Newsplanner

Do you want to work in one of the most interesting, varied and fast-paced departments in Whitehall, coordinating Government announcements that communicate some of the highest profile issues facing the country?

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is looking for a Newsplanner to join its mission to bring together business experts and world-class trade negotiators to support businesses to invest, grow and export, creating jobs and opportunities across the country.

DBT’s new and revamped news planning team sits at the heart of press office, working with colleagues across the department and beyond, to coordinate media strategies.

The team process a range of announcements each week, liaising closely with communications teams, parliamentary colleagues, policy officials, Private Offices, arm’s-length bodies and stakeholders, to ensure the smooth running of Government business, placing news planning at the heart of Departmental decisions.

With a strategic lens, we bring the information together, and liaise with teams to ensure items are sequenced and coordinated to maximise their prominence. We lead on producing the weekly departmental grid and forward look to spot opportunities and risks, to ensure that plans are aligned with the department and Prime Minister’s priorities.

We discuss our upcoming announcements on a daily basis with No10 and meet with them each week, together with our cross-Whitehall colleagues, to pitch our items, help shape the news agenda, and align with the government’s top priorities and themes each week.

This is a chance to join a department breaking new ground as it tackles issues and takes opportunities all around the world.

Key accountabilities of the role include:

• Work with colleagues across DBT and with our arm’s-length bodies to ensure announcements and external activities are submitted to the news planning team using the grid slot template, with all the necessary detail and by required deadlines.
• Keep the departmental two-week grid and forward look up-to-date through tracking parliamentary business, cross-Whitehall activity, upcoming statistics, and horizon scanning.
• Act as one of the main point of contacts with No10’s planning team, representing DBT at the weekly cross-Whitehall meeting at No10, and ensuring that our announcements are reflected and prominent within wider Government plans.
• Up-skill and challenge teams to provide accurate and high-quality information about their plans.
• You will report to the Senior Newsplanner who is responsible for the department’s forward planner and will support and oversee the weekly grids.