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Press Relations
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About the job
Job summary
The Minister of Defence have an exciting opportunity for someone to join the News Team in the Directorate of Defence Communications (DDC) as a Senior Communications Officer. The post holder has responsibility for the grid, acts as Press Secretary for the Defence Minister of State in the House of Lords, and leads on the climate change and sustainability news portfolio. This is an important, fast-paced and varied role which works with a range of key stakeholders including Number 10 Downing Street (No.10), Ministers, senior Military Officers and members of the Senior Civil Service.
The post holder is the main link between the MOD and the No.10 Strategic Planning Unit and with colleagues in other Government departments to manage and coordinate communications activity across Defence and Government. The role is part of the News team, and links closely with the Events, Campaigns and Strategic Communications Teams within DDC as well as internal and external MOD stakeholders, Parliamentary team and Private Offices to remain aware of and negotiate Defence communications activity. As the Press Secretary for Defence Minister of State in the House of Lords, the post holder would coordinate and manage the Minister’s media activity and have responsibility for the climate change and sustainability portfolio in the news team, with many opportunities to get involved in other News team activity.
The successful candidate will take part in the press office out-of-hours duty rota, which will require occasional overnight stays in MOD accommodation.
This post would suit someone keen to be at the heart of Government communications. You should be keen, ambitious, have sound judgement and the ability to negotiate with peers and senior staff. In return, you will be provided an excellent understanding of how Government communications works in a key Whitehall department with a unique and friendly mix of civilian and military staff. You will line manage one Assistant Communications Officer.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.
Job description
Key responsibilities:
Coordination of communications activity:
- Act as the single point of contact for communications planning with No.10 and other Government departments. Represent MOD at weekly No.10 strategic communications planning meetings. Produce weekly briefings for No.10 on defence activity. Coordinate forward Planning and recess grids and briefing on announcements for Defence and No10.
- Liaise with other government departments (OGDs) on joint and related activity (particularly Cabinet Office; Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office; Her Majesty’s Treasury and Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy). Act as the point of contact for MOD and provide requested information to departments.
- Manage and maintain the department’s communications activity working with the Assistant Communications Officer through the MOD grid and other planning tools. Schedule and coordinate MOD events and announcements through liaison with the DDC team, Parliamentary team, Private Offices and the No.10 Strategic Communications Unit, commissioning and delivering briefings as required
- Regular horizon scanning of Defence related items. Alert colleagues within the department to communications threats and opportunities and instigate activity to deal with these.
- Effective development of a long-term strategic communications planning processes and tools working with DDC’s Strategic Communications team, including managing the MOD Communications & Engagement Tracker ensuring coordination with the eight-week grid. Review and update tracker usability, layout and functions in conjunction with technical staff.
- Provide agenda for and attend weekly planning meeting for DDC and top offices to discuss past and forthcoming activity and implications. Contribute to other meetings including daily News meetings and fortnightly planning meetings to provide an overview of Ministerial and departmental activity and coordinate and share intelligence on wider Government business.
Communications delivery:
- Act as the single DDC News point of contact for MinLords Office as Press Secretary, providing trusted advise and support on communications issues.
- Work with News team colleagues to deliver outputs that promote and protect the reputation of the department, on the climate change and sustainability brief and wider.
Stakeholder networking:
- Maintain and develop close working relationships with key stakeholders including No.10, Cabinet Office and OGDs.
- Maintain and develop close working relationships with colleagues across all areas of MOD and wider Defence family (including Defence Equipment and Support; Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Defence Infrastructure Organisation).
- Be a key point of contact for, and provide professional and comprehensive communications planning advice to Ministers, Chiefs and senior officials
Line management:
- Provide effective management of one Assistant Communications Officer (ACO), giving day-to-day support and advice as required.
Person specification
Essential criteria include:
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- The discretion to handle classified and sensitive information.
- Confidence and good judgement.
Desirable criteria include:
- A proven record of working either in a media/press office environment.
- Experience in Planning and coordinating communications outputs.
The successful candidate will take part in the press office out-of-hours duty rota, which will require occasional overnight stays in MOD accommodation.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Managing a Quality Service
- Seeing the Big Picture
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
- London weighting of £3250 per annum
- Comms Allowance of £3000 per annum.
(Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the posts currently being advertised attracts)
- Free use of gym at Main Building
Season ticket advance to assist with travel costs to/from home and your permanent work location
The post does not offer relocation expenses.
External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.
Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.
Any move to MOD 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/.
The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.
MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – we may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Applications will be sifted against
Candidates are required to provided a personal statement and CV for the initial application.
At application Candidates will be required to provide a Statement of Suitability with a maximum word limit of 500 words
Candidates successful at sift will be invited for interview. This interview will cover Civil Service behaviours.
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Managing a Quality Service
- Seeing the Big Picture
GCS behaviours will not be tested during this recruitment process.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk
As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical.
The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected, and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
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
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).
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Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team
