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Press Relations
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About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
Apply and further information
Location
About the job
Job summary
This is a critical and challenging role in the Cabinet Office Media Team, supporting the Head of News to manage a team of media and digital officers and supporting the Deputy Prime Minister as their Press Secretary.
You will:
- Provide dedicated press secretary support to the Deputy Prime Minister, helping to devise his external communications programme including print, broadcast and social media. advising on media approaches and channels, and ensuring that all activity supports the Prime Minister’s priorities and shapes the reputation of the Cabinet Office.
- Offer strong leadership to the press and digital team, helping to manage and develop their communications skills to achieve the best performance and building their potential.
- Contribute to the smooth and effective day-to-day operations of the press office as they set up and manage media facilities, organise interviews and brief journalists in order to generate and influence coverage of the Cabinet Office. Including taking part in an out-of-hours senior back up rota supporting the team's 24/7 reactive newsdesk operation (overtime payments are made available).
- Understand the departmental and ministerial priorities and convey them to the team so they can communicate the key messages clearly, accurately and creatively to the media.
- Quality assure and evaluate the output of the office in developing proactive longer-term handling strategies that deliver high quality media outputs for Ministers and the department.
- Work effectively with communications colleagues in all disciplines across the department, in No.10 and across Whitehall, so that media handling plans are integrated with wider communications strategies. Ensuring a constant supply of News stories to highlight and promote the department's work for the public.
- Forge strong working relationships with key journalists and build excellent relations with communicators in key partner organisations including other government departments.
- Play a full part in the Cabinet Office Communications senior management team (SMT) to set the direction and contribute to the smooth operation of the whole directorate.
Job description
The Cabinet Office is seeking an outstanding Deputy Head of News to join the senior leadership team of its busy Press and Media team and act as Press Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
You must be a talented communications professional with skills in dealing with the full range of media outlets.
This position provides exposure to a range of high-profile and sensitive issues, including for example, domestic resilience and how we prepare for the threats we face, national security and investment, and cyber security.
You will occupy a pivotal leadership role within the media team, helping to ensure that the team delivers a high-quality 24/7 media relations operation for all Cabinet Office ministers. You will be expected to provide confident and robust advice to the Deputy Prime Minister, other Cabinet Office ministers and senior leaders, alongside executing communications plans to a demonstrably high standard.
Person specification
In the selection process applicants will need to be able to show that they have the professional skills, breadth of experience and personal qualities for this post, as well as the leadership skills to succeed at Grade 6 (leadership) level.
You must have the following essential skills and experience:
- Demonstrable success as a first-rate media relations operator, with excellent news sense, spot-on judgement, acute political savvy and first rate writing skills;
- Experience of creating joined-up media strategies and plans that contribute to the delivery of complex organisational objectives.
- A proven track record of working in an environment that is subject to intense media attention and public scrutiny and of providing clear, balanced advice and professional leadership at senior management level;
- Experience of developing high-performing individuals, with staff of varying levels of experience, to deliver effective proactive and reactive media relations, including crisis management;
- Evidence of highly developed interpersonal and influencing skills with a demonstrable ability to achieve personal impact in your working relationships, ideally with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, including journalists, senior civil servants, and ministers; and
- A strategic thinker, you will have the ability to plan and evaluate in the short, medium and long term, alongside the day-to-day demands of a fast-paced news agenda.
Additional information:
A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although 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:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Leadership
- Making Effective Decisions
- Seeing the Big Picture
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Making Effective Decisions
- Seeing the Big Picture
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Insight
- Ideas
- Implementation
- Impact
Benefits
- 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 average employer contributions of 27%.
- 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
Selection process details
Application process
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, a 500 word personal statement as well as four 250 word behaviour statements. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, Communicating and Influencing. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Selection process
During the blended interview you will be assessed against your experience, the behaviours that are contained within this advert as well as four Technical skills questions. Strength based questions will also be asked in which we wish to gain your initial response.
If you’re successful at the sift stage you will be invited to a video interview in person at 70 Whitehall. There, you will be assessed on your experience, the essential criteria for the role, and the following Civil Service behaviours:
- Communicating & Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Leadership
- Making Effective Decisions
- Seeing the Bigger Picture
Expected timeline (subject to change)
Expected sift date – w/c 29 January
Expected interview date/s – 8th - 14th February
Interview location - 70 Whitehall, London SW1A 2AS
Further information
Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
A reserve list will not be held for this position.
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. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
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.
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.
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.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Reasonable adjustments
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.
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 will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
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).
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team
Further information
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.
