Deputy Head of Civil Service Communication

Job summary

The Cabinet Office Communications team is seeking a talented and experienced Deputy Head of Civil Service Communications. This pivotal role involves leading high-profile, cross-departmental communications to a vast audience of 450,000 civil servants, as well as amplifying the work of the Civil Service to the wider public.

This is an exciting and critical time to join the Civil Service. We require a strong, strategic communicator to shape and deliver communications for a wide range of government priorities.

The work is multi-disciplinary and high-impact, encompassing:

• Leading central, high-profile internal announcements
• Delivering nationwide annual events, visits and engagement programmes
• Engaging civil servants and leaders through social media and wider Civil Service channels

You will be positioned at the heart of government, with excellent career development potential. The role provides a unique opportunity to build close working relationships with policy officials, other government departments and a wide array of senior stakeholders. As a valued member of the Government Communication Service, you will also benefit from fantastic learning and development opportunities.

Team

The Cabinet Office Communications team delivers high-impact communications for senior Cabinet Office and Civil Service officials, collaborating with the UK Government's most influential partners. Our remit includes cross-government coordination, civil contingencies, reputation management, constitutional affairs and Civil Service staff engagement.

We are strengthening our communications, campaigns and engagement capabilities, specifically by enhancing the service provided to our lead officials and improving message cascade and amplification through essential partners.

Job description

The Deputy Head of Civil Service Communications will provide strategic direction and oversight for all Civil Service communications. This critical role ensures a cohesive Civil Service narrative across government and a clear strategy for engaging and inspiring staff.

What you'll bring:

• Proven ability to work at senior level within government, building high-level relationships and providing trusted advice on internal communications. You will deputise for the Head of Civil Service Communications and be the go-to person for cross-Civil Service communications advice.
• Extensive experience leading teams to produce high-impact communications, delivering complex communications and engagement strategies, and executing high-profile, multi-channel campaigns.
• Experience communicating with staff across large, dispersed organisations.
• Strong digital communications skills, with a focus on creating engaging content, particularly on platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram.
• Exceptional skills in building and leveraging partnerships to enable delivery across government.
• Experience working with senior leaders and Ministers, handling complex stakeholder relationships, and planning and delivering high-profile visits and events.
• Media and political awareness with a strong understanding of the Civil Service landscape.
• Alertness to emerging issues and trends that could impact or benefit the work.
• Strong analytical skills, including effective use of insight and evaluation.
• Experience in line management and developing team capability.

Person specification

• Leadership and team management: Lead the Civil Service communications team, ensuring they have the skills, tools, training and support to deliver excellent work.
• Strategic delivery: Design, deliver and evaluate an evidence-based, multi-channel communications strategy for the Civil Service that aligns with strategic priorities.
• Content and channels: Oversee key channels including the weekly Civil Service Newsletter, Civil Service Blog and social media channels.
• Campaign management: Provide strategic direction for internal and cross-government campaigns, overseeing all aspects of delivery and reporting success to senior leaders.
• Stakeholder alignment: Develop and maintain strong relationships across government to ensure aligned messaging and secure buy-in for key commitments.
• Planning and triage: Manage short-term planning via the communication grid and triage incoming requests for communications support.
• GCS contribution: Actively contribute as a communications leader within the Government Communication Service by participating in cross-government programmes.

This role requires flexibility to accommodate some overnight travel and occasional early starts or late finishes, typically a few times per month.

Additional information:

Cabinet Office policy is that a minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. For some roles, due to their nature and the business need, this may be up to 100%. Requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Managing a Quality Service

Technical skills

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

• Presentation

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £62,988, Cabinet Office contributes £18,247 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 which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and employer contributions of 28.97%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30.

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:

For your application, you will need to submit a CV outlining your employment history, education, and key skills. You will also need to submit a 750-word statement of suitability, detailing why you are suitable for the role, mapping your skills and experience directly to the core responsibilities within the job description.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the lead Behaviour, Communicating and Influencing. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Selection process

During the interview you will be assessed against the following behaviours

• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Managing a Quality Service

Candidates invited to interview will be asked to deliver a presentation. Details of the presentation task will be provided with your interview invitation.

Expected timeline (subject to change)
Expected sift date – tbc
Expected interview date/s – tbc
Interview location - interviews will be held in person at 70 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2AS

Further Information

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

Any move to Cabinet Office 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.

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.

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

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

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.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

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.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Reasonable adjustments

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 Cabinetofficerecruitment.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.

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

Feedback

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

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.

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 : Amrita Devaiah
• Email : amrita.devaiah@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and wish to make a complaint, then in the first instance you should contact Government Recruitment Service by email at : cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk. For further information on the Recruitment Principles and bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission, please visit their website at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk.

Attachments

Cabinet Office Employee Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 302kB)Cabinet Office Terms and Conditions - External 2025-02-20 Opens in new window (docx, 83kB)