Social Media Manager - His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services

Job summary

Summary

HMICFRS independently assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of police forces and fire and rescue services – in the public interest. We promote improvements in policing and fire and rescue services to make everyone safer.

We are independent of the Government, police and fire and rescue services. We ask the questions that we believe the public wish to have answered and produce major reports that shine a light on issues at the very heart of policing and fire and rescue services.

Our reports are widely covered by the media and help inform the public of the performance of their local police forces and fire and rescue services. You can find out more about HMICFRS on our website and see some of our recent reports.

Working at HMICFRS gives you an opportunity to make a real difference to the quality of local police and fire and rescue services and the lives of the public.

HMICFRS is a unique organisation with staff seconded or loaned from across the Civil Service, police forces and fire and rescue services. We set ourselves high standards, taking great pride in the quality of work we achieve and the opportunities we create for our staff.

Find out more

If you would like to talk to someone about this role and what it’s like working for HMICFRS we would be pleased to hear from you. Please contact Jessica.Baird3@hmicfrs.gov.uk who would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Job description

The Social Media Manager is responsible for delivering social media campaigns, managing all HMICFRS social media channels and working with senior policing and fire leaders on topics that directly impact everyone and are often on the front pages or leading news bulletins.

We are looking for a creative, proactive and experienced communications professional to join our team. You will be a team player who is passionate about using communications to drive measurable change. We can offer you an exciting challenge in a friendly and ambitious team.

We are also a rewarding place to work, taking development seriously and ensuring everyone has a chance to thrive.

The role of the Social Media Manager (HEO) is to manage HMICFRS’s social media channels and support the delivery of HMICFRS’s press office, working with the Media Manager (SEO) and Head of Media (G7).

You’ll be devising creative social media strategies to target our audiences, creating social media graphics, filming senior spokespeople and evaluating your work thoroughly, as well as supporting the team with drafting press releases, media Q&As and other media materials.

Our work is widely covered by the media and our social media presence continues to grow. Recent high-profile reports include the annual state of policing report and national reports on events policing and firearms licensing.

You will have a strong track record in devising and delivering compelling social media campaigns that build engagement, awareness and trust with external audiences. You will also have excellent planning and writing skills, with the ability to translate complex information into compelling content across a range of channels.

Responsibilities

• Designing and delivering creative social media plans
• Managing the day-to-day delivery of all HMICFRS social media channels, continuing to grow our social media presence and engagement
• Creating social media graphics and filming and editing videos
• Using insight and evaluation to continually improve our communications output
• Support the delivery of the HMICFRS press office, including media monitoring, drafting press releases, media Q&As and other media materials, facilitating media interviews and responding to media enquiries from journalists
• Supporting the media team out-of-hours on call roster

Please note: An employee may be required to carry out other duties within the scope of the grade and within the limits of their skills, competence and training.

Person specification

Essential criteria

• Experience of social media management, including content production and campaign planning
• Experience of video and audio editing and digital design skills
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• A proven ability to build and manage relationships with stakeholders internally and externally

Desirable criteria

• Experience in a press office, PR agency, journalism or similar, including experience of drafting press releases and other media materials

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
• Seeing the Big Picture

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £41,750, His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services contributes £12,094 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).

• A Civil Service Pension

See civil service pensions website for more information www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk

A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%

• Recruitment and Retention Allowance

This post attracts a Recruitment and Retention Allowance (RRA) of £2,300 per annum, payable in addition to salary. The allowance is non-pensionable and subject to regular review in line with organisational requirements.

• Learning and Development tailored to your role

We are committed to investing in our staff and providing all staff with opportunities to maximise their skills and achieve their potential. We offer a range of work-based training, learning and development opportunities including access to coaching and mentoring, and five days volunteering per year.

• An environment with flexible working options

We promote flexible working that balances professional and personal commitments. We support virtual and smart working, making best use of our technology and building collaborative working models to help all staff to work from home and/or in the office in a ‘hybrid’ way.

• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.

The diversity of our people is a real asset to HMICFRS. We are committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best. We particularly welcome applications from candidates from ethnic minority groups and people with disabilities, as they are currently under-represented within this grade level.

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.

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:

• CV detailing job history/qualifications/skills.(The CV is for information purposes only and will not be marked).
• Personal Statement (maximum 750 words).
• Evidence of the Behaviours:
  • Communicating and influencing (lead behaviour)

The Personal Statement should be aligned to and demonstrate how you meet the skills and experience set out in the essential criteria, detailed in the job description.

For guidance and information on how to construct your application (CV, Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers website.

Sift

The sift will be held on: Personal Statement and Lead Behaviour (Communicating and influencing).

Interview

If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview that will be:

• To assess all the behaviours (as listed in the job advert) and experience-based questions.

For guidance and information on what to expect and how to prepare for an interview, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers.

Sift & Interview Dates

We will endeavour to conduct the selection process in line with the dates indicated below, but cannot guarantee that these will not, where necessary, be revised.

Sift - w/c 19 October

Interviews by video link - w/c 2 November

Further information

A reserve list may be held for a period up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made. There is no guarantee that being held on a reserve list will lead to a job offer.

If you are successful in this position and choose to accept the provisional offer for this role, you will be removed from all other Home Office reserve lists at the same grade.

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.

If you are invited to an interview you will be required to bring a range of documentation for the purposes of establishing identity and to aid any pre-employment checks.

Please see the attached list of acceptable ID documents.

You will need to meet the nationality requirements for this role and obtain the necessary security clearance to take it up. For meaningful security checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. Learn more on our website. Security Checks - Home Office Careers

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Transfer Terms: Voluntary

Any move to the HMICFRS 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.

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs).

Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter

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

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not overseas.

For candidates applying from Other Government Departments: This position is a 12-month loan that will need to be agreed with your home department that you can be released for this period of time. At the end of the period, you will return to your home department.

For Home Office staff on Loan: this post will be offered on level transfer or temporary cover allowance (TCA) which will be on detached duty terms.

For external applicants: this post will be offered on a fixed term contract.

Fixed term appointments

Please note this role is a fixed term position to help cover maternity leave

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.

Plagiarism

The ideas and experience provided by candidates during the recruitment process must be their own. Where plagiarism has been identified (which could include content generated by Artificial Intelligence), candidate applications may be rejected. Existing Civil Servants found to have plagiarised may be subject to disciplinary action.

Reasonable Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is 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 HOrecruitment.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

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

Feedback

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 counter-terrorist 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.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 : Jessica Baird
• Email : Jessica.Baird3@hmicfrs.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : HMICFRSRecruitment@homeoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment
principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance
HORecruitment.GRS@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission

Attachments

candidate_information_v18_July_2026 (2) Opens in new window (pdf, 8MB)2025-11-01 Pre-employment Checking - Document Requirements (V17) Opens in new window (pdf, 642kB)