Department for culture, media and sport
Communications Officer
Job Description
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Reference number
Salary
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Contract type
Loan
Length of employment
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Type of role
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Contents
Location
About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
Apply and further information
Location
About the job
Job summary
The Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) has an exciting opportunity for two (x2) highly skilled Communications Officers to join one of the most varied and fast paced departments in Whitehall.
We’re looking for an experienced, driven and creative Communications Officer to join our small, friendly integrated team where you’ll get the chance to build your skills across all areas of DCMS work.
We work closely with Ministers, private offices, policy teams and special advisors to identify proactive media opportunities for Ministers and to promote the department’s work, plan media events and manage reactive media enquiries. We also work with our sectors to ensure we provide stakeholder and third-party support for specific announcements.
This is a hugely rewarding role which will provide a fascinating challenge for the right candidate.
Job description
You will join a busy News team that covers one of the most diverse briefs in Government, including sport, gambling, civil society and youth policy; arts, heritage, major national ceremonial events, media, creative industries and tourism policy.
From supporting the establishment of an Independent Football Regulator, to delivering a new National Youth Strategy, making the UK the safest place in the world to gamble, or supporting the creative industries to thrive you will be part of a small team devising and delivering creative, communication strategies across all DCMS channels.
Job Specification
Working closely with colleagues across the department, you will:
- Develop, manage and deliver proactive communications plans, securing high quality coverage and interview opportunities for Ministers in line with departmental priorities.
- Handle reactive news stories, responding to queries, interview requests and breaking issues effectively and in a timely manner.
- Provide media advice and support to Ministers, senior officials and stakeholders.
- Work with DCMS arm’s length bodies to plan and maximise announcements and identify opportunities for joint working.
- Monitor and evaluate media work to ensure strategic objectives are being met and messages land in the media.
- Be expected to take part in the out of hours duty rota, for which overtime is paid.
Person specification
The successful candidate will need to demonstrate a range of essential skills and experience outlined in the GCS Competency Framework and Behaviours set out in the Success Profiles Framework.
You will have an excellent news sense, proven experience of working in a busy communications environment and first-rate writing and media handling skills.
You will be a confident self-starter and have the ability to foster and maintain good relations with a wide range of people, from journalists to key stakeholders and Ministers.
You’ll know how to get our messages out through the media, deliver targeted communication plans across all channels, and provide an effective and professional service to the media.
Essential Requirements:
- Have significant experience in communications, PR, journalism or news.
- Have delivered creative media plans, using the right channels for the target audience.
- Have a keen news sense and first-rate media handling skills.
- Have excellent written and oral communication abilities.
- Be highly organised with the ability to deliver at pace and under pressure to competing deadlines and on multiple projects.
- Demonstrate strong leadership skills with the ability to influence and advise senior colleagues and Ministers.
- Be an enthusiastic team player with a can-do attitude, offering creative solutions to arising problems.
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Delivering at Pace
- Communicating and Influencing
Benefits
DCMS values its staff and offers a wide range of benefits to everyone who works here. We’re committed to developing talent, and supporting colleagues to have great careers in our department. To support with that, some of the benefits we offer include:
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Flexible working arrangements and hybrid working – DCMS staff work on a flexible basis with time spent in offices, and time spent working from home
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26.5 days annual leave on entry, increasing to 31.5 days after 5 years’ service
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A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
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Access to the Edenred employee benefits system which offers discounts to popular retailers and access to various useful resources such as financial and savings advice
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3 days of paid volunteering leave
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Up to 9 months maternity leave on full pay + generous paternity and adoption leave
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Staff reward and recognition bonuses that operate throughout the year
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Occupational sick pay
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Access to the Employee Assistance Programme which offers staff 24/7 confidential support and resources such as counselling, debt guidance and management advice
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Active and engaged staff networks to join including the LGBT+, Ethnic Diversity, Mental Health and Wellbeing and Gender Equality Networks
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Exceptional learning and development opportunities that you can explore alongside your day to day work
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Season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme and much more!
Terms and conditions at SCS grades will vary. Those applying for SCS roles should refer to the candidate information pack for more information on terms and conditions.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
To apply for this vacancy, you will need to submit the following documents which will assessed against the experience success profile:
- A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you provide employment history that relates to the essential and desirable criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages and you should insert your CV into the "Job History" section on Civil Service Jobs on the Civil Service Jobs application form.
- A Statement of Suitability (max 750 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential requirements highlighted. You may also choose to reference the desirable skills listed however these will not be considered in the assessment of your application except in circumstances where there are a high number and calibre of candidates.
For the shortlist, we will select applicants demonstrating the best fit for the role by considering the evidence provided in your application.
In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial sift will be conducted on the statement of suitability.Those who are successful in the initial sift will then be scored on all elements of the application.
Interview
The interview process will assess behaviours and experience through a scenario based task which will be provided prior to interview.
The behaviours to be tested at interview are:
- Delivering at Pace
- Communicating and Influencing
The GCS competencies to be tested at interview are:
- Ideas
- Implementation
- Insight
- Impact
Prior to the interview you will be sent the behaviour questions in advance.
Your interview will take place in person at 100 Parliament Street, London, SW1A 2BQ.
You will also be required to undertake a written exercise as part of your interview for which further details will be provided in advance of the interview.
For support in writing your application and interviewing, please refer to the ‘Application and Interview Guidance’ document attached to the job advert.
For indicative sift and interview dates please refer to the attached Candidate Information Pack.
Further Information
If the vacancy is offered as FTA/Loan, existing Civil Servants must join on a Loan basis only. Prior agreement to be released on loan must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.
This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting
Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Any move to Department for Culture, Media and Sport 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
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
DCMS has a London and a National pay scale. For more information on this, including the circumstances in which each pay scale will apply, please see the ‘Candidate Information Pack’ attached.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
Reasonable Adjustment
We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process.
In order to request an adjustment, please:
Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section on the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or a verbal test rather than a written one.
Alternatively, contact the Government Recruitment Service via dcmsrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Accessibility
If you are experiencing accessibility difficulties with any of the attachments, please contact us. Contact details can be found in the ‘contact point for applicants’ section of the job advert.
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
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
Further information
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@dcms.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/civilservicerecruitmentcomplaints/