Internal Communications Manager - The Fair Work Agency

Job summary

The Fair Work Agency (FWA) launches in April 2026 as part of the Government’s Plan to Make Work Pay, delivering the reforms introduced through the Employment Rights Act 2025. The FWA will bring together the enforcement of key employment rights into a single organisation, creating a clear, accessible place where workers and employers can get support, guidance and, when needed, action.

The Agency will oversee protections such as the National Minimum Wage, holiday pay, statutory sick pay, and wider safeguards against labour exploitation. With strong powers to inspect workplaces, review records and take action on behalf of workers, the FWA will play a central role in raising employment standards across the UK.

Joining us now means becoming part of an organisation as it is being built. You will help shape how the Agency operates, influence its culture, and contribute directly to improving fairness, compliance and outcomes for millions of workers and responsible employers across the UK.

Job description

The Internal Communications Manager will play a central role in shaping, delivering and embedding a high‑quality internal communications function for the newly established Fair Work Agency (FWA).

This is a unique opportunity to join the organisation at the point of creation. You will support the development of FWA’s identity, culture, values and internal engagement approach as we bring together several existing enforcement functions into a single, modern, people‑centred agency.

You will work closely with senior leaders, Corporate Services, Operations and Programme teams to ensure colleagues feel informed, engaged and connected as the Agency stabilises, grows and matures through its first operational year.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Communications

• Support the development and delivery of a proactive, engaging internal communications strategy that supports FWA’s mission, values and organisational priorities.
• Shape the narrative around FWA’s culture, identity and purpose during its foundational stage.
• Provide strategic advice to senior leaders on colleague engagement, messaging and communication style.

Operational Communications Delivery

• Lead end-to-end delivery of internal communication campaigns, from planning to evaluation.
• Produce high quality content including briefings, leadership messages, newsletters, Q&As, toolkits and updates across multiple channels.
• Manage digital communication channels (intranet, Teams, newsletters, events platforms), ensuring accessibility and consistent tone of voice.

Change Communications

• Support organisational change programmes by providing clear, timely and empathetic communications that help colleagues navigate change.
• Develop stakeholder appropriate materials for Machinery of Government transition, workforce changes, policy updates and cultural initiatives.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Build strong, trusted relationships with senior leaders and subject matter experts across the FWA.
• Act as a specialist adviser on engagement risk and communication impact.
• Work closely with HR/Learning & Development teams to align communications with people strategies, learning priorities and workforce development activity.

Continuous Improvement

• Monitor communication effectiveness and engagement levels using analytics and feedback.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen communication channels and enhance colleague experience.
• Contribute to building a modern, values led, psychologically safe organisational culture.

Person specification

Essential

The below criteria are essential and will be assessed at application stage;

• Experience in internal communications, employee engagement or corporate communications in a complex organisation.
• Strong writing, editing and storytelling skills with the ability to tailor content to different audiences.
• Experience developing communication plans or campaigns aligned to organisational goals, accessibility standards and inclusion communication practices.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver high-quality outputs at pace.
• Experience using digital communication platforms (e.g., SharePoint, intranet CMS, Teams, broadcast email systems).
• Strong stakeholder management skills, including advising senior leaders.

Desirable

The below criteria are desirable only. These will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process, but will be used in the event of tied scores between candidates;

• Experience working in a public-sector or regulatory environment.
• Experience of communications during organisational change, including Machinery of Government transitions, restructures or cultural programmes.
• Understanding of employee experience, organisational development or HR communications.
• Experience analysing data/feedback to improve communications and engagement.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,391, Department for Business and Trade contributes £12,280 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 with an employer contribution of 28.97%

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

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.

Interviews for this vacancy will be conducted virtually. We will, however, consider in-person interviews by exception.

Please ensure that you check your emails regularly as all updates from us will be sent to you this way.

To apply for this post, you will be asked to complete the following as part of the online application:

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Provide employment history that relates to the essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages.
• A Personal Statement of up to 1000 words, explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential criteria.

Your application will be sifted against the Experience criteria of the Civil Service Success Profiles.

It is likely that the sift will take place 1-2 weeks after the closing date and interviews 3-5 weeks after the closing date, though this is subject to change.

We aim to sift both the CV and the Personal Statement but, in the event of a large number of applicants, an initial short sift may be conducted on the CV only. Candidates who pass the initial sift of the CV will either progressed to a full sift where the Personal Statement is then assessed, or progressed straight to further assessment/interview.

As part of your interview, you will be asked to deliver a short presentation, details will be provided 5-days prior to your interview.

Candidates who pass the sift will be invited to interview, where we will assess you on the Success Profiles elements of Behaviours, Experience, and Strengths.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Reasonable Adjustments

We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process. In order to request an adjustment:

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section on the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process.

Alternatively contact the Government Recruitment Service at DBTrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

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 see attached Candidate Pack for further information on: Diversity and Inclusion; Benefits; Learning and Development; Working Patterns and what we deliver as a department.

Further Information:

• A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Reserve Lists will be for each location and appointments made in merit order based on location preferences.
• Any move to the Department for Business and Trade from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments.
• The Department will not consider sponsoring a visa or issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship. We are unable to offer advice on any Visa and Immigration cases.
• 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. Any applicant who has 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.
• Terms and Conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
• Please note – the successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before being released for another role.
• Candidates that do not quite meet the standard for this role may be offered a position at a lower grade.

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

For further information on the Access NI confidential checking service telephone: the Access NI Helpline on 0300 200 7888 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email accessni@ani.x.gsi.gov.uk

Feedback

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.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 : ERD People Team
• Email : erdpeopleteam@businessandtrade.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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

Further information

Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment on the basis of fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles.
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DBT by email: Resourcing@businessandtrade.gov.uk.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.
For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: Click here to visit Civil Service Commission/Complaints.

Attachments

DBT T&Cs 2025-08-18 Opens in new window (doc, 46kB)DBT candidate pack July 2024 (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 943kB)