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Are you a senior press and public affairs professional, able to communicate sensitive issues to achieve understanding and impact?
Do you know how to successfully engage with stakeholders, government and the media to ensure an organisation’s position is well understood?
Are you motivated by communicating complex, sensitive and high profile issues about a vital area of national life
Can you lead a team to deliver joined up communications across media, political, stakeholders and events?

Job Purpose:

Reporting to the Director of Communications & Policy and a member of the Directorate’s senior leadership team, you will occupy this key leadership role for the Charity Commission as we build our wider visibility as an expert regulator that is fair, balanced and independent, to support the achievement of our strategic objectives. You will have diverse areas of responsibility - representing the organisation and influencing relationships across Parliament, key political stakeholders and the media, increasing the extent and quality of our engagement and proactively shaping and driving media coverage on often contentious and complex issues, to grow our impact and reputation and extend our reach.

You will work directly with the Chair, CEO, Directors, Board and senior leaders across the organisation in order to project the Commission’s visibility and influence. You will develop and communicate our messages to ensure that we are clear and confident about our role, and take the lead in managing the organisation’s reputation. This is important both to achieving impact from our policy and case work and to achieving progress in delivering our strategy. You will be one of the visible ‘faces’ of the Commission, influencing our relationships with key stakeholders across England and Wales. In this role, you will have a significant impact on external awareness and understanding of the organisation and its work and therefore on public trust, ultimately supporting charities’ ability to thrive.

To succeed in this role, you will be expert in your field in order to lead and shape the External Affairs, Media and Events teams’ activities; overseeing and improving our activity across key areas of work, including the Parliament and the media. You will be politically astute, understanding the external operating environment and building a close working relationship with the Chair and Executive to maximise the organisation’s impact and reputation.

Job description

Key Responsibilities:

Innovating how we use our expert voice confidently as independent regulator shaping outcomes through influencing behaviour and growing confidence in in the Commission and the sector it regulates.
Ownership of the Commission’s narrative, ensuring it supports the Commission’s strategy, remains relevant and impactful, and is consistently delivered to external audiences. Ensuring high quality speechwriting support for the Chair and Chief Executive, through the effective leadership of other experts and sometimes playing a hands-on personal role.
Ensuring strong internal relationships are built at senior levels and engaging actively with regulatory and other colleagues to ensure collaborative approaches are agreed and reputational issues are fully considered, amplifying the Commission’s overall impact. This will involve considerable, complex negotiation and influencing skills, to effectively bridge divergent and conflicting views. Outlining, developing and coordinating engagement with key stakeholders, playing a substantive personal role, influencing at senior level
Acting as an influential and credible senior spokesperson for the Commission, with the media (both in print and on broadcast interviews), and with senior stakeholders (up to CEO level with charities and sector bodies, and to MP and MS, senior government official and sometimes Ministerial level)
Overseeing expertise within the team to develop external positions, targeting priority outlets and journalists, and proactively creating, shaping and placing media stories, articles and interviews which help support the achievement of our strategy and position the Commission as a fair, balanced and independent regulator. Ensuring media activity effectively supports Commission campaigns, events, digital services and policy reports, and that the press office anticipates and plans effectively for key events and cases and is robust and proactive
Ensuring a strategic approach to engaging with Parliament and the Senedd and advising the Board, CEO, Executive and senior staff across the Commission on all matters relating to Parliamentary affairs, ensuring we are listening and engaging, that our role is understood and our influence maximised. Ensure relevant team members have processes in place to meet deadlines for PQs, correspondence, ministerial briefings and monitoring Parliamentary events and that our approach is continuously improved
Supporting the Commission’s witnesses at Parliamentary Committees with strategic advice and ensuring timely and high quality written submissions are made to relevant Committees in line with the organisation’s narrative
Being accountable for ensuring that stakeholder relationships across England and Wales are actively managed across the Commission, to build stronger connections and extend our influence and insight
Overseeing our visits and events to ensure they are well managed, effective and impactful. This includes our flagship Annual Public Meeting
Ensuring a collaborative and innovative approach, working closely with colleagues responsible for our campaigns and our digital channels to deliver greater impact across all our communications
Ensuring the team operates effectively with an ambitious, insight-led and targeted approach, and a strong approach to planning, evaluation and professional development in line with Government Communications Service best practice.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

Ability:

Ability to explain complex information, in a variety of media, including excellent written and oral communications skills. Able to write and shape copy to capture the appropriate tone and voice
A demonstrable ability to work flexibly and effectively under pressure, managing teams to meet multiple targets and deadlines

Experience

Proven track record of successful leadership and direct management and development of expert staff with demonstrable experience of building a high performing team with a culture of continuous improvement
Excellent influencing and negotiating skills and the proven ability to build trust quickly; particularly building effective personal relationships with Board, senior staff across the Commission and with key external stakeholders
Experience of working with Parliament and the media and a strong professional network
Experience of using a range of communications techniques and vehicles to achieve positive, impactful outcomes
Experience of acting as a press and broadcast media spokesperson and effectively supporting and briefing other spokespeople

Technical

Demonstrate clear understanding of the Charity Commission’s role and strategy and the current strategic and policy context
Strong understanding of current practice and trends in print, online and broadcast journalism and of successful techniques to create media coverage
Strong understanding of Parliament and stakeholder engagement approaches. The post holder will need to be particularly politically astute with an excellent understanding of the external operating environment.
Good understanding of effective tools and techniques for planning, evaluating and innovating communications activities
Good understanding of how to leverage in person or online events, and digital and social media, to achieve wider impact for an organisation.

Behaviours

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

Making Effective Decisions
Communicating and Influencing
Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £68,935, Charity Commission contributes £19,970 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).

This is your chance to make a contribution that really matters and to make an impact in an organisation where your voice will be heard and your hard work noticed.

Watch this short video to find out more about us. short video

We operate a flexible hybrid working policy where office attendance is combined with homeworking days dependent on role and corporate requirements.

We recognise everyone as an individual, accepting people for who they are and treating everyone fairly. We welcome the unique contribution diverse applicants bring from all backgrounds and we aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We champion inclusion and wellbeing, aiming to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and has a sense of belonging.

We do not discriminate on the basis of culture, ethnicity, race, nationality or national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, disability status, sexual orientation, educational or social background or any other factor.

We offer access to the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme (employer contributions of 28.97%), far more than in the private sector, and a flexible, family-friendly environment. Additionally, you can look forward to other great benefits via our ‘Perkbox’ and ‘Edenred’ schemes. These include everything from an interest-free season ticket loan, tenancy deposit loan scheme and bicycle loan (after two months) to discounts on gym membership, cinema tickets and restaurants. Please see the attached Charity Commission benefits document.

A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30 days per year. You have the opportunity to purchase up to an additional 5 days annual leave (pro rata) per year, requests must be submitted in the February of that year.

The Charity Commission’s operational ambition is to realise the Commission’s values of being an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent, which works in a way that is supportive, collaborative, and innovative to achieve our ambitions. We want to develop our capability to regulate charities to realise this goal and meet our statutory and public duties to ensure that charity in England and Wales can deliver maximum benefit to society in a way that upholds its reputation in the eyes of the public.

Work at the Charity Commission and you’ll make a difference every day to:

The 170,000 charities of all shapes and sizes that we regulate across England and Wales.
The trustees we partner with and advise.
The people and causes that benefit from the £10bn generously donated each year by the public.

Find out more about working for us here.

To note: Any move across the Civil Service on or after 4 October 2018 may have implications on an employee’s ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers.

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, Ability and Experience.

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Verbal Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 13/08/2026. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

As part of the application process as a minimum you are asked to complete a CV and statement of suitability.

Comprehensive CV which lists qualifications and skills sets.
Personal statement of up to 1000 words

At interview we will assess against Experience, Behaviours and Strengths alongside a presentation/task.

Behaviours:

Making Effective Decisions
Communicating and Influencing
Delivering at Pace

Interviews will be taking place Face to Face in our London office.

The sift is due to take place on 24/08/2026
Interviews will be held: London 02/09/2026

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

At the interview, the panel can then probe further and ask applicants to provide further specific examples that show how they best demonstrate their skills.
We reserve the right to raise the score required at any stage of the process to manage numbers.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.

Behaviours

The distinguishing Behaviours (the required skills, knowledge, and behaviours) for this role are set out in the Success Profiles: Civil Service behaviours (Success Profiles - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)) and should be referred to when making this application.
You are required, under the Behaviours approach, to describe how you have dealt with a specific situation.
You must give evidence of your knowledge, skills, and behaviours and how you have applied this, such as what you did or said and how you interacted with other people.

When you are giving your examples, do not spend too many words on description and background information. Avoid using general or unspecific statements. Instead say what the situation was, what you did, what your thought process was and what was the result.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled persons, 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 Charitycommissionrecruitment.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 an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Reserve Lists

If we have more successful candidates than available vacancies, we will hold a 12-month reserve list as standard.
During that time, we may use the list to fill the same, or similar roles with closely matching essential criteria, without further testing of merit. Any appointments from the Reserve list will be made in strict merit order.

Applying

We recognise everyone as an individual, accepting people for who they are and treating everyone fairly
All applications for these vacancies must be made online. There are limited exceptions to this. Paper applications will only be considered if you have a disability that will prevent you from applying online. If this is the case, please email Charitycommissionrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Once you have submitted your application it cannot be amended; only submit your application when you have completely finished and answered all the relevant questions.

Please note that late applications will not be accepted.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Concerns/Complaints:

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the values in the Civil Service Code and/or if you feel the recruitment has been conducted in such a way that conflicts with the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance hrselfservice@charitycommission.gov.uk.

If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web page https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact/>here.

Feedback

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.

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 : Paul Latham
Email : Recruitment@charitycommission.gov.uk

Recruitment team

Email : charitycommissionrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

The Charity Commission’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, which outlines that selection for appointment is made on merit based on fair and open competition.
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the values in the Civil Service Code and/or if you feel the recruitment has been conducted in such a way that conflicts with the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance hrselfservice@charitycommission.gov.uk.
If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web page here

Attachments

Grade 6 AD External Relations Job description Opens in new window (pdf, 311kB)Benefits Opens in new window (pdf, 169kB)The Role of the Charity Commission Opens in new window (pdf, 110kB)