About the job

Job summary

The Cabinet Office is seeking an outstanding Chief Press Officer within its busy Media Team, to plan and execute targeted media campaigns around a wide range of key Government policies.

You must be an exceptionally talented communications professional with skills in dealing with the full range of media outlets. This is a unique position which provides exposure to a range of high-profile and sensitive issues. Including for example, the Government’s response to national emergencies, national cyber security, Artificial Intelligence and government efficiency & reform.

You will occupy a pivotal leadership role on the Media Team’s SMT, overseeing a team of Press Officers and Senior Press Officers and reporting directly to Ministers and the Deputy Head of News and Head of News. 

You will also oversee your team’s delivery supporting a quality 24/7 media relations operation for eight Ministers in the Cabinet Office, including the Deputy Prime Minister, the Leader of the House of Commons and Minister for Veterans Affairs.

We are also responsible for media relations for the Cabinet Secretary and the Chief Executive of the Civil Service.

You will be responsible for seeking out positive news stories from across the Cabinet Office’s broad remit, building close relationships with senior leaders and creating innovative media stories to promote the Department’s work on everything from tackling cyber threats to preparing the UK against major incidents or using AI to improve Government efficiency. 

You will also provide robust media handling advice to Ministers and Senior Leaders, supporting them with media and public appearances. 

The Media Team also works with an External Affairs team that organises ministerial visits and engagements, and with a digital team that creates innovative and engaging content for Cabinet Office social media accounts. 

More about the Unit:

The Media Team explains and promotes the work of the Cabinet Office by turning the department’s activity into compelling stories which engage our target audiences and illustrate our purpose in digital and traditional media.

The press office works closely with the department’s external affairs and internal communications teams to provide an integrated communications capability for our Ministers and senior officials. And being part of the centre, we also work flexibly to support the Prime Minister’s communications priorities when needed.

The Cabinet Office has a vital role at the heart of the UK’s government, responsible for the effective running of government and taking the lead in certain critical policy areas.

Job description

Working with the Deputy Head of News and Head of News you will:

• Shape the direction of the Cabinet Office communications strategy and deliver on the media handling aspect of it.
• Provide strong leadership within the Media Team, managing and developing a team of media officers and senior media officers on their communications skills, to achieve the best performance while building their potential.
• Oversee the day-to-day operations of your team as they set up and manage media facilities, organise interviews and brief journalists in order to generate and influence coverage of the Cabinet Office.
• Provide media advice to Ministers and senior officials on some of the most sensitive and complex issues at the heart of Government - particularly the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Minister for Veterans Affairs.
• Understand the Departmental and Ministerial priorities and convey them to your team so they can communicate the key messages clearly, accurately and creatively to media.
• Encourage your team to develop proactive longer-term handling strategies that deliver high quality media outputs for Ministers.
• Ensure the team are anticipating and spotting breaking news stories in order to issue swift, robust and appropriate responses at short notice and under pressure.
• Work effectively with communications colleagues in No.10 and across Whitehall in your areas, so that media handling plans are integrated with wider communications strategies.
• Forge strong working relationships with key journalists and build good relations with communicators in key stakeholder organisations to support collaborative working.
• Play a full part in the Media Team senior management team (SMT) to set the direction and contribute to the smooth operation of the whole Office.Play a part in an out-of-hours back-up rota to provide oversight of media handling from duty media officers (an additional duty allowance is provided).

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.

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 awareness 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 leading and developing colleagues to deliver effective proactive and reactive media relations, including crisis management;
• Evidence of strong 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 leaders, 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.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £58,800, Cabinet Office contributes £15,876 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

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Application process

Stage 1: Application

Your application will consist of three parts:

1. A Personal Details application form.
2. Your employment history detailing your responsibilities,skills, and accomplishments, plus your qualifications and relevant training and qualifications. Please copy this information into the box field provided.
3. Personal statement, up to 500 words. When giving details in your employment history and personal statement, you should demonstrate your experience in line with essential criteria and Experience/Ability sections above.
4. 250 words on the following behaviours - Seeing the Big Picture, Communicating & Influencing 

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Selection process

Stage 2: Interview

If you’re successful at the sift stage you will be invited to a video interview in perosn at 70 White Hall. There, you will be assessed on your experience, the essential criteria, the Experience/Ability for the role, and the following Civil Service behaviours:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating & Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions

Further details will be provided to candidates invited to interview.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – TBC
Expected interview date/s – TBC
Interview location - 70 White Hall, London

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.

Further information

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'contact point for applicants' section.

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.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

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

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made.

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.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

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.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.