About the job

Job summary

Job Purpose

As part of its 2025 strategy ONR is committed to being a modern and transparent regulator, delivering trusted outcomes and value. We are making substantial investments in new digital technologies and skills to enhance our regulatory processes and management of information.

The Senior Communications Manager will be an experienced communications professional with a range of skills developed in a busy communications team or media environment. The successful applicant will:

• develop and deliver measurable communications to support the delivery of ONR’s corporate priorities and objectives.

• deliver effective and engaging internal communications strategies and content, aligned to our organisational narrative, supporting staff through change.

• protect, manage, and enhance ONR’s reputation with internal and external stakeholders (including with media, interested parties (NGOs) and academics) to build greater understanding of ONR’s role with a diverse range of stakeholders.

• support the development of our digital engagement channels, including video, and help continuously improve our communications service.
• play a key role in the production of statutory publications (e.g., Annual Report and Accounts/Corporate Plan) including quality assurance for consistency across brand, tone, and content.

About The Role

The Senior Communications Manager will work across the organisation and beyond, building relationships internally and externally to ensure effective communications that help ONR to manage its reputation and deliver its vision and strategic themes. The role-holder will provide advice and support to colleagues and senior staff at all levels across the organisation, ensuring they are supported to deliver effective communications with a wide range of stakeholders. Work will be fast paced at times and the Senior Communications Manager will be required to balance multiple priorities and meet deadlines, while remaining calm under pressure and maintaining quality of output. The post holder will deliver effective internal communications campaigns and lead internal communication and engagement channels but will also be expected to provide support with external stakeholder communications including media handling.

The role will include direct line management following an appropriate period of induction and the post holder may be required to be part of an on-call press office rota.

Job description

Principal Responsibilities

• develop and deliver measurable communications to support the delivery of ONR’s corporate priorities and objectives.
• support the Head and Deputy Head of Communications in delivering activities in the Policy and Communications Directorate annual business plan reflecting corporate priorities and objectives.
• manage the organisation’s reputation through effective engagement, internally and externally, to change or encourage certain behaviours or raise awareness of issues through a range of integrated campaigns.
• support the delivery of high-quality publications and communications products, including quality assurance for consistency across brand, tone and content and alignment to the ONR strategic narrative.
• work flexibly across communication and engagement disciplines, including internal, digital, media/public relations, stakeholder and change to provide support, contingency and expert advice.
• provide expert and strategic advice to colleagues across the organisation, working collaboratively with – and influencing – colleagues at all levels to drive corporate and communications outcomes.
• act as an ambassador for the Policy and Communications Directorate, playing a key role as a team player in a busy and well-respected team.

Line Management Responsibilities

None currently, however, at this level there could be an expectation to manage staff in the future.

Location / Travel

This post may be undertaken from a base at any one of ONR’s office locations (Bootle, Cheltenham, or London), however you will be expected to attend the Bootle office for regular team meetings and additional meetings as required.

In addition, some travel may be required to support personal development, engage with stakeholders, and enhance understanding of ONR’s regulatory role.

ONR operates hybrid working (working in the office and or at home) as part of our flexible working policy.  There is an expectation that everyone will spend time in the office on a regular basis, recognising that some work is better done face to face. Managers will work with their teams on what works best to meet individual, team, business and organisational needs to enable collaboration, as well as balancing personal choice and wellbeing.

Clearance

The successful applicant will need to obtain baseline security checks prior to taking up appointment.

Person Specification

ONR is committed to being an inclusive employer and we welcome and encourage applications from all applicants. We will make reasonable adjustments and adaptations to ensure the recruitment process is inclusive and barrier-free. For example, providing job descriptions in alternative formats, and providing communication support and accessible venues. If you would like to discuss how we can support you, please contact  (ONR.Human-Resources@onr.gov.uk/ or  0203 028 0940 will be able to provide further information and discuss any reasonable adjustments you may need during the recruitment process. We will offer an interview to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the role. Applicants also have the choice to opt into our Guaranteed Interview Scheme when completing their application where we will offer an interview to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the role.

ONR recognises it has a role to play in helping those leaving the Armed Forces (veterans) and have introduced a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for veterans. This is part of a government initiative known as the ‘Great Place to Work for veterans. Veterans are officially defined as anyone who has served for at least one day in His Majesty’s Armed Forces (Regular or Reserve). All veterans who meet the minimum criteria for a role will be invited to interview and they have the choice to opt into this scheme when completing their application. To be eligible to apply for roles under the initiative, veterans must meet certain eligibility criteria below.

• have served for at least one year in His Majesty's Armed Forces (as a Regular or Reserve)
• be in transition from, or ceased to be a member of, His Majesty’s Armed Forces; and
• not already be employed by ONR.

Person specification

Essential Qualifications

A communications or media-related degree or other qualification including Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ); or demonstrable professional experience in a communications team or media environment.

Essential Skills/Job Related Expertise

• Recent experience in a similar senior communications management role in a busy communications team (or media environment) in a large complex organisation
• Evidence of delivering effective and engaging internal communications strategies and content, and practical experience of external and/or stakeholder communications
• Proven experience in delivering and evaluating digital communication activity (including video, web, and intranet) and managing social media channels.
• Evidence of delivering effective large-scale/high impact, integrated campaigns and managing multiple channels
• Proven evidence of being able to advise colleagues at all levels and collaborate effectively to deliver results.
• Ability to balance multiple priorities and meet deadlines, remaining calm under pressure and maintaining quality of output.

Desirable experience

• Experience of Adobe Creative applications, particularly Adobe Premiere Pro

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £43,524, Office for Nuclear Regulation contributes £27 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

For Further Information

For more information about this vacancy please contact Chris Hannaway.

Email - chris.hannaway@onr.gov.uk

How To apply

Please submit your application through the recruitment portal.

The closing date for receipt of applications Monday 18th March 2024 at 11:45pm.

To note - Interviews for this position will be held on Thursday 26th March.

1. 2024.  Unfortunately, we are unable to offer any alternative dates. Please bear this date in mind when submitting your application.

Your application should include:

• CV to include a full record of your education and professional qualifications and a full employment history.
• A suitability statement (maximum of 800 words) highlighting how you meet the ‘essential skills and experience” required for the role, which will be used at shortlisting in conjunction with your CV.
• Where applicable highlight if you have any experience under ‘desirable skills and experience’ within the application form.

Throughout our shortlisting process, we will make decisions about your capability to do the job, based on evidence you provide against the essential criteria (and the desirable if applicable). If you are shortlisted, you will be invited to a competency-based interview.

Important guidance when providing CV’s – please upload text-based CVs with no graphics or pictures to ensure the anonymisation function works correctly.

Please note - if whilst completing your application, you use special characters such as (‘; “- _ *) within your examples, Hireserve will convert these characters into symbols. We are currently unable to change this.

Whilst these examples will appear on your application, this will not prevent it from

being reviewed at the shortlisting stage.

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

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission. 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.