Social Motion and Video Graphics Designer

Job summary

Do you love turning ideas into content people stop scrolling?

Does visual storytelling and a satisfying piece of motion design get you out of bed in the morning?

DWP is recruiting for a Social Motion and Video Graphics Designer to be part of the Department for Work and Pension’s high-performing Design team. The Department’s work is often national news as it makes a difference to the lives of millions of people right across the country.

This role sits within the DWP Marketing Team, within the Communications Directorate which provides professional comms advice to ministers and departmental officials.

DWP’s Marketing Team uses evidence, insight, and expertise to deliver effective and innovative marketing strategies and campaigns. Our marketing campaigns address complex challenges to maintain trust and influence audience behaviour, either directly or by increasing engagement with DWP’s policies and services. Our key role is to deliver impactful comms that help the Department to achieve its core goals, laddering up to the Government’s Growth and Opportunity Missions outlined in the Plan for Change.

The DWP Marketing team works closely with the Communications Directorate to inform the public about the Department’s work and our support offer. The team covers campaigns, social media, design and video.

We are looking for a highly creative, hands-on designer to deliver dynamic, engaging, cut-through campaign and social content.

This is a design-led role focused on motion for social video — bringing complex messages and case studies to life through motion graphics, animation, short-form graphic treatments, video overlays, kinetic typography, illustration-led content and emerging creative tools.

The successful candidate will help us push quality and ambition across our visual output, high-profile campaigns, ministerial priorities and social channels. They will understand what makes motion work on platforms such as Meta and YouTube — creating content that feels clear, energetic, accessible and built for how people consume information online.

This is not a traditional motion graphics role. We are looking for someone who can combine design craft, motion, visual storytelling, social content instincts and experimentation to help the studio develop fresh, distinctive and thumb-stopping work.

As an experienced designer, you will develop your professional capability and embody collaboration and continuous improvement, helping ensure DWP Communications is recognised as the best across government. How you work will be as important as what you deliver.

You will role model the Civil Service and DWP values and contribute to a positive and inclusive team culture.

Job description

As a Social Motion and Video Graphics Designer, you will:

• Create dynamic motion graphics, animation and video graphic treatments for high-profile campaigns, ministerial priorities, and social media channels.
• Develop short-form social video graphics, including animated overlays, title treatments, transitions, visual hooks, and kinetic typography.
• Turn complex messages and real-life case studies into clear, engaging visual stories that audiences can quickly understand.
• Support light-touch video editing where needed, including social cutdowns, pacing, captions, and simple edits that help the content feel platform-ready.
• Explore illustration-led content, graphic systems, and visual metaphors to make campaign messages feel memorable and engaging.
• Use emerging creative tools, including approved AI tools, to support idea generation, visual exploration, storyboarding and production workflows.
• Adapt static and animated creative work across different platforms and formats, with a strong understanding of what works across Meta, YouTube, and other social channels.
• Keep up to date with social content trends, motion design techniques, and new creative tools, bringing inspiration and experimentation back into the team.
• Work closely and collaboratively with key colleagues across DWP, including designers, video and social media unit colleagues, campaign leads, policy colleagues and press office to develop effective visual content.

Work at pace and juggle competing priorities and shifting deadlines

Person specification

Experience Criteria for the Role

• Experience creating motion graphics, animation and short-form video graphic treatments for social, campaign or digital channels, including kinetic typography, animated overlays, title treatments, captions, transitions, explainers and visual hooks..
• Strong design craft, with a good eye for typography, layout, hierarchy, colour, composition, pacing and visual clarity across static and animated content.
• Experience with light-touch video editing, including social cutdowns, captions, pacing, and simple edits for platform-ready content.
• Ability to translate complex, real-life stories into simple, engaging, and accessible visual content.
• A strong portfolio that demonstrates creative thinking, visual storytelling, motion design and social content craft.
• Interest in illustration-led content, visual metaphors or graphic systems that can help make campaign messages and case studies more memorable.
• Strong After Effects skills are essential, alongside Adobe Creative Suite, Premiere Pro and the latest content creation and emerging creative tools.
• Experience working from brief to delivery, including developing ideas, storyboards, visual routes and final assets.
• Confidence in AI tools, to support creative development and improve ways of working.
• Comfortable working at pace in a fast-moving environment, managing multiple priorities and collaborating with many stakeholders.

As part of your application, please include a link to your online portfolio or examples of your design work.

APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED WITHOUT A PORTFOLIO, SHOWREEL OR RELEVANT WORK EXAMPLES WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

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

• Social Content and Impact (Lead question) Describe the development of a piece of motion, animation or video graphics work you created and explain how it improved the final communication or audience engagement.
• Simplifying Complexity and Visual Storytelling Can you give an example of how you used motion, pacing, kinetic typography, overlays or visual hooks to turn a complex, or real-life story into clear and accessible content for an audience?
• Platform consideration and Audience Behaviour Describe a time you developed creative content for a specific social platform and format, and how audience needs and platform conventions shaped the final output.
• Innovation, Tools and Experimentation *Tell us about a time you used a new creative tool, workflow or technique including AI tools if relevant to improve idea development or creative delivery, while maintaining quality and strong creative judgement.
• Insight
• Ideas
• Implementation
• Impact

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

• Social Content and Impact (Lead question) Describe the development of a piece of motion, animation or video graphics work you created and explain how it improved the final communication or audience engagement.
• Simplifying Complexity and Visual Storytelling Can you give an example of how you used motion, pacing, kinetic typography, overlays or visual hooks to turn a complex, or real-life story into clear and accessible content for an audience?
• Platform consideration and Audience Behaviour Describe a time you developed creative content for a specific social platform and format, and how audience needs and platform conventions shaped the final output.
• Innovation, Tools and Experimentation *Tell us about a time you used a new creative tool, workflow or technique including AI tools if relevant to improve idea development or creative delivery, while maintaining quality and strong creative judgement.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £45,072, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £13,057 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).

DWP have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave – at least 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year’s continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women’s Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

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, Experience and Technical skills.

Selection will be by a written sift, followed by a face-to-face interview

The Civil Service uses a Success Profiles to assess candidates’ knowledge and skills. You will be assessed against your experience and Government Communications Service (GCS) technical skills.

We’ll assess both what candidates are good at, as well as previous achievements to help us measure candidates’ experience and their potential. The assessment process comprises of a written application and for shortlisted candidates, a scenario-based exercise and presentation and an interview.

Written application

You’ll need to complete a CV and answer four questions when you apply. Your CV should set out your career history with key responsibilities and achievements. Your CV will not be scored.

The four questions (250 words per question) will be assessed against the experience criteria set out on slide 6. The questions are set out on slide 9. You must include examples of your own work to be consider as part of your answer.

Interview Exercise

Candidates will be asked to prepare a 15-minute portfolio presentation, followed by 10 minutes of questions.

The presentation should include 4 to 5 examples of relevant work, showing how they developed creative ideas, used motion or visual storytelling, responded to a brief, and created content for campaign, social or video-led channels.

Candidates should be encouraged to talk through their thinking, not just show the final output. This should include the brief, the creative approach, tools used, any challenges, and how the final content was designed to engage the specific audience and what impact it was intended to have, and what evaluation showed it achieved.

Selection will be by a written sift, followed by a face-to-face interview.

Interview

A ‘blended’ interview lasting around 45 minutes to 1 hour will test a mix of behaviours and GCS technical skills as detailed below The interview will be a mix of questions and presentation.

We’ll assess candidates against the following Success Profiles: Civil Service behaviours www.gov.uk

at HEO level:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

For this professional communications role, you’ll also be tested against the following Government Communications Service (GCS) technical skills at IO level

• Insight
• Ideas
• Implementation
• Impact

You’ll also be assessed against three Success Profiles: Strengths - GOV.UKrelevant to the role. These aren’t defined by grade.

The interviews will be held in person in Sheffield.

Written Application

The written sift will be conducted using evidence from your answers to the following questions:

For each question,Please include a link to your online portfolio or relevant examples of work that demonstrate the skills and experience outlined in your responses.

Social Content and Impact
(Lead question)
Describe the development of a piece of motion, animation or video graphics work you created and explain how it improved the final communication or audience engagement.

Simplifying Complexity and Visual Storytelling
Can you give an example of how you used motion, pacing, kinetic typography, overlays or visual hooks to turn a complex, or real-life story into clear and accessible content for an audience?

Platform consideration and Audience Behaviour
Describe a time you developed creative content for a specific social platform and format, and how audience needs and platform conventions shaped the final output.

Innovation, Tools and Experimentation
Tell us about a time you used a new creative tool, workflow or technique — including AI tools if relevant — to improve how you developed ideas or delivered creative work while maintaining quality and strong creative judgement.

Please note – If there are a high number of applications received, an initial sift may be undertaken based on the lead question. Candidates who pass the initial sift may progress to a full sift or may go straight to interview.

Selection and Feedback

We will notify all candidates as soon as possible. Feedback will only be provided following an interview.
A reserve list will be held for up to 6 months, which we may also use to fill future similar vacancies.
Candidates should not resign from their current job until all appropriate checks have been successfully completed.

If you’re an existing civil servant and want to know more about transferring to another department, refer to your current department’s guidance on transfers within the civil service.

If you have questions about the role, or the application process, please contact penelope.kourmouzoglou@dwp.gov.uk

Important information

Please note

If there are a high number of applications received, an initial sift may be undertaken based on your answer to the lead question. Candidates who pass the initial sift may progress to a full sift or may go straight to interview.

DCS Criteria additional information

The benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may also be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards.

Hybrid Working

This role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work.

If a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for the role and for you, you will normally be required to spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted working hours from your DWP office.

If you have a disability, caring responsibilities, or other circumstances that may affect your ability to meet the minimum office attendance requirement, please discuss this with us using the contact details in this advert.

Visa Information

We strongly recommend that applicants consult with an immigration specialist or qualified advisor to assess their eligibility for Visa Sponsorship before deciding to apply. Please note that while we consider sponsorship requests in accordance with current DWP guidance and Home Office policy, sponsorship cannot be guaranteed.

Due to legal considerations in this area, if you have questions about visas, please contact the VISA Sponsorship Team for assistance at visa.sponsorship@dwp.gov.uk.

Sift and Interview Dates:

Our anticipated timetable - which may be subject to change - is as follows:

• Shortlisting will take place commencing 20/07/2026
• Interviews will commence W/C 03/08/2026
• Interviews will be held in person. Further details will be provided if you are successful and shortlisted.
• To apply for this post please follow the instructions in this candidate pack or the job advert on Civil Service Jobs.
• Please submit your application no later than 23:55 20/07/2026

If you’re an existing Civil Servant and want to know more about transferring to another Department, refer to your current department’s guidance on transfers within the Civil Service.

Candidates should not resign from their current job until all appropriate checks have been successfully completed.

If you have questions about the role, DWP or the application process, please contact penelope.kourmouzoglou@dwp.gov.uk

Further Information​

At the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

Find out more about working for DWP on the DWP Careers Hub.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

If you are placed on a reserve list but we cannot immediately offer you a post, please note:

• If you are later offered the role you applied for, in a location you have expressed a preference for, and you decline the offer or are unable to take up the post within a reasonable timeframe you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances (e.g. a contractual Part Time Working Pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered or in cases of serious ill health).
• If DWP makes an offer of an alternative role or location to that which you originally applied for, and you decline that offer, you will be able to remain on the reserve list.

Disability Confident Scheme

If high application volumes are received, the benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards.

Reasonable Adjustments

We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should contact the Government Recruitment Service via DWPRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Reasonable Adjustments” 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.

Integrity, plagiarism and Civil Service Principles

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles.

Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words.

Examples of plagiarism can include:

• Presenting the work, ideas and experience of others as your own
• Copying content or answers from an online or published source that is not your own

Disclosure and Barring Service and Internal Fraud Database Checks

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.

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 successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check will be carried out.

Important

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

Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. If you are a current employee and are successful you must be able to be released from your current post within four weeks.

Those on protected TUPE/ COSoP terms and conditions applying on promotion or voluntary permanent level move will adopt DWP’s Terms and Conditions and this may have a different impact on pay and allowances. Please review this prior to acceptance of a role.

Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing. Accepting a post will be taken to mean acceptance of revised terms & conditions.

Civil Servants applying on promotion will usually be appointed to the salary minimum or within 10% of existing salary.

Any move to DWP 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 the Childcare Choices Website.

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 : Penelope Kourmouzoglou
• Email : penelope.kourmouzoglou@dwp.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s 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 DWP by email: HR.BUSINESSASSURANCE@DWP.GOV.UK.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. Click here to visit the Civil Service Commission.

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