Head of Communications (Maternity Cover)

Office of the Children's Commissioner

Westminster, London SW1, UK

Hybrid

Expires: Expiring in less than 2 weeks

Communications

Full time

£74,528 - £82,869 per year

Job summary

Do you want to make a tangible different to the lives of children across England? Can you use your skills to be a catalyst for creating meaningful change and raise the level of debate in society? Are you ready to join a committed team, dedicated to giving children and young people a voice on the issues affecting them?

Now is the perfect time to join the Children’s Commissioner’s Office (CCo) as the Commissioner begins her final year of her term, building on the insights of her research over the past five years and driving policy makers to make the changes she has called for.

Dame Rachel de Souza's 'Big Ask’ survey in 2021 has shaped her term, using responses from more than 560,000 children and young people about the impact of the pandemic, their aspirations and the barriers to reaching them, their lives and communities, and how they feel about the future and the challenges facing the world. Since then, she has surveyed thousands more children about what they want from politicians – with just one in five saying they feel listened to by those in power.

Now, with just 13 months left as Children's Commissioner, a confident media advisor is needed to head up her busy communications team during her final year and create an effective strategy that capitalises on her profile as one of the eminent voices on child’s rights. The successful candidate will have experience working in a high-paced media team, ideally within government or the voluntary sector. They will need a proven record of landing stories nationally, great contacts and ideas to expand the reach of the Children's Commissioner to new platforms and audiences, including children's media and podcasts.

The post is available on promotion at G6 level or as a level transfer to applicants looking for an opportunity to hit the ground running creatively, running an independent and fast-paced team at a crucial and exciting time for the Children's Commissioner. At the heart of every opportunity should be the chance to make children's voices heard, with Dame Rachel as their advocate.

Job description

Purpose of the Job

The Children’s Commissioner for England sits at the heart of Government, delivering for children, and championing their voices and needs. This includes a particular responsibility towards children who rely on the state for their safety or protection.

The Children’s Commissioner is a unique statutory role with powers to help bring about long-term change and improvements for children. Her messages to policy and decision makers, leaders of industry, charities and sometimes parents provide insight, evidence and challenge to us all to provide the best support possible for children as they grow up.

The Post holder will lead the Children’s Commissioner’s Communications activities, with a particular focus on media and digital campaigns. You will deliver impactful strategic communications to the Children’s Commissioner’s objectives and the work of her final business plan. Through high-level media relationships, you will inform, shape, and lead public discourse to support the Commissioner’s work.

You will oversee the Commissioner’s digital presence, with a particular emphasis on evolving social media channels and content, carefully curating what is posted and taking editorial decisions that match the office’s position on online safety.

Whilst the post holder has specific responsibilities, as a member of a small team it will be necessary to become familiar, through time, with other associated aspects of the communications function in order to provide cover for colleagues during busy periods and absences. The post holder will be proactive and willing to contribute to the overall performance of the team.

Key responsibilities

To work with the Director and the communications team to deliver an impactful communications strategy to secure public and political support for the Children’s Commissioner’s priorities and place them at the heart of national debate
To deliver the communications strategy, including online, print, media, and digital communications
Produce communications which speak to parents, children, children in care, and families about issues that affect and impact on them; bringing the office’s work to life for these groups to deliver meaningful change for children.
To capitalise on existing strong relationships with journalists as a credible ‘go to’ partner for informed, well-respected content on children’s issues, and to develop and cultivate new relationships where none as yet exist
To deliver impactful proactive media communications including fast paced and responsive comment with the support of the Senior Communications Officer
To build and maintain strong relationships and collaborations with media partners
To manage and support the communications team to produce creative, effective, and impactful work
Developing bold, innovative, proactive media plans which tell a consistent and compelling story about the Commissioner's work through news, print and social media channels
Amplifying news stories and the Office’s messages increasing social media presence
Influencing key stakeholders and use insight gathered to inform communication strategies and decision makers
Ensuring effective crisis management systems are in place
Managing the Communications function to run effective horizon scanning to produce monthly and three monthly forward looks which analyse risks and identify opportunities
Line manage the communications team and work closely with the Head of External Affairs who runs the Commissioner’s Youth Participation programmes, including her cohort of Youth Ambassadors.

Person specification

Successful applicants will :

Be a strong leader, who leads by example and is demonstrably determined and positive
Have strong customer focus with commitment to high standards of quality and performance
Be skilled in building and maintaining high-level networks and partnerships with media, broadcasters and other stakeholders
Be confident advising senior staff and the Commissioner on decisions and recommending a response
Have effective influencing and negotiation skills
Have the ability to think ‘outside the box’
Be able to translate ideas and concepts into achievable plans
Work effectively under pressure, and to balance competing demands and calls on time in a busy and pressured working environment
Be passionate about achieving the best for children – especially the most vulnerable
Have an understanding of and willingness to abide by the 7 Standards of Public Office

Desirable

Have knowledge of relevant policy issues relating to children’s rights and welfare

Key Criteria

Educated to degree level
A strong news sense with proven knowledge of managing communication, media, stakeholder engagement and external affairs activity in a complex and high profile, at times political, environment
Strong political awareness
Extensive and credible experience within the communication field
A strong track record of successful news management, including generating positive publicity, profile raising and positioning at the heart of national debate
Experience of effective reputation management
Proven experience of leading motivating and managing teams across a range of functions, to achieve outstanding results for the organisation

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £74,528, Office of the Children's Commissioner contributes £21,590 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 27.97%. Benefits of the pension scheme - Civil Service Pension Scheme
An Employee Assistance Programme.
A comprehensive reward scheme.
Generous holiday allowance starting at 25 days plus bank holidays and one privilege day.
Flexible working options including full-time or part-time and hybrid working (amend as per role).
A range of family friendly policies.
Excellent learning and development opportunities.
A culture encouraging inclusivity and diversity.

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

To apply please review the job details and and apply on our Careers Site by 23:55 on Friday 23rd January 2026. The job description will not be available online after the closing date.

Your statement of suitability should be anonymised (name-blind) and should set out how you meet the essential skills and any relevant experience to the key duties of the role (no more than 500 words).

Applications will be sifted against the key requirements set out in the essential and desirable criteria listed in the job description.
The closing date for the receipt of completed applications is 23:55 on 16th February 2026.

Interviews for short-listed candidates are expected to take place during the week beginning 9 February 2026.

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

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Contact point for applicants

Salary range

£74,528 - £82,869 per year