External Affairs Manager at British American Tobacco

Job number: 17666BR
Location: Abuja
Appointment type: Permanent

Job Purpose and Key Deliverables

• British American Tobacco has an exciting opportunity for an External Affairs Manager to join our team in Abuja.

The role holder will have:

• To contribute to sustainability at an end market level by shaping the business environment through the planning and execution of campaigns designed to deliver the preferred regulatory future as defined by the Area.
• To ensure that BAT Nigeria maintains a seat at the table with key government stakeholders and takes a leading role as appropriate within the industry as well as amongst key allies on tobacco control issues such as regulations, fiscal policies, trade -related issues and illicit trade.
• To contribute to the achievement of business objectives by ensuring balanced regulatory policies and identifying opportunities to support the business agenda in Nigeria.

Key Responsibilities
Business:

• Work with the Head of Government Affairs to ensure that regulation (including tobacco regulations, fiscal policies, trade related issues and illicit trade]) is a core part of the development of our business strategy and business planning fully reflects the reality of the tobacco control environment, thereby providing the basis for future business sustainability.
• Support the Head of Government Affairs in ensuring that there is a clear, actionable view of the regulatory future, highlighting priority issues, as an outcome of the markets business planning process.
• Develop and execute regulatory campaign plans, to achieve desired regulatory outcomes and financial impact mitigation for immediate issues.  This may include activities designed to balance public debate where appropriate.
• Prepare all reports in view of regulatory engagements and the Area reporting cycle.
• Drive stakeholder-mapping process for Nigeria and stakeholder engagement on key regulatory issues such as, Tobacco Regulations, Fiscal Policies, trade related issues and illicit trade.
• Deploy all Area regulatory strategies regarding tobacco regulations, excise, illicit trade and trade-related issues.
• Deploy effective early warning system in Nigeria – that is, effective monitoring of the regulatory environment in Nigeria and the ECOWAS Trade Bloc.
• Provide support to BAT Nigeria on regulatory issues, ensuring and coordinating the involvement of expertise from other functions within the company.
• Play an active role in ensuring that all company activities comply with relevant standards and regulations; to challenge non-compliance where appropriate and to ensure that legal consultation occurs as necessary

People:

• Build and maintain effective relationships and networks with stakeholders influencing the regulatory environment to create a dialogue platform where the company can effectively communicate its views on tobacco control.
• Collaborate with other functions within LEX such as, Corporate Affairs, Regulations and Litigation to ensure regulatory issues are properly addressed.
• Work effectively as part of the wider Area network of External Affairs Managers, constantly raising issues to the zone to ensure alignment and leveraging above-market resources to maximise quality of approach.
• Ensure that the Head of Government Affairs is informed always of regulatory developments that may impact on business results.
• Manage cooperation with key industry associations, ensuring effective action on issues of mutual interest.
• Provide support to other functions and the business on all regulation issues.
• Coordinate External Affairs activities in Nigeria in collaboration with other functions.

Essential Requirements

• Educated to Degree level
• Ideally a minimum of 5 years’ experience in either marketing management (including brand campaign development and execution), CORA/Legal (with a government/regulatory aspect) or political affairs
• Excellent communication skills - a credible advocate of BAT interests
• Thorough understanding of the business including the wider industry
• Aptitude for engaging credibly across functions internally and building networks/relationships with key stakeholders internally and externally
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills
• In depth and up to date knowledge of local political and policy-making processes
• Ability to apply project management principles to campaign execution
• Management/leadership skills - motivating others to act

Desirable requirements:

• Ability to think strategically and tactically around regulatory issues
• Cross functional appreciation of the business – Marketing, Operations, Finance and Legal and External Affairs
• Understanding of the tobacco industry and its political, social and economic environment
• Active interest in business, tobacco and tobacco control issues, aptitude for absorbing information and intuitive application to the debate
• Appreciation/understanding of political affairs – e.g., policy making processes and government procedures
• Ability to empathise with stakeholders & use insights to formulate campaign approach