About the job

Job summary

The Director of Communications leads the Department’s communications team and is Head of Profession for communications staff across the group.

You will be the Secretary of State’s senior official communications adviser. You will set communications strategy, ensure high performance delivery, promote a culture of innovation and improve professional standards across the DfT Group.

You will be responsible for a wide range of communications activity that supports the Department’s Strategic Priorities and the Government’s agenda.

You will provide support, advice and challenge to the Secretary of State and ministerial team.

You will influence and inform stakeholders inside and outside of Government. You will have experience and a proven track record in high profile areas. You will be able to lead highly effective public and media relations activity, high impact campaign delivery, targeted stakeholder engagement, using innovative means, continuing to look for ways to revolutionise the approaches being adopted.

You will report to Nick Joyce as Director General of Corporate Delivery Group and be a member of the Department’s Executive Committee, which meets weekly to steer the Department’s strategic vision, maintain oversight of key policies and delivery commitments, and manage the operations of the Department. You will play a key role in the broader leadership and development of the organisation. 

The Communications Directorate will comprise around 90 communications staff and a budget of around £12.2 million per annum.

Across the Group you will be accountable for communications strategy, spend and professional standards across the Department’s network of agencies and other bodies, providing professional leadership to all communications staff across this network, and providing the transformational leadership required to take forward the development of the Communications function over the years ahead. 

You will be part of the leadership of the Government Communication Service (GCS) and a senior member of the Whitehall Directors of Communication Group.

DfT is seeking innovative approaches to messaging via video and social media. We are keen to broaden our reach and would welcome applications from those with experience in television, new media and journalism. 

Job description

Responsibilities of the role include:

Setting strategic direction.

You will lead the communications strategy, aligning activity to Departmental and cross-government priorities and ensure it is firmly based on audience insight. You will spot and manage reputational risks, display judgement and political acumen, articulate a clear plan of action, foster innovation and provide calm and authoritative leadership for your team.

Deploying campaign communication.

You will align communication delivery to secure departmental strategic priorities, using media and marketing strategy, internal communication and stakeholder engagement to inform the public, create understanding and change behaviour for the public good in support of policy and service goals.

Trusted advisor fostering collaboration and influence

As the most senior communications adviser at DfT you will lead your team in providing expert communications advice to Ministers, CEOs, Permanent Secretaries, officials and Special Advisers. You are expected to lead communications at a system-wide level. You will build effective relationships with senior figures across the sector, with policy and operations counterparts in the Civil Service, and with political colleagues.

Understanding context.

You will understand the political and cultural operating context inside and outside the Civil Service to help inform your advice and lead your teams. This includes understanding the environment and the sector in which the Department for Transport operates.  

Building capability.

You will role model continuous professional development and make sure the Department for Transport’s communications function has the capability and skills it needs to deliver the communications strategy. As a leader within GCS you will play an active role in raising professional standards and improving efficiency more broadly, including by leading continuous improvement projects. You will need budget, planning and forecasting skills and the ability to manage complex change programmes.

Leading beyond the function.

As a senior leader within the Department you will sit on the Department’s executive committee and play your part in leading the organisation, including taking on corporate roles and projects which support the GCS and Civil Service’s corporate agenda. You will work to improve diversity and inclusion in your Department and across the profession, and create an environment where everyone can flourish.

Person specification

You will need to be able to show, through your application, that you have the professional skills, breadth of experience and personal qualities for this post, as well as the leadership skills to succeed at Director level in the Senior Civil Service.

The Government Communication Service is determined to ensure that the profession is representative of modern Britain and welcomes applications from the widest range of people of different backgrounds, cultures and experiences.  We would particularly welcome applications from those with experience in television, new media or journalism.  You can find out more by visiting https://s.civilservice.gov.uk/

• An inspiring and transformational leader with proven success in developing and implementing compelling and creative communication strategies in a large and complex organisation with the ability to enable and drive organisational priorities;
• An outstanding track record of setting direction and leading major change and delivery programmes with excellent judgement and political acumen to understand the changing context, to manage risk, and to reach sound judgements on a range of strategic and reputational issues;
• A track record of developing a broad range of innovative high quality digital and campaign products across a range of channels which showcases the ability to deliver the department’s priorities
• Highly developed interpersonal and influencing skills, with the ability to establish credibility quickly with a diverse network of stakeholders up to Board and Ministerial (or equivalent) level, and to present complex issues simply and effectively;
• Experience of acting as a thought-leader and source of expertise and innovation to set professional standards, future capabilities, strategies and driving continuous improvement in communication delivery;
• Sound management of resources and large budgets, including identifying and realising no- and low-cost ways of delivering communications

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £110,000, Department for Transport contributes £29,700 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

Application

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online form. This should be completed no later than 23:55 on 3rd March 2024

The application will include:

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
• A Statement of Suitability (no longer than 1000 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the criteria in the person specification.

Failure to submit both documents will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.

As part of the online application process, you will be asked a number of diversity-related questions. If you do not wish to provide a declaration on any of the particular characteristics, you will have the option to select 'prefer not to say’.

All monitoring data will be treated in the strictest confidence and will not be provided to the selection panel. 

Should you encounter any issues with your online application please get in touch with us via scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Your application will be acknowledged when it is received. 

Selection Process and Shortlist

Chris Pilgrim, Civil Service Commissioner, will chair the process.  More detailed information can be found at the Civil Service Commission website:

Civil Service Commission

The panel will select a shortlist of candidates whose applications best demonstrate suitability for the role, by considering the evidence provided against the essential criteria set out in the Person Specification.

Candidates applying under the Disability Confident Scheme who meet the minimum selection criteria in the job specification are guaranteed an interview.

Assessment

Shortlisted candidates may be asked to take part in a series of assessments which could include:

• Staff Engagement Exercise - a presentation and Q&A with a representative staff group from across the DfT.

These assessments will not result in a pass or fail decision. Rather, they are designed to support the panel’s decision making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview.

Informal Discussion

Shortlisted candidates will have the opportunity to speak to Nick Joyce prior to the final interview.  This is an informal discussion to allow candidates to learn more about the role and is not part of the assessment process

Ministerial Meeting

Prior to appointment, shortlisted candidates will be required to meet with the Secretary of State for Transport, further information will be provided.

Interview

You will be asked to attend a panel interview in order to have a more in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification.   

Interviews are expected to take place face to face in our London office, all shortlisted candidates will be asked to prepare a 5-minute presentation.

Offer and Feedback

Unfortunately, due to the anticipated number of applicants for this role, we are unable to provide feedback to those not successful at shortlist stage. Candidates who are shortlisted and attend an interview will be offered verbal feedback from a member of the interview panel.

The timeline later in this pack indicates the date by which decisions are expected to be made, all candidates will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible thereafter, and we will advise on any delays.

Expected Timeline

We will try and offer as much flexibility as we can, but it may not be possible to offer alternative dates for assessments or interviews. You are therefore asked to note the below timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process, in order to meet the dates given. Please note that these dates may be subject to change.

The anticipated timetable is as follows:

Advert Closing Date 23:55 3rd March 2024

Shortlist 13-15th March 2024

Assessments/Ministerial Discussions w/c 25th March and 1st April 2024

Panel Interviews w/c 8th April 2024

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 developed vetting (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.