Deputy Head of External Affairs

Job summary

The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) is a new arm’s-length body set up, at unprecedented pace, to administer compensation to people whose lives have been impacted by the infected blood scandal.

We are building a Communications and Engagement Team with one aim: to deliver compensation to the infected blood community with care and respect. As a team we collaborate, we lead and we work at pace. With a big job to do you’ll be striving for innovation and excellence as we build the team together.

We’re looking for an experienced, motivated and creative communications leader. Our work requires pace, impact and sensitivity, putting the infected and affected community at the heart of our communications and making it easy for them to get the compensation and support they are entitled to.

Working closely with the Engagement team, the External Affairs team will design and deliver our approach for building and maintaining parliamentary and other key relationships. This includes acting as trusted advisors and facilitators, delivering visits, speeches, events and roundtables and working across Government and charities amongst others.

IBCA employees will be public servants. If successful in this role you will be appointed directly into IBCA, on IBCA terms and conditions as a public servant.

Successful applicants will join the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Please note that the mission of IBCA means that it is likely to be fully operational for a period of approximately up to 5 years, after which IBCA will become a smaller residual service. When IBCA’s work begins to wind down, IBCA employees will receive support and practical guidance to find a new role, whether in the Civil Service, another Arms Length Body (ALB), or an external employer.

Job description

We are looking for a highly motivated, confident and enthusiastic leader to guide and shape a new External Affairs Team into IBCA’s Communications and Engagement Team. You will draw on your insight and experience to build the strategy that will underpin this new team.

You will ensure that IBCA shares its purpose and progress with those with the greatest interest in and ability to influence the organisation’s success including parliamentarians, MPs, officials from government departments, regulators, partners and other advocates. You will understand the rhythm of a week in Westminster and the parliamentary calendar to identify and act on engagement opportunities to ensure that the infected blood community are informed of key moments.

You will take a long-term and strategic approach to your work, producing horizon scanning to map and plan for a cohesive timetable of engagement. As well as building IBCA’s external reputation, you will work closely with colleagues and senior leaders across IBCA to embed this function within the Authority.

This is an opportunity to build a high-performing and motivated team to deliver measurable strategic external affairs for IBCA, ensuring community members are supported and informed through those that represent them.

Responsibilities:

• You will be responsible for the development and implementation of a robust and creative external affairs strategy that will underpin the ways of working for the new team and support IBCA’s objectives.
• You will support with the planning and delivery of high quality engagement and visits to support IBCA’s senior leadership team to engage with parliamentarians, MPs, officials from government departments, regulators, partners and other advocates.
• Work with policy experts across IBCA and government departments to understand policy and use this understanding to inform, develop and evaluate appropriate approaches to external affairs that will clearly demonstrate the progress that IBCA is making and support community members.
• Maintain a regular awareness of the news cycle and relevant stakeholder and community insight to ensure that IBCA’s external engagement activity is planned with due regard to potential issues.
• Own and manage key communications and engagement channels and products (such as the MP toolkits and insight and analysis) to ensure that internal and external stakeholders have timely information with signposts to information, to better support those in their communities who are eligible to claim.
• You will have deep knowledge, a keen interest and experience of local and/ or central government including understanding council and/ or parliamentary procedures and the parliamentary calendar and how it might impact stakeholders.
• You will understand and have experience of local and/ or central government.
• Oversee an ongoing programme of engagement with MPs and other parliamentarians, (including regular face-to-face engagement for senior leaders),ensuring that they have relevant information to support their constituents and to secure understanding and advocacy over time.
• Devise and oversee regular stakeholder reviews, including stakeholder mapping, sentiment analysis, engagement strategies and evaluation, in order to inform IBCA’s approach to external affairs and provide persuasive arguments for senior leaders to support your decisions.
• Work with the wider Communications and Engagement leadership team to support the directorate’s delivery plan, with the ability to flex should priorities change.
• Support the G6 Head of Media, Digital and External Affairs and deputise where required.

Some travel will be required.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

The successful candidate will show:

• Evidence of building and leading teams and creating structure and stability in a fast-paced and changing environment.
• Proven ability to deliver results in a fast-moving, busy, high profile environment.
• Proven ability to devise and deliver strategic approaches to engagement and external affairs.
• Ability to solve problems with tact and discretion.
• Proven ability to project manage, motivate teams, and ensure delivery to tight deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills and attention to detail.
• Demonstrable ability to provide strong and supportive leadership in a busy and high-profile environment.
• Experience of handling complex internal and external stakeholder relationships at a senior level to identify and achieve agreed outcomes, including political stakeholders.
• Ability to analyse trends based on qualitative and quantitative data and use these to inform planning and delivery.
• Experience of liaison and engagement within political systems (UK Parliament or devolved parliaments and assemblies).

Specialist Skills (desirable)

• Experience of working on central government planning
• Experience of trauma-informed engagement and communication.
• Experience of tracking and measuring the success of stakeholder engagement.

Additional information:

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although 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:

• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture

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

• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £58,655, Infected Blood Compensation Authority contributes £16,992 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Premium allowance paid monthly after probation
• 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%
• 32.5 days of paid annual leave plus 8 bank holidays
• Family friendly policies to support you and your everyday responsibilities
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave, up to 12 months shared parental leave

Recent changes in skilled worker visa eligibility mean that a Skilled Worker must have a job offer in an eligible skilled occupation from a Home Office-approved sponsor. From 22 July 2025, the job must normally be skilled to level 6 (graduate level) on the Regulated Qualifications Framework for England and Northern Ireland, or the equivalent level in Wales or Scotland, or be included on either the Immigration Salary List or the Temporary Shortage List. Please be aware that if the role is not eligible for a skilled worker visa that we will be unable to provide sponsorship.

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, Strengths and Experience.

As part of your application you will be required to provide a CV setting out your career history, qualifications and previous skills and experience highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role.

You will also be required to provide a Statement of Suitability (500 words max.)

Please use your statement of suitability to explain how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria in the person specification section of the job advert.

Your CV and Statement of Suitability will be assessed against the essential criteria listed in the 'Person Specification' section of the job advert.

You will also be assessed on the following behaviours at application stage:

Leadership
Delivering at Pace

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted where you are assessed on the lead behaviour, Leadership.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Should you be successful at sift, you will be invited to attend an interview where you will be assessed on Behaviours and strengths.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – w/c 13 July 2026
Expected interview date/s – w/c 27 July 2026
Interview location - Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.

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 IBCA.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.

Further Information

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

Any move to IBCA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website)

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service/Disclosure Scotland 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.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

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 IBCA if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

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

PLEASE NOTE: IBCA employees are public servants, therefore the Civil Service Nationality Rules (CSNR) do not apply. Candidates who do not meet the CSNR are welcome to apply and applications will not be rejected: successful candidates however will be subject to a Right to Work check to work within the UK.

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

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.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.

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

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 : IBCA Recruitment Team
• Email : ibca.recruitment@ibca.org.uk

Recruitment team

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

Further information

Our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of selection for appointment on the basis of merit by a fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact the Resourcing Team at IBCA.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Attachments

Employee Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 1851kB)