Ministry of housing, communities and local government
Director, Communications
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About the job
Job summary
As Director of Communications, you will lead an excellent team of professionals who are passionate about working together to produce creative and compelling communications. Your skills will be instrumental in shaping MHCLG’s handling strategies, whether they are around key announcements or setting the longer-term communications direction for the department.
You’ll have exposure to a variety of high-profile and often controversial issues and required to be a trusted advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister, Ministers, Permanent Secretary and Executive Team. The Director of Communications is part of the MHCLG’s Strategy and Communications Leadership Team and member of the Government Communications Service (GCS) leadership team that works across government.
The External Communications team comprises:
- press office and social media – creating announcements and providing a reactive 24/7 service for media
- visits and events – organising and accompanying ministers on visits and engagements
- campaigns, branding & marketing – working with agencies to produce creative marketing campaigns
You can read more about MHCLG’s recent news and communications here: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government – GOV.UK
Job description
As part the Executive Team, the most senior leadership team in the department, this role offers a challenging and stretching opportunity for an experienced Communications professional to provide strong leadership within the Department and act as an ambassador for MHCLG across a wide range of stakeholders.
Reporting to the Director General for Strategy and Communications, Brendan Threlfall, you will have a team of around 60 communications staff based within MHCLG. You will have responsibility for effectively leading our internal and external communications teams. You will also act as the Head of Profession for Communications and be a part of the Government Communications Service leadership team, working with colleagues across all departments.
You will provide professional leadership to all communications staff across this network, and provide the leadership required to take forward the development of the Communications function across the organisation in line with the overall reform of Government Communications.
You will set the direction on MHCLG’s communications strategy and ensure that Departmental messaging is given appropriate priority, playing a critical role in achieving whole of Government priorities such as building 1.5 million homes and making work pay. You will also need to effectively manage communications of high-profile and often controversial issues in a fast-paced environment, acting as a trusted and expert adviser to Ministers, the Permanent Secretary and our Executive Team.
You will ensure appropriate alignment with wider Government priorities, working closely alongside No.10, the Cabinet Office, HM Treasury and other Government Departments and acting as a visible ambassador for MHCLG. You will also be a senior member of the Whitehall Directors of Communication Group. This forum drives standards across the profession and ensures appropriate alignment of activity across different departments, working alongside No.10 and HM Treasury.
Key Accountabilities
The Director is responsible for:
- Leading a high-performing communications directorate to develop and deliver a communications strategy for Ministers and the Department, empowering the team to take responsibility and deploy the full range of communications tools to support the Government’s priorities;
- Providing counsel to the Deputy Prime Minister, Ministers, Special Advisers and senior officials, offering practical solutions for managing the reputation of all parts of the department and dealing quickly and proactively with politically sensitive issues;
- Playing a key leadership role in the Government Communication Service, developing influential working relationships with other government departments including No.10 and the Cabinet Office to ensure delivery of cross-government priorities;
- Providing professional leadership of communications activity across MHCLG and its ALBs, ensuring high standards and professional competence and contributing to effective and co-ordinated communications.
- Providing leadership for the department’s internal communications strategy to support the culture and values of the department, to ensure staff have the information they need to do their jobs, and to maintain and develop effective two-way communications with staff;
- Acting as an ambassador for the department and the profession, building and maintaining a strong external communications network across a wide range of stakeholders, including journalists, commentators and opinion formers, arms-length-bodies, and the private sector to ensure departmental messaging is given appropriate priority.
Person specification
We are seeking an experienced and talented strategic communications leader with experience of leading, developing and empowering diverse teams to work in a complex environment that is subject to media attention and public scrutiny.
Whether from the public or private sector, you will have an impressive track record in providing expert, robust advice and professional leadership at senior levels on a wide range of sensitive and complex communications issues. You must be able to handle big news days in succession, while keeping sight of longer-term communications strategy and be able to set this strategic direction for the team.
You will be able to handle and balance a wide range of relationships, internally and externally, and to be credible at senior levels, including with a wide range of Ministers, senior central government officials, and within the media. You will have a high degree of political sensitivity and professionalism to command confidence with Ministers, special advisers, senior officials in the department and across the Civil Service as part of the Government Communication Service.
As a leader we expect you to take pride in pioneering and be experienced in bringing people together and breaking down boundaries. You will role model continuous professional development and ensure that MHCLG’s communications function has the capability and skills it needs to deliver the communications strategy. As a leader within GCS, you will play an active role in raising professional standards and improving efficiency more broadly, including by leading continuous improvement projects.
We particularly encourage applications from those of an ethnic minority background and those with disabilities, who are underrepresented at this level in MHCLG.
Due to the nature of the role, the postholder will also be expected to conduct regular face-to-face meetings in London.
Essential Criteria
- An engaging, adaptable and collaborative leader, who can lead effectively through uncertainty with a strong ability to develop staff, nurture talent and get the best out of a diverse workforce.
- Proven success in developing and implementing compelling and creative communication strategies in a large and complex organisation, with the ability to enable and drive organisational priorities whilst delivering sound management of resources and budgets to achieve value for money, and identifying cost saving opportunities.
- A proven track record of setting direction and leading major programmes with excellent judgement and political acumen, with an ability to manage risk and reach sound judgements in an environment that is subject to media attention and public scrutiny.
- Highly developed interpersonal and influencing skills, with the ability to establish credibility quickly with a diverse network of stakeholders and the ability to present complex issues simply and effectively.
- Evidence of a broad range of communication skills and leadership across media relations, reputation management, corporate and internal communications and digital.
- Experience of acting as a thought-leader and source of expertise and innovation to set professional standards, future capabilities, strategies and driving continuous improvement in communication delivery.
Benefits
- 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%
Things you need to know
Selection process details
How to apply
Please click the Be Applied link to provide the required information and complete your application through the Be Applied website by 23:55 on 9th February 2025.
You will be asked to enter some personal details, upload your CV and to provide your responses to the role’s advertised essential criteria.
When prompted to upload your CV, please upload a single document consisting of:
- a CV (including the names of 2 referees and your current remuneration) setting out your career history, with key responsibilities, achievements and your relevant qualifications. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
- a statement of suitability explaining how your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria provided in the person specification. (max. 2 pages)
Please remember to save these two items in one document. Both items will be assessed to determine sift outcomes.
Failure to submit both a CV and statement of suitability will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the Essential Criteria.
Please note that only completed applications through the Be Applied route will be considered and that any further progress updates will be sent through Be Applied.
The hiring manager, Brendan Threlfall, would be happy to have informal discussions with candidates who would like further information about the role before submitting an application. If interested, please contact scs.recruitment@levellingup.gov.uk
The selection panel will be made up of:
Lea Paterson, Civil Service Commissioner and chair
Brendan Threlfall, MHCLG Director General and hiring manager
Simon Baugh, Chief Executive, Government Communication Service
Additionally, the panel may be joined by one of our staff representatives from a pool of volunteers as part of our commitments to diversity and inclusion.
Selection process and assessments
During sifting, both your CV and Statement of Suitability will be assessed against the role’s Essential Criteria. These Essential Criteria will also be used to form the basis of the panel’s questions in your final interview.
If a role lists Desirable Criteria, these will only be used to determine the merit order of candidates who rank evenly when assessed against the Essential Criteria.
Candidates that are shortlisted may be invited to attend a staff engagement panel.
At MHCLG we hold staff engagement panels as an integral part of the recruitment process for Senior Civil Servants (SCS) – they are designed to help us build up a rounded picture of each candidate and give us an insight into how you might engage and interact with your team should you be successful. The purpose of the session is to help us assess your engagement and communication skills and is not about testing your subject knowledge or expertise for this particular role. Feedback from the session is passed onto the selection panel for consideration alongside the final interview.
Candidates may also be invited to a meeting with a Minister or the Deputy Prime Minister, and/or other senior stakeholders. This is not a formal part of the selection process but an informal chance for candidates to find out more about the role and the organisation.
Shortlisted candidates will also be invited to give a short presentation or complete an exercise at the beginning of their final interview. Further details will be provided to shortlisted candidates when invited to interview.
All of the evidence presented as part of the process will be considered in the final assessment.
Location
This role is available in one of the locations listed below. During the application process you will be asked to express a location preference, from the advertised locations. Any offer made will be based on that specific location.
- London
- Wolverhampton
- Darlington
- Leeds
- Manchester
- Bristol
Regular travel to London is essential.
Salary
For external appointments, remuneration for this role will be £98,000 pa plus a bonus opportunity depending on performance (within the normal Civil Service pay arrangements) and attractive pension.
For existing civil servants, the usual policy on level transfer and promotion will apply and is non-negotiable. If appointed on promotion you would get the higher of 10% uplift or the new minimum for Director (£98,000 p/a)
Future pay awards will normally be made in line with current SCS performance-related pay arrangements.
Reserve List
In the event that we identify more appointable candidates than we currently have posts available, we will hold applicant details in a reserve list for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Candidates placed on a reserve list will be informed of this.
Near Miss Offers
Please note that near miss offers may be made at the lower grade to candidates who do not meet the grade criteria for this campaign.
Security Clearance
All MHCLG colleagues must meet the Baseline Personnel Security Standard. This is a series of basic security checks to confirm identity and employment history.
In addition to the BPSS, if successful, you must hold, or be willing to obtain, security clearance to Developed Vetting (DV) level. Security clearance at Security Check (SC) level will be required to commence in the role. For more details of vetting levels and requirements please refer to the Cabinet Office HMG Personnel Security Controls.
Complaints Process
Please see candidate pack slide 23 for details.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.
Security
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
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
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).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team