Head of Government Affairs, Brussels

Home to the world's best loved and trusted hygiene, health, and nutrition brands. Our purpose defines why we exist: to protect, heal and nurture in the relentless pursuit of a cleaner, healthier world. We are a global team united by this purpose. Join us in our fight to make access to the highest quality hygiene, wellness, and nourishment a right and not a privilege.

**Corporate Communications & External Affairs**:

- Our communications and external affairs team are at the very heart of Reckitt's brand, purpose and products, bringing them to life around the globe for our employees, consumers, investors, governments and our suppliers. It's a rewarding task, growing and protecting Reckitt's image and brand. Every day, we design public relations and communication strategies that build awareness, trust and relationships, while steering us away from reputational risk. We do this by gathering and maintaining knowledge of our policies, principles, and business strategies, while keeping up-to-date with relevant developments right across our business units and trusted brands. From digital, media and events to employee experience, strategic relationships, and community partners, we identify opportunities to deliver on our business and sustainability agenda, while proactively identifying storylines and opportunities to advance our narrative.

**About the role**:
As the Head of Government Affairs in the Brussels, you’ll be responsible for Reckitt’s engagement with key corporate stakeholders, policymakers, parliamentarians and the Belgium government.

Join us, and you'll be collaborating towards shared goals, solving complex challenges, and leaving an enduring legacy.

**Your responsibilities**:

- Lead and maintain strategic relationships with local government departments, parliamentarians, regulatory authorities, and relevant public bodies. Regularly engage with policymakers to build trust, mitigate risks, and advocate for Reckitt’s priorities in the market.
- Act as a strategic adviser to the leadership team of Reckitt Belgium
- Shape and execute Reckitt’s public policy and advocacy strategy in the location, ensuring close alignment with the company’s commercial goals and social responsibility objectives.
- Help advance the public policy and advocacy strategy for the company, working collaboratively with colleagues to ensure alignment between business objectives, policy and stakeholder outreach goals.
- Collaborate closely with government affairs colleagues in other locations for policy, media and operations.
- Represent Reckitt in relevant stakeholder forums, advocating for positions that support business sustainability and societal impact.
- Work with key stakeholders in such as R&D, supply, regulatory and legal.
- Build intelligence and understanding of business-critical issues by tracking, monitoring and advising on important changes in regulatory or legislative matters affecting Reckitt’s home market.
- Track and interpret relevant legislation, government consultations, parliamentary activity and regulatory changes, briefing senior leadership accordingly.

**The experience we're looking for**:

- **Political acumen**:Deep understanding of global political systems and legislative processes.
- **Specific experience**: Comprehensive understanding of global political and regulatory environments for Belgium
- **Strategic thinking**:Ability to develop and implement effective global government relations strategies.
- **Communication skills**: Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Demonstrated ability to translate complex policy and regulatory developments into strategic business advice.
- **Networking**:Building strong relationships with government officials, policy makers and other stakeholders/industry leaders. A strong network within Westminster, Whitehall, devolved administrations, and relevant local regulatory agencies.
- **Compliance knowledge**: Familiarity with international lobbying laws and regulations.

**The skills for success**:

- Emotional intelligence, Cohesion and clarity, Listening skills, Writing skills, Presentation skills, Interpersonal skills, Digital skills, Research skills, Time management skills, Adaptability, Stakeholder engagement and influence, Strategic thinking, Risk management, Business Accumen, Leadership, Brand Strategy, Relationship management.

**What we offer**:

- With inclusion at the heart of everything we do, working alongside our four global Employee Resource Groups, we support our people at every step of their career journey, helping them to succeed in their own individual way. We invest in the wellbeing of our people through parental benefits, an Employee Assistance Program to promote mental health, and life insurance for all employees globally. We have a range of other benefits in line with the local market. Through our global share plans we offer the opportunity to save and share in Reckitt's potential future successes. For eligible roles, we also offer short-t