SENIOR SOCIAL MEDIA OFFICER ROLE - Cabinet Office Comms - GCS

Job summary

The Cabinet Office is seeking an ambitious new SeniorSocial Media Officer to join our digital communications team, to help it execute targeted digital media campaigns around a wide range of key Government policies.

You must be a talented, proactive and creative digital communications professional with advanced experience of working across all digital platforms to create content that engages and persuades diverse audiences.

This is a unique position which provides exposure to senior officials and Ministers across a range of high-profile and often sensitive issues.

You will operate in a small but ambitious and empowered digital team to manage the Cabinet Office’s social media accounts and plan and produce content across a wide range of policies.

Job description

The Digital Media Team is responsible for explaining and championing the Cabinet Office's mission. We transform departmental activities into impactful narratives that resonate with our audiences and demonstrate our core objectives across all digital platforms.

We work closely with the department’s external affairs and internal communications teams to provide an integrated digital communications capability for our Ministers and senior officials. And being part of the centre, we also work flexibly to support the Prime Minister’s communications priorities when needed.

The Cabinet Office has a vital role at the heart of the UK’s government, responsible for the effective running of government and taking the lead in certain critical policy areas. More information about our work can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/cabinet-office/about

Working under the guidance of two fellow Senior Digital Officers, you will:

• Manage Cabinet Office social media channels (Instagram, X, LinkedIn), leading on channel planning, monitoring and analytics.
• Deliver creative digital media content that engages our audiences and the public on the vital work of the Cabinet Office and cross-Government priorities.
• Support Ministers on external visits to manage all aspects of digital output, helping to create photo and video content for social media.

Person specification

Skills and Experience

Essential:

• Proven Channel Management Experience: Demonstrable track record of managing and growing professional social media channels, specifically Instagram, LinkedIn, X and YouTube.
• Social Media Planning & Execution: Strong experience in developing, implementing, and managing end-to-end social media strategies and content calendars.
• Data Analytics & Reporting: Proficiency in using open-source social media analytics tools to track key performance indicators (KPIs), evaluate campaign ROI, and create reports to be shared outside the team with recommendations and actionable insights.
• Brand Voice & Reputation Management: Working alongside digital content creators, having the ability to create, manage and maintain a consistent brand voice and visual aesthetic across all of the above social media platforms.
• Stakeholder & Team Collaboration: Excellent communication skills with a proven ability to cross-collaborate with high-ranking officials and wider communication teams, as well as liaising with external stakeholders, relevant organisations, and influencers.
• Trend Awareness: A deep understanding of current digital marketing trends, platform-based algorithmic behaviours, and emerging cultural moments to keep our platforms fresh, relevant and competitive.

Desirable though not essential

• Multimedia Content Creation: Hands-on experience in producing engaging, high-quality written post copy, and basic graphic design (Canva)
• Familiarity with, and strong interest in social media trends on various platforms
• Some photography and filming alongside post-production and editing skills within the Adobe Creative Cloud suite would also be useful though is not essential for this role.

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:

• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £47,670, Cabinet Office contributes £13,809 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 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 and Experience.

Application process

As part of the application process you will be asked to submit a CV, and 500-word personal statement outlining any previous employment history and skills that would make you suitable for this role. Also assessing the behaviours Working Together, Communicating and Influencing, Seeing the Bigger Picture. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please outline any work history, experience and qualifications that make you suitable for this role within your Personal Statement.
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using your personal statement.

Selection process

SELECTION PROCESS

We will be assessing at the interview stage using the following criteria:

• Behaviours and experience
  • Working Together
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Seeing the Bigger Picture
• Candidates invited to interview will be asked to prepare a short presentation. Details will be provided.
• Understanding of the Cabinet Office’s work

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – tbc

Expected interview date/s – tbc

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.

Further Information

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

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.

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.

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.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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 : psjamesstewart@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
• Email : psjamesstewart@cabinetoffice.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 (2) Opens in new window (pdf, 302kB)Cabinet Office Terms and Conditions - External 2025-02-20 (2) Opens in new window (docx, 94kB)