Communications Officer

Job summary

Would you like to work on exciting issues that really make a difference to people’s lives? As the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) plays a pivotal role in people's day-to-day life, from the food we eat, the water we drink, to the air we breathe.

Within the Defra Communications Directorate you will be welcomed into a collaborative, professional network and supported to build a fulfilling and impactful career. We provide a communications service to the department and other Defra group bodies, such as the Environment Agency, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA), Natural England and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).

Successful candidates will be placed in various teams within the Defra Communications Directorate. Candidates invited to interview will be able to indicate their preference for which team they would like to join. Whilst we will take these preferences into account, we cannot guarantee that successful applicants will be allocated to their preferred team.

Job description

• Taking the lead on creating and delivering multi-channel communications plans across media, digital, stakeholder or internal channels, working with policy and external delivery colleagues.
• Leading on evaluating the success of our communications to help us continually improve how we communicate with our target audiences, gathering insight and data to help design and evaluate communications and apply lessons learnt.
• Work with teams to develop and deliver accurate, engaging and accessible content across the full range of communications formats – including news articles, op-eds, blogs, social media graphics, video, photography and animation – repurposing and optimising assets across owned, earned and paid channels.
• Using digital tools to provide issue monitoring, reporting and rebuttal advice to Defra and the ALBs group Communications supports.
• Building strong working relationships with peers and clients and being able to deliver work at pace to short timescales, as well as proactively seeking opportunities to expand our reach by engaging with new groups, including journalists and stakeholders.
• Maintaining a forward planner to support planning for key communications milestones.
• Protecting and enhancing the reputation of Defra group through horizon scanning, issues management or internal communications.
• Supporting the organisation and delivery of internal or external events – both in person and digitally through the use of Microsoft Teams Town Hall or other digital engagement tools.

Person specification

• Experience of delivery of well thought through internal or external communications plans, considering multiple disciplines.
• A strong track record of developing effective internal and external working relationships and working at pace.
• The ability to write clearly and to contribute to strong communications and stakeholder engagement plans, email updates, meeting notes and presentations.
• The ability to think strategically and identify opportunities to communicate effectively across a variety of audiences including the media, stakeholders and the public.
• Excellent planning, management and organisational ability.
• The ability to work well in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities and tight deadlines, as well as supporting others in these circumstances.
• Strong interest in the national news agenda and drafting communications handling; strong news judgment and political awareness; exceptional writing skills; and the ability to confidently present and evaluate their work.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together

Technical skills

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

• Government Communication Service (GCS) Competency 1: Insight
• Government Communication Service (GCS) Competency 2: Ideas
• Government Communication Service (GCS) Competency 3: Implementation
• Government Communication Service (GCS) Competency 4: Impact

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £34,765, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £10,071 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%

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

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

Application Process
As part of the application process you will be asked to submit:

• a CV
• a personal statement of no more than 500 words
• statements (no more than 250 words per statement) for the following Civil Service Behaviours: Communicating & Influencing, Delivering at Pace, and Working Together.

For your personal statement, please provide detailed evidence of the criteria in the person specification.

Sift
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the personal statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Sift and interview dates, as well as the interview location, to be confirmed.

Interview
If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on the following technical skills:

Government Communication Service (GCS) Competency: Insight

Government Communication Service (GCS) Competency: Ideas

Government Communication Service (GCS) Competency: Implementation

Government Communication Service (GCS) Competency: Impact

Candidates will be asked to demonstrate the Information Officer (IO) level skills and knowledge for each competency.

A presentation/additional exercise may also be assessed.

Location

As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s)

Where the location is ‘National’ the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.

Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.

Salary

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to Defra 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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in 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 if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Merit Lists

Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be appointed in merit order for each location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.

Criminal Record Check

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.

All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to London may be subject to a higher level of clearance because of the security requirements for that location. Job offers to these posts are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer.

Internal Fraud Database Check

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.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

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

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.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.

Diversity and Inclusion

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

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).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 : Hannah Siddall
• Email : hannah.siddall@defra.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: here