About the job

Job summary

Could you create a compelling story about how our Armed Forces protect our nation and help it grow at home and around the globe?

This is one of the most exciting roles within Government communications. You will be leading the MOD departmental communications team, driving communications outcomes at pace, whilst ensuring the Department has the right communications expertise and capability for an era of global competition.

Job description

Acting as Senior Counsel to the Secretary of State, Ministers and senior officials, you will be responsible for the leadership and continuous development of a 100- strong Directorate, providing the skills and capabilities to rapidly respond to fast-moving events, get ahead of the news cycle and land the messages that count.

This requires the Defence Communications directorate to adapt rapidly to the changing “information environment” and ensure it uses all the tools available, especially through digital content, to deliver the right messages, to the right audiences, at the right time – setting the news agenda and effectively driving the defence narrative.

The Director will be an integral part of strategy delivery, routinely advising senior stakeholders on both immediate and longer-term communications, working closely with Whitehall colleagues and our allies to deliver Defence priorities.

Communicating with our colleagues across government, as well as national and international audiences, in the high-tempo digital age requires an entrepreneurial Director able to seize opportunities, challenge the status quo and be attuned to political, diplomatic and Defence objectives.

Person specification

As the most senior professional communicator in the Ministry of Defence you must be able to act as lead adviser to the department and its ministers on all aspects of news and communications activities, providing high quality professional advice, expertise and judgement to help deliver the department’s priorities in the UK and internationally. (opportunities and risks)

To be appointed you must be an inspiring and transformational leader, effective in a large, complex organisation, with first rate stakeholder management experience (including with senior leaders in the media).

You will have significant media relations experience, and be a news focused, creative storyteller, able to demonstrate:

• Evidence of the ability to horizon-scan, grip issues and drive delivery in a dynamic, fast-paced and uncertain environment. The political acumen and judgement to anticipate how issues will develop and prepare an effective communication response
• A track-record of developing high-quality digital and campaign products that has a real-world impact in changing perceptions or behaviours.
• First-hand experience of journalism, having developed stories across a 24-hour news cycle, and managed both long-term proactive media campaigns and immediate crisis response.
• A track record of inspiring leadership, with evidence of developing a culture of excellence, and building highly motivated and effective teams.

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Things you need to know

Selection process details

Security

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

Open to UK nationals only.

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.