critical operations.
• Experience advising CEOs, Executive Management Teams, boards or other senior stakeholders.
• Strong experience of stakeholder management in complex environments.
• Proven ability to provide qualified judgement on messaging, timing, channels and spokespersons.
• Documented experience in media relations, press matters, issues management and crisis communication.
• Experience building or developing a function, team or governance structure.
• Strong understanding of business models, investment cycles and commercial drivers.
• Strong understanding of Swedish political and regulatory processes.
• Relevant academic background, for example in political science, law, economics, communications, public policy, engineering or a comparable field.
• Excellent Swedish and English, both spoken and written.

As a person, you are strategic, structured and sound in your judgement. You have high integrity and the ability to build trust in sensitive and complex environments. You are a clear communicator who can translate complex information into understandable messages for different audiences.

You thrive in a role where you need to move between long-term relationship building and concrete delivery here and now. You are collaborative, hands-on and resilient, with the ability to create structure in an organization that is still being built.

How to apply

In this recruitment, Videberg Kraft is working with Novare Executive Search. For more information about the position or the process, please contact Anna Malmström at anna.malmstrom@novare.se. Please note that we do not accept applications by email.