Senior Internal Communications Manager- Royal Air Force Media and Communications

Job summary

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

Air M&C is organised into three executive areas of responsibility: Strategy and Planning, External Communications and Engagement, and Internal and Change Communications.

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

Air M&C is part of the Government Communication Service (GCS). We use the OASIS framework for strategic communications campaign planning and the four communication competences of Insight, Ideas, Implementation and Impact.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

The Internal Communications team is responsible for all corporate internal communications to the RAF Whole Force of 30,000 plus personnel, comprising regulars, reserves, civilians and contractors. The Chief of the Air Staff is on record as saying that internal communications are his priority.

Regular outputs from the team include RAF 60 Seconds, a weekly Commanders’ Brief, Blogs, Town Halls and Secret video conferences for the Chief of the Air Staff and the delivery of bespoke internal communications campaigns.

The team is responsible for all content published on the RAF Intranet, Defence Connect and the MyRAF App and developing and sustaining close working relationships with key stakeholders across the Service, particularly in the People AOR.

Reporting into the Grade 7 Head of Internal & Change Communications, the SEO Senior Internal Communications Manager will have an important role ensuring all RAF internal communications are objective-driven and fulfil strategic priorities for the RAF and MOD.

This role will have line management of two HEO posts, one of which also line manages the EO RAF Intranet manager.

Person specification

• Relevant professional internal communications experience.
• Support Hd Internal & Change communications and the Head of Air Media and Communications to deliver a wide range of corporate internal communication campaigns, announcements, news stories and routine messaging.
• Guide, mentor and develop direct reports and others within Air M&C to reach their potential.
• Oversee the delivery of established communications outputs, evaluating them at regular intervals to ensure that they remain relevant and appropriate for the internal audience.
• Proactively identify campaigns and associated activities to support delivery of the RAF’s priorities, including the need to retain trained, highly skilled personnel.
• Provide highly professional communications consultancy and support to key internal stakeholders, including the RAF’s most senior leaders, helping them to engage more regularly and effectively with the Whole Force.
• Work collaboratively with key military and civilian HR practitioners to enhance levels of employee engagement throughout the Whole Force.
• Apply GCS methodology to campaign planning, developing effective plans and strategies based on insight, evaluation and current industry best practice.
• Play an active, visible and consistent leadership role in both the Internal Communications and wider Air Media and Communications teams, acting as a point of contact for all internal communications matters.
• Work closely with colleagues in the MOD’s central Internal Communications teams to ensure that policy decisions affecting the RAF are aligned with local messaging to provide a single version of the truth.
• Explore with key delivery partners in the RAF and MOD the potential to develop and enhance new, interactive, two-way communication channels.
• Lead cross-functional teams when asked to design and deliver campaigns that are relevant to both internal and external audiences.
• Work with colleagues to identify and collate data on communication and campaign activities to assess whether they have been successful.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture

Technical skills

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

• •GCS: ideas
• •GCS: implementation

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £46,040, Ministry of Defence contributes £13,337 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%

Please Note:

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.
• 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.

CV:

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.

At sift, Candidates will be assessed against their CV and the following:

Behaviours

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture

Technical Skills

• GCS: ideas
• GCS: implementation

If a large number of applications are received, sift will be based on CV and Communicating and Influencing.

At interview, Candidates will be asked to present a verbal presentation and assessed against the following:

Behaviours

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture

Technical Skills

• GCS: ideas
• GCS: implementation

Further information:

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 basic (or equivalent) 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 : Mike Reader
• Email : michael.reader102@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)Defence Civil Service Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)Defence Internal Brief notice (1) Opens in new window (docx, 43kB)Professional_Communication_Competency_Framework Opens in new window (pdf, 888kB)