Senior Communications Officer (Internal Communications) - #2153206

MOD Main Building

Job Summary

The central Internal Communications (IC) team within DDC delivers and coordinates communications to both military and civilian staff across the entirety of the MOD and its constituent parts. One of the largest Whitehall departments, the MOD workforce is made up of over 250,000 employees, spread across around 4,000 sites worldwide.

A strong and high-performing IC function is critical to our success. Our employees cover the broadest range of roles in government; as well as soldiers and sailors, pilots or office workers, there are roles as diverse as doctors, teachers, police officers, engineers and scientists. Many are frontline operational roles and therefore they are not routinely connected to the Defence infrastructure that facilitates digital communications, which necessitates a nuanced and agile approach to IC.

This role will be based in the Leadership part of the IC team, which is focused on supporting our leaders to communicate effectively with this diverse audience, in particular on Defence Reform and large-scale change. This team manages a number of channels to carry out these duties, including all staff briefings, senior leadership calls, newsletters for different audiences and digital screens within Main Building.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job Description

The Ministry of Defence is looking for a Senior Communications Officer within the Internal Communications (IC) team within the Directorate of Defence Communications (DDC), with a primary focus on Leadership communications.

As part of the Directorate of Defence Communications (DDC), you will be playing a key role in influencing, developing and delivering strategic internal communications based on robust insight, clear objectives, proactive digital delivery and dynamic evaluation.

You will line manage two colleagues to work with senior leaders across Defence to deliver high-quality, targeted communications. Line management will be a key element of this role as you will develop your team to deliver at a consistently high level, while ensuring they feel empowered and supported. By working closely with all colleagues across the DDC Internal Communications team, you will also ensure messaging is aligned to and complements wider activity.

In addition, you will regularly deputise for your Chief Communications Officer to provide high quality strategic advice to the business – including the Permanent Secretary, Chief of Defence Staff, Ministers, policy officials and staff.

You will have demonstrable management and internal communications experience, strong interpersonal and leadership skills and a passion for continuous innovation and empowering others to deliver. You will demonstrate the capability to deliver effective communications that will engage, inform and motivate the diverse and disparate mix of Defence personnel. Your clear specialism within internal communications will ideally be complemented by broader communications experience across a number of disciplines.

The Ministry of Defence is looking for a Senior Communications Officer within the Internal Communications (IC) team within the Directorate of Defence Communications (DDC), with a primary focus on Leadership communications.

As part of the Directorate of Defence Communications (DDC), you will be playing a key role in influencing, developing and delivering strategic internal communications based on robust insight, clear objectives, proactive digital delivery and dynamic evaluation.

You will line manage two colleagues to work with senior leaders across Defence to deliver high-quality, targeted communications. Line management will be a key element of this role as you will develop your team to deliver at a consistently high level, while ensuring they feel empowered and supported. By working closely with all colleagues across the DDC Internal Communications team, you will also ensure messaging is aligned to and complements wider activity.

In addition, you will regularly deputise for your Chief Communications Officer to provide high quality strategic advice to the business – including the Permanent Secretary, Chief of Defence Staff, Ministers, policy officials and staff.

You will have demonstrable management and internal communications experience, strong interpersonal and leadership skills and a passion for continuous innovation and empowering others to deliver. You will demonstrate the capability to deliver effective communications that will engage, inform and motivate the diverse and disparate mix of Defence personnel. Your clear specialism within internal communications will ideally be complemented by broader communications experience across a number of disciplines.

Person specification

You will demonstrate experience of, and passion for, managing and developing others to deliver. You will also have firm knowledge of internal communication channels and methods, and will have the confidence and ability to build and maintain good relationships with a wide range of people at all grades and ranks. You will have demonstrable communications experience, an excellent writing ability and strong interpersonal and management skills.

Specifically, You Are Expected To

• Line manage two colleagues, with one focused on Leadership campaigns, including Defence Reform, and one focused on Leadership events and logistics, but ensuring both are able to cover for the other at times of absence.
• Build a comprehensive understanding of Defence audiences.
• Manage your Leadership campaigns C2 to deliver and build upon the existing Leadership campaigns and Defence Reform channels, systems and processes, ensuring all communications are relevant, reflect Defence priorities, and reach the audiences.
• Manage your Leadership events and logistics C2 to deliver regular all staff and leadership briefings, working with your B2 to ensure these fit into the wider Leadership Communications and Engagement Strategy.
• Work closely with the rest of DDC IC team to develop, co-ordinate and implement long-range, proactive internal communications campaigns and standalone/business as usual communications that are based on insight and effectively evaluated.
• Provide professional and comprehensive internal communications advice to stakeholders across all ranks and grades, building strong effective relationships, pushing back as needed.
• Working flexibly, you may also work to support the other arms of the IC team, as priorities shift and resources need to flex.
• Prioritise personal development and training, as well as identifying opportunities for improvement within the team.
  
  

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
  
  

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Leadership
  
  

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Communications: Implementation https://gcs.civilservice.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Government-Communication-Service-Career-Framework.pdf
• Communications: Impact https://gcs.civilservice.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Government-Communication-Service-Career-Framework.pdf
  
  

Alongside your salary of £44,590, Ministry of Defence contributes £12,917 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• London weighting of £3,300 per annum
• Free use of gym at Main Building
• Season ticket advance to assist with travel costs to/from home and your permanent work location
  
  

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.

Candidates will also be required to provide a statement of suitability. (750 Word count). You will demonstrate experience of, and passion for, managing and developing others to deliver. You will also have firm knowledge of internal communication channels and methods, and will have the confidence and ability to build and maintain good relationships with a wide range of people at all grades and ranks. You will have demonstrable communications experience, an excellent writing ability and strong interpersonal and management skills.

At sift, you will be assessed against your CV, your statement of suitability and the Leadership Behaviour

Applications will be sifted on all application elements, but in the event of a high number of applications, the sift will be conducted on the Leadership Behaviour.

At interview, you will be assessed against Experience, Behaviours and GCS competencies (GCS Career Framework)

• Leadership
• Working together
• Communicating and influencing
• Implementation
• Impact
  
  

Further Information

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: [email protected] .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
  
  

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact

• Name : Rhian McLaughlin
• Email : [email protected]
  
  

Recruitment team

• Email : [email protected]
  
  

Further information

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: [email protected].