Head of Home & Foreign Communications

Job summary

The Prime Minister’s Office enables the Prime Minster to deliver the Government’s overall priorities and to communicate the Government’s policies to Parliament, the public and international audiences. From the Policy Unit, Comms team, Switchboard and Custodians, to the Events & Visits team and the Private Office support; the diverse Downing Street team draws on varied expertise from across the Civil Service and beyond. The teams come together to deliver excellent service to the Prime Minister while also making No10 a great place to work.

Job description

The Prime Minister’s Communications Team is looking to appoint a Deputy Head of News to lead the Home & Foreign desks within the media team.

Based at 10 Downing Street, this is one of the most exciting and challenging jobs in government communications, providing a unique opportunity to work at the heart of the Prime Minister’s office.

While the challenges of this role are significant, so are the rewards, with the successful post-holder having the chance to work within No10; lead a brilliant and high-performing team in delivering the PM’s priorities and working closely with colleagues across Government.

The post-holder will need to provide trusted advice to the Prime Minister and their wider political team; motivate and develop the talented No10 Communications Team with a focus on driving forward press and digital integration, and work in partnership with Whitehall counterparts while acting as an exemplar of professional standards.

The main duties of the posts will be:

• Oversight of a portfolio of policies on the domestic and foreign agenda, focusing on all international issues, crime and justice, migration, and domestic security (to note – portfolios may change according to business need).
• Lead on the Prime Minister’s international travel – travelling with him where required and leading a large, cross-discipline team to deliver insight-driven, integrated, multi-day communication plans.
• Lead teams to manage crisis communications for high-profile breaking news stories, playing a convening role across Whitehall and setting the direction from the centre.
• Maintain and deliver regular briefings for the foreign lobby and, on occasion, provide resilience for domestic lobby briefings when required to support the PMOS and DPMOS.
• Drive joined up communications across press and digital teams.
• Build and maintain excellent relations with key contacts in No10 in order to keep abreast of developing policies and offer communications advice accordingly.
• Maintain close working relations with political communications colleagues within the bounds of propriety.
• Drive professional standards across government and take responsibility for the output of relevant departments.
• Build relationships with communications teams from relevant departments (currently FCDO, MoD, Home Office, MoJ, DBT and the intelligence agencies) and provide advice to them where required.
• Staff the PM personally on visits and during briefings.
• Deputise for the Head of News as required, including routinely hosting cross- Government calls and meetings.
• Play an active part in No10 Communications team Senior Management Team (SMT).

Person specification

Working at No 10 involves regularly delivering under pressure and to challenging deadlines. The role will also include routine out of hours work and includes a requirement to participate in the No10 duty rota. Due to the nature of this role, this role is office based only and will require regular international travel.

You will need to be able to demonstrate the following skills:

• First-rate news judgement under pressure
• A strong grasp of the wider media and political context in which the Government operates
• Experience of using insight to develop a strategic approach to short- and long-term campaigns, and evaluating comms activity.
• Experience of using digital media as part of comms plan execution.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, as you’ll be expected to work closely, while under pressure, with colleagues across No10 and in government departments
• The leadership skills to motivate and develop a team of ambitious professionals

This post will appeal to experienced and confident media operators, who enjoy working with senior ministers, political advisers, officials and journalists; who is equally confident that they can articulate the clear sense of direction necessary to motivate a high-performing team; and who wants to play an active leadership role in the wider Prime Minister’s Office.

The successful candidate much be willing to undergo Developed Vetting (DV) once in post.

Desirable Skills & Experience;

• Press relations
• Digital
• Insight and evaluation

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:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £73,690, Cabinet Office contributes £21,347 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, Strengths and Experience.

Application process

Please include a CV and use the Personal Statement (1,000 words max) to explain how your skills and experience make you a suitable candidate for the role.

Selection process

Applications will be sifted against the CV and Personal Statement.

Candidates successful at sift will be invited to a Behaviour and Strength based panel interview.

Expected timeline (subject to change)
Expected sift date – April
Expected interview date/s – April
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 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.

Further information
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 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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis 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.

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 : No10 Recruitment
• Email : No10Recruitment@no10.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 (1) (2) Opens in new window (pdf, 302kB)Cabinet Office Terms and Conditions - External 2025-02-20 Opens in new window (docx, 83kB)