Head of Speechwriting

Job summary

The Strategy, Communications and Advocacy (SCA) team is at the heart of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), working across the organisation on a wide range of high-profile cases and projects, to make sure the important content the CMA generates is communicated clearly and effectively to everyone in the UK.

If you are a deeply effective communicator with a strong track record of performance and delivery, we have an excellent opportunity for a Head of Speechwriting.The successful candidate will shape narratives that support organisational priorities, influence key audiences, and strengthen the CMA's voice across public platforms.

About the CMA

We help people, businesses, and the UK economy by promoting competitive markets and tackling unfair behaviour. Our work is wide ranging, ambitious and often new and challenging.

It’s a fascinating time to be at the heart of competition and consumer protection as our lives become increasingly digital and society grapples with the unique power of large technology firms.

We are fully committed to being a flexible, respectful and inclusive employer. It is a priority to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we welcome applications from under-represented groups.

You can read more about working at the CMA in our candidate pack

Job description

This is a key role operating at the heart of the CMA, helping ensure our work is well understood by key audiences and maximising its impact. Reporting to the Director of Communications, the role will oversee speechwriting delivery and coordinate the CMA’s speaking function, working directly with CEO and Chair on their external messaging.

You will work across a busy and varied brief, ranging from tackling cost of living issues to merger control to regulating the world's biggest digital firms. This role blends high-quality writing with strong analytical capability, political and policy awareness, and the ability to advise on messaging in complex environments. The successful candidate will shape narratives that support organisational priorities, influence key audiences, and strengthen the organisation’s voice across public platforms.

The role holder will be responsible for:

• Speechwriting: Lead a speechwriting function that will flex between co-ordination of ‘self-serve’ speechwriting by frontline teams, through to full-service delivery for Chair, CEO, and other senior staff.
• Executive communications: Plan and coordinate CEO and Chair external communication in coordination with the CMA communications team.
• Content development and activation: Create and deliver pro-active strategic comms content such as op eds, forewords and blogs based around key priorities and moments and in support of key strategic themes such as the case for competition.
• Collaboration: Establishing and developing excellent working relationships with senior staff, in particular the CEO and Chair, to enable effective delivery of key content. Matrix management responsibilities for speech delivery across the CMA.

To find out more about the full role responsibilities, please review the attached role profile.

Person specification

It is essential that you can provide evidence and examples for each of the following selection criteria in your application. For tips on how to make the most your application, please have a look at our guidance document. If you do not meet the lead selection criteria in your application, the panel will not be required to score your application against the remaining essential criteria of the role:

• Expertise in speechwriting with a strong track record of performance and delivery in complex policy, regulatory, economic or corporate environments. (Lead Criteria)
• Outstanding communication skills, both oral and written, with high levels of sensitivity and judgment and the ability to influence outcomes effectively through persuasive argument. (Lead Criteria)
• Authority and credibility to influence and engage successfully with CEO/Exco/senior leadership colleagues and external partners in complex or politically sensitive situations. (Lead Criteria)
• Proven aptitude for leadership, with the ability to build and lead inclusive teams and motivate people both within a team and beyond their authority.
• Significant experience leading and delivering a portfolio of work at pace including effective scoping of work and setting of clear responsibilities.
• Experience of working collaboratively, building effective relationships with colleagues and senior decision makers, and delivering in partnership with other organisations or departments with related goals or responsibilities.
• Ability to balance and prioritise multiple competing and changing demands whilst remaining resilient and highly motivated.

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions
• Changing and Improving
• Leadership

Technical skills

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

• Speechwriting

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £84,800, Competition & Markets Authority contributes £24,566 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

You’ll also get:

• 25 days leave (increasing to 30 days over five years), plus 8 public holidays and an additional day off for the King’s birthday. In addition, you’ll be able to access a wide range of other types of leave as and when you need it, including generous maternity, paternity, shared parental leave and adoption options, as well as paid special leave for volunteering
• Season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, flu vaccinations and eye tests
• Access to the Civil Service Sports & Leisure, giving discounted gym membership, high street discounts, free access to UK wide attractions and a free Tastecard
• A range of wellbeing benefits, including an employee assistance programme, flexible working options and family friendly policies, regular networking events and professional learning opportunities at work

You can read more about our benefits in our candidate pack.

Our Values

We are Ambitious and Evidence-based, and always strive for Excellence.​ We treat everyone with Respect and are Collaborative and Inclusive.​

Everything we do is underpinned by the Civil Service values: Honesty, Integrity, Impartiality and Objectivity.

You can read more about life at the CMA in our candidate pack.

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 and sift stage

• As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement and an online application form. Further details about application requirements are listed on the application form.
• The selection process will comprise of the sift (CV & application review), presentation and an interview. Arrangements for the presentation and interview will be enclosed in the invitation.
• Please note that it is essential that your personal statement is aligned to provide evidence that you have the knowledge and experience for each of the essential criteria (as included on the role profile attached and listed above under 'Person Specification') in your application. Your personal statement should be no more than 1250 words.
• An initial sift based on the first three criteria points (Lead Criteria) may be held if a large number of applications are received. If your application progresses to a full sift, all elements of the essential criteria listed under Person Specification will then be considered. If you do not meet the lead selection criteria in your application, the panel will not be required to score your application against the remaining essential criteria of the role.
• We may raise the score required at sift stage to progress to interview if we receive a high number of applications and take through the highest performing candidates to the interview stage.
• Successful candidates at sift will be invited to an interview which will be conducted in person at our London office in Canary Wharf.

Interview stage

• At the CMA we apply a blended interview technique, allowing us to find out more about you and we use the Success Profiles framework assessing the Behaviours, Technical Skill, and experience outlined in the advert and attached role profile.
• The first part of the interview will comprise of a pre-interview task, based on the technical skill, details of which you will sent with your interview invitation.
• The second part of the interview will be a 45 minute-one hour panel interview where you will be asked questions based on the Behaviours and Experience skills (essential criteria) outlined in the role profile.

• A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

Timeline (the dates outlined below are indicative and may be subject to change)

• The advert closing date is 2 March 2026 (23:55). We are not able to accept late applications.
• The sift is scheduled to take place between 3rd and 6th March 2026.
• Interviews will be held from the week commencing 16th March 2026. Interviews will be in-person and take place in the London CMA office in Canary Wharf and will be confirmed at the time of interview booking

Reasonable adjustments

We want to make sure no one is at a disadvantage during our recruitment process because of a disability, condition or impairment. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. You can also email recruitment@cma.gov.uk.

For example, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you are deaf, a Language Service Professional. You might also require additional time to complete a timed assessment or a sign language interpreter to support with the relaying of information.

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.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 : CMA Recruitment
• Email : recruitment@cma.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@cma.gov.uk

Further information

If your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact Recruitment@cma.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk.

Attachments

Head of Speechwriting - Role Profile Opens in new window (pdf, 150kB)