This a rare and exciting opportunity for a brilliant communications professional to lead the No10 and Cabinet Office digital content team.

You will be a digital native and an outstanding storyteller, ready to deliver the highest quality communications from the heart of Government.

You will lead your own team, nurturing a diverse range of talents to plan, produce and distribute amazing content, often within very short timescales. You will build strong relationships within No10 and the Cabinet Office, and across Whitehall - including with your digital peers - to deliver engaging and innovative digital campaigns and promote best practice.

Supporting the Head of Digital for the Prime Minister’s Office and Cabinet Office Communications, you will be part of a highly motivated team that is always looking for ways to deliver more effective and efficient communications.

For such a critical role we are keen to attract a wide range of applicants from outside and within the Civil Service. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity in our team. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status.

The job is based in Whitehall, London. There will be out of hours working.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead and manage the digital content team for No 10 and Cabinet Office in devising, producing and distributing content.
• Take the lead on key PM and ministerial announcements, visits and events via No10 and Cabinet Office digital channels, with high levels of hands-on work required at times.
• Develop and manage relations with press officers and special advisors to ensure digital content is an integral part of all media planning.
• Help lead and support the digital communications community across government.
• Work closely with colleagues at the Government Digital Service to implement user-led change.
• Support and help develop content team members, ensuring they are fully equipped with the skills and technical abilities needed.
• Deliver analysis on digital activity and produce actionable insight from digital performance data linked to the overall strategy.
• Understand media relations and the role of digital channels in managing news announcements.
• Be an expert on social media channels and think creatively about where digital is going next.
• Be the Cabinet Office lead for the government’s GOV.UK website, editing content and advising policy teams on best practice for GOV.UK publishing.
• Be a part of the Prime Minister’s Office and Cabinet Office digital communications out of hours on-call support.
• Lead the cross-government working group on crisis communications and contingency planning.

Essential skills and experience:

• Deep knowledge of the role played by social media and digital platforms in delivering effective communications.
• Proven experience in leadership and management, setting strategic communication objectives including for digital channels.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to think on your feet and deliver to tight deadlines.
• Track record of designing and implementing creative social media solutions – including digital marketing and low/no cost campaigning.
• Good political understanding and understanding of what makes news.
• Previous content management experience, ideally in a related area.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to interpret and learn from digital performance data.

Desirable skills and experience:

• Content creation including video and photo editing, and graphic design.
• Evidence of user-needs driven GOV.UK content management skills.
• Crisis management skills.

Personal qualities:

As well as having political knowledge, the person most suited to this role will have:

• Enthusiasm and a team-player attitude.
• Highly developed skills in persuasion, influencing and negotiation.
• Confidence to present in formal and informal settings.
• Ability to respond quickly, flexibly and imaginatively to events, and prioritise under pressure.

Closing Date: 14th January 2018 at 23:55 hours

For further information please contact: Rebecca Threlfall, Head of Operations, at rebecca.threlfall@cabinetoffice.gov.uk or 0207 276 2002

Please note that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally require 5 years’ UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement but supplementary checks may be required where individuals have not lived in the UK for the required period. This may mean that your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

Due to the high volume of applications received for Cabinet Office vacancies, we regret that feedback is only available - at the discretion of the vacancy manager - following the interview stage.

Vacancy managers may also sift on one lead competency at the application stage.

Terms, Conditions and Benefits

This is a Permanent appointment and is offered to applicants both inside and outside the Civil Service.

This role is at the Cabinet Office at Band A level with a salary range of £48,480 - £60,484. Annual salary increases will depend upon individual performance and contribution to the organisation’s success. In addition there will be the opportunity to earn performance related bonuses.

There is an expectation that successful applicants new to the Civil Service will join on the pay band minimum.

There is a choice of excellent pension schemes. More information about pension provisions can be found at www.civilservice.gov.uk/pensions 

Existing civil servants joining on level transfer will retain their current salary.  Staff joining on promotion terms will receive up to a 10% increase of their current basic salary or the pay band minimum whichever is the greater. Staff joining on promotion will adopt the modernised terms and conditions of employment which came into force in 2013.

Flexible Working

Flexible working including job-share arrangements may be considered for this role.

Leave allowances

25 days' paid leave per annum rising to 30 days after five years service. In addition, full-time staff receive eight public holidays and the Queen’s Birthday privilege day as well as competitive maternity, paternity, parental and adoption leave.

Probation

Staff new to the Civil Service will be required to serve a six month probationary period.

Location

The post will be based in Whitehall, London. 

Relocation Costs

No relocation costs will be available.

Equality and Diversity

The Cabinet Office is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all staff. We will not discriminate on grounds of gender, gender identity, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, those with caring responsibilities, part time workers or any other factor irrelevant to a person’s work.

We encourage a diverse workforce and aim to provide a working environment where all staff at all levels are valued and respected, and where discrimination, bullying, promotion of negative stereotyping and harassment are not tolerated.

Assessment for recruitment, selection, appraisal, training and career progression purposes is based both on the individual’s ability and suitability for the work. We are committed to providing all staff with opportunities to maximise their skills and achieve their potential, offering flexible working arrangements wherever possible.

As public authorities departments have statutory duties placed on them that require them to promote equality of opportunity and eliminate unlawful discrimination. We expect all staff to assist the department in meeting these obligations. All staff should have due regard for the need to promote good relations between individuals from different groups and work towards achieving equality of opportunity for all.

Civil Service Code

All civil servants are subject to the provisions of the Civil Service Code (see Annex A) which details Civil Service values, standards of behaviour, rights and responsibilities. Go to http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk  for more information.

Childcare

We recognise that many staff balance working lives with the demands of a family life. We offer support with childcare and holiday playschemes costs by providing childcare vouchers for staff who meet the eligibility criteria.

Recruitment and Selection Process

Nationality

You must be a British Citizen, citizen of the British Commonwealth* an EC national or national of specified Member States of the European Free Trade Area, together with certain members of their families. Certain Turkish nationals are also eligible to apply.  If you have any questions about nationality requirements contact the Recruitment Team on corecruitment@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. (*Commonwealth citizens not yet in the UK, who have no right of abode in the UK and who do not have leave to enter the UK are ineligible to apply.)

Guaranteed Interview Scheme

The Cabinet Office is committed to the employment and career development of disabled people and will guarantee to interview anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

Pre-appointment enquiries

The successful candidate’s appointment will be subject to a series of checks including security, nationality, health and references before a formal offer of appointment is made.  Subject to satisfactory completion of the pre-appointment enquiries, you will be invited to take up the post as soon as possible. The National Insurance numbers of successful applicants will be shared with the Ministry of Defence to aid the tracking of Armed Forces Reservist levels across government.

The selection process

Assessment at sift and interviews will be based on meeting any defined skill/qualification requirements along with competency based assessment. The competencies to be assessed will be outlined within the job advert. The general framework is publically available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-competency-framework.

We would generally expect answers to follow the STAR or CAR structure and encourage candidates to use this throughout their application.

Recruitment into the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission which has two key functions.

• To maintain the principle of selection for appointment to the Civil Service on merit on the basis of fair and open competition.

• To promote an understanding of the Civil Service Code which sets out the constitutional framework in which all civil servants work and the values they are expected to uphold, and to hear and determine appeals made under it. More detailed information can be found at on the Civil Service Commission website: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk

Complaints

The Department’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the requirement of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles details of which can be found at  http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk    If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact Recruitment Team,  Human Resources, 4th Floor, 1 Horse Guards Road, London SW1A 2WH, email corecruitment@cabinetoffice.gov.uk, in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission at:

civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk

info@csc.gsi.gov.uk

Civil Service Commission
Room G/8
1 Horse Guards Road
London  SW1A 2HQ