External affairs
External Affairs teams are responsible for building and maintaining relationships with influential individuals and organisations for the public benefit.
On this page:
External affairs in government
We need to communicate directly with people and via trusted advocates to provide credible voices that can rise above the noise, which we see as the core purpose of External Affairs. Government policy matters to millions around the country. That’s why we need trusted advocates to cut through the noise and reach out to priority audiences.
Our standards
External Affairs Operating Model
The External Affairs Operating Model is an introduction for those considering setting up an External Affairs function or building their current capability in this area.
It develops the ‘strategic engagement’ content in the GCS Modern Communication Operating Model (MCOM), focusing on the importance of building alliances with partners and third parties to disseminate messages and share content. Find out about:
- what is external affairs?
- Strategic Engagement versus External Affairs
- external affairs best practice
- case studies
External Affairs Operating Model
Learning and resources
Start learning at your own pace and build the skills you need, using our curriculum. You can also engage with our external affairs blogs and resources.
What is external affairs
Watch the video (1 minute 52 seconds) to see our colleagues discuss the external affairs profession.