About the job

Job summary

At the Government Digital Service (GDS), our mission is to build a simple, joined-up and personalised experience of government for everyone. Using our unique position at the centre of government, we develop services that work for the user, however complex the underlying systems may be. We believe that ensuring things work for end users is the only way to realise the efficiencies that come with digital transformation.

Our focus is on delivering five missions in the following areas:

1. GOV.UK as the single and trusted online destination for government information and services
2. Joined-up services that solve whole problems and span multiple departments
3. A simple digital identity solution that works for everyone
4. Common tools and expert services
5. Joined-up data across departments

You can read more about these missions and our vision for the transformation of government in our 2021-2024 strategy. 

Job description

Your role is to develop a range of content to explain concepts and policies clearly through a combination of motion graphics, videos and photography. Your work will not only be used to communicate across government, but also to staff, and the general public. 

As a member of the Communications team you will be responsible for bringing stories to life through the use of multimedia, helping people clearly communicate visually to meet user needs. You’ll be able to tell stories visually and succinctly. You’ll care about making things better, and about working on the things which matter. You will be expected to collaborate with your colleagues across the Communications team and other stakeholders to produce the most effective creative content for the audience you are trying to reach, contributing to our overall ideas and marketing plans.

As a Creative Content Producer, you’ll:

• produce creative and engaging multimedia content, tailored to a variety of channels and audiences – including but not limited to video, animations, and photography 
• create scripts and storyboards for films, conduct interviews, and record footage
• produce short-form animated gif social media content as well as longer-form pieces.
• edit the footage into compelling stories.
• work with external specialist resources to supplement our work
• lead as an innovative and creative team member for storytelling ideas and plan through creative solutions 
• train and upskill colleagues on basic filming, photography, and editing skills
• analyse and evaluate your work to improve outputs and performance of the content

Person specification

We’re interested in people who have:

• excellent design skills and able to demonstrate a track record in consistently coming up with and delivering creative and engaging content utilising photography, video, and audio, designed to meet user needs
• experience in contributing to creative campaigns with strong written and verbal communications, to explain complicated concepts simply to be understood by a wide range of audiences
• a proven ability to quickly comprehend information about new topics and turn them into creative content products
• strong time and project management skills, able to effectively balance competing demands on your time and deliver at pace
• experience of building relationships, influencing and collaborating with different people across an organisation to deliver results
• audio, lighting and post-production expertise to ensure that we have the best result from film or photography based on the environment

Benefits

The benefits of working at GDS

There are many benefits of working at GDS, including:

• flexible hybrid working with flexi-time and the option to work part-time or condensed hours
• a Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• 25 days of annual leave, increasing by a day each year up to a maximum of 30 days
• an extra day off for The King’s birthday
• an in-year bonus scheme to recognise high performance
• career progression and coaching, including a training budget for personal development
• paid volunteering leave
• a focus on wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme
• job satisfaction from making government services easier to use and more inclusive for people across the UK
• advances on pay, including for travel season tickets
• death in service benefits
• cycle to work scheme and facilities
• access to children's holiday play schemes across different locations in central London
• access to an employee discounts scheme
• 10 learning days per year
• volunteering opportunities (5 special leave days per year)
• access to a suite of learning activities through Civil Service learning

GDS offers hybrid working for all employees. This means that everyone does some working from home and also spends some time in their local office. You’ll agree to your hybrid working arrangement with your line manager in line with your preferences and business needs.

Any move to Government Digital Service 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 

Things you need to know

Selection process details

The standard selection process for roles at GDS consists of:

• a simple application screening process - We only ask for a CV and cover letter of up to 750 words. Important tip - please ensure that your cover letter includes how you meet the skills and experience listed in the “person specification” section above
• a 60-minute video interview

In the event we receive a high number of applications, we will conduct an initial sift on the lead criteria which is:

• excellent design skills and able to demonstrate a track record in consistently coming up with and delivering creative and engaging content utilising photography, video and audio, designed to meet user needs

Depending on how many applications we get, there might also be an extra stage before the video interview, for example a phone interview or a technical exercise.

In the Civil Service, we use Success Profiles to evaluate your skills and ability. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, increases performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. We’ll be assessing your technical abilities, skills, experience and behaviours that are relevant to this role.

For this role we’ll be assessing you against the following Civil Service Behaviours: 

• working together
• communicating and influencing
• changing and improving
• delivering at pace

Candidates that do not pass the interview but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.

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

We are an equal-opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status.

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

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.