Royal Air Force - Communications Manager

Job summary

The Royal Air Force (RAF) Air Media and Communications organisation is responsible for the delivery of communications that influence how people inside and outside the RAF understand, engage with, and think about us.

We work closely with the Ministry of Defence communications team, other communications teams across the Armed Forces, and the wider RAF Family of organisations that support our Whole Force.

Air Media and Communications is part of the Government Communication Service. We use the OASIS framework for strategic communications and the four communication competences of Insight, Ideas, Implementation, and Impact.

We are seeking an ambitious, creative, and digitally driven Communications Manager to join our dynamic team within the Royal Air Force (RAF). This role offers an exciting opportunity to help shape and deliver engaging content while contributing to the RAF’s broader communications strategy.

As part of the RAF’s communications team, you will work closely with the strategy team to assist in delivering the RAF Communications Strategy, ensuring consistent, high-quality messaging across a range of platforms and to a variety of internal and external audiences. Your role will involve writing digital content for senior leaders, assisting in the development of communications plans for campaigns, and helping to think creatively about new ways to launch campaigns and reach diverse audiences.

You will play an integral role in the communications community across government and will have the opportunity to contribute to maintaining the RAF’s reputation as a centre of excellence.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

Supporting the Strategy & Plans Team

• Assist with the delivery of the RAF Communications Strategy, forming strong relationships with the RAF communications network and advising on output.
• Write compelling digital content for senior leaders, ensuring consistency and alignment with RAF objectives.
• Support the development and implementation of communications plans for campaigns, collaborating with cross-government stakeholders, RAF communicators, and external partners.
• Represent the Strategy & Plans Team at external meetings or forums. Providing comprehensive feedback to support subsequent actions for the team.
• Supporting the Insight, Data and Evaluation manager with routine data analysis of Air Media content.

Supporting the RAF’s Communication Team

• Think creatively and contribute ideas to launch new campaigns and engage target audiences across digital and social media channels.
• Organise and chair regular team meetings, driving productivity and collaboration.
• Manage administrative tasks efficiently, ensuring all processes are completed in a timely and organised manner.
• Build and maintain partnerships with cross-government colleagues, stakeholders, and the RAF media & communicators network.
• Manage communications processes within the team, ensuring colleagues are kept up to date with any changes in policies or processes.
• Identify practical issues and risks in RAF communications, develop mitigation actions, and monitor them on an ongoing basis.

You may be expected to participate in a shared out of hours on call rota for which additional payments will be made.

Person specification

Essential requirements:

• Experience working in a professional communications team.
• Experience developing and delivering communications plans or campaigns
• A passion for, and knowledge of, best digital content practice, emerging trends, and the latest tools for content creators.
• Experience with stakeholder engagement, managing relationships and working with multiple teams to deliver media output.

Desirable requirements:

• Understanding of the Government Communications Service operating models and principles.
• Content generation (e.g. copy, photography, infographics and videos).
• Demonstrable experience of working on PR campaigns.
• Intermediate skills level with MS Office.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Technical skills

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

• Government Communications Service- Insight
• Government Communications Service- Implementation

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,720, Ministry of Defence contributes £10,927 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).

• 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%

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and working from home as part of a non-contractual hybrid working arrangement. All office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to site capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD workplace, will also count towards this level of office attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this and other flexible working arrangements may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Any move to MOD 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. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

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.

At sift, in addition to the below, you will bequired to provide and will be assessed against a CV detail to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.

At sift and interview, you will be assessed against the following:

Behaviours

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Technical Skills

• Government Communications Service- Insight
• Government Communications Service- Implementation

Technical Skills Framework: Competency Framework - technical specifications - GCS

At interview, In addition to the above you will be assessed against a presentation at interview stage, further details will be provided prior to interview.

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.

There may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all DCS candidates that meet the minimum criteria for the job. For example, in certain recruitment situations such as a high volume of applications, seasonal demand, or peak periods, the employer may wish to limit the overall number of interviews offered to both DCS and non-DCS applicants.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category, and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system.
Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

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

Open to UK nationals only.

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 : Sophie Rutledge
• Email : Sophie.Rutledge102@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: info@csc.gov.uk.

Attachments

20230201 - Air Command's Applicant Guide Opens in new window (pdf, 499kB)MOD Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)Defence Internal Brief notice Opens in new window (docx, 25kB)Candidate Information Pack Opens in new window (docx, 31kB)