About the job

Job summary

This is a full time role

UKHSA’s national Communications Directorate deals with media handling; social media; internal communications; external affairs; publications; marketing, branding and content; strategic communications and the communications response to incidents, outbreaks and other emergencies. The Directorate takes the national lead on specific communications workstreams and oversees their execution.

At UKHSA, our mission is to provide health security by protecting the public from infectious disease and external hazards to health. We are a trusted source of advice to government and to the public, focusing on reducing inequalities in how communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health.

We are an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care, and a distinct delivery organisation with operational autonomy. We provide government, local government, the NHS, Parliament, industry and the public with evidence-based, cutting-edge scientific and delivery expertise and support.

Our mission is challenging, innovative and in the spotlight. We work to ensure our people have the diverse skills, experiences and backgrounds we need to thrive, that our employees are representative of the communities we serve and feel valued and enabled to play their part in delivering our work.

Creating our working culture is an ongoing process which we are developing by listening and learning together, and acting upon feedback to develop a common sense of identity and effective ways of working.

Location

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) operates a hybrid working model where business needs allow.  This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce. As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, averaged over a month) working at Canary Wharf, London. For certain roles, some additional flexibility may be possible, which will be agreed upon with the hiring manager based on individual requirements and business needs.

*Please be aware that this role can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas. Relocation expenses are not available.* 

Job description

The UKHSA Internal Communications and Intranet team is at the heart of UKHSA leadership and decision-making. They influence departmental culture and behaviour through a high impact programme of exciting communication, channel development and content, using guidance, frameworks and best practice from the Government Communications Service (GCS).

The Internal Communications Officer post sits in the Internal Communications team, led by the Head of Internal Communications and Intranet, supported by two Internal Communications Strategic Leads, two Internal Communications Managers and one other Internal Communications Officers. The team provides a high-quality effective communications service to approximately 6000 UKHSA staff. The Internal Communications and Intranet team provides support and advice to the organisation and its directorates through an account management system.

The post-holder will provide internal communications support and advice to stakeholders and deliver clear, timely and targeted communications across a range of channels which engage staff in UKHSA’s vision and support them in the delivery of its priorities and programmes. The post-holder will support the delivery of communications strategies and lead on creation and delivery of smaller communication plans where appropriate.

The post-holder will lead on managing the internal communications mailbox and coordinating the weekly newsletter, including ghost-writing leaders’ introductions, curating entries and checking content from other contributors.

The post-holder will possess excellent writing skills, and the ability to draft versatile, quality content for a range of channels and platforms including news stories and blogs for our intranet.

The post-holder will have excellent planning skills, be able to work well under pressure and have the interpersonal skills and flexible approach to source content from busy colleagues.

We are an insightful, data-driven organisation. The post-holder will join the other officer in evaluating the impact of all our outputs and channels.

We are looking for an organised, creative team player, passionate about internal communications, who is eager to learn and develop.

• You will be the first point of contact for internal stakeholders seeking internal communications support.
• You will have experience of providing advice to colleagues at all levels.
• You will need to be a good team player both within the Communications Directorate and the teams in your portfolio.
• You will have excellent planning skills, as well as the ability to work well under pressure.
• You will be able to support in developing evaluation plans and identifying relevant metrics to measure the impact of internal communications.

Your main duties will include:

• To plan, draft and publish informative, engaging, and timely content for the UKHSA internal channels – including news stories, podcasts, videos and leadership messages
• To support the Internal Communications Managers on the development and implementation of OASIS communication plans in support of UKHSA priorities, initiatives and projects
• To build positive relationships with internal stakeholders to help them define their communications needs and objectives, and ensuring their work and priorities are shared and celebrated internally by providing creative communications solutions to meet these needs, taking into consideration ‘hard to reach’ groups
• To work closely with internal stakeholders to seek out opportunities for imaginative communications campaigns which promote UKHSA’s values and behaviours
• Supporting the measurement and evaluation of internal communications activities and impact by gathering data and analytics. Present this insight to a range of stakeholders
• Lead on coordinating the weekly newsletter on a rota basis with the other officer, including drafting leadership messages
• Supporting the effective running of organisation-wide staff events including setting up the event, sending out invitations, briefing speakers, moderating and collating and presenting feedback
• Contributing to the team’s forward planning, including keeping plans up to date and producing reports and attending external communications planning meetings to horizon scan for news
• Leading on monitoring the internal communications inbox and providing a suitable response
• Working with press office, social media and external affairs colleagues to amplify external-facing activities for internal channels, such as turning press releases into internal news stories

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.

Person specification

It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of no more than 500 words that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the essential criteria (for full details of all essential criteria please refer to the attached job description):

Essential

Qualifications

• Degree level qualification or equivalent experience

Knowledge and Experience

• Knowledgeable about internal communication and Government Communications Service best practice
• Excellent writing and editing skills and an ability to produce engaging and inclusive content for a diverse range of audiences and groups
• Experience and understanding of insight and evaluation techniques to inform communications plans and strategies
• Proven experience of proactive sourcing of content and advising a range of stakeholders in different parts of an organisation

Skills / capabilities/ behaviours

• Highly developed skills in writing, editorial and content creation, alongside the ability to turn complex scientific concepts into easy to understand, accessible English
• Proactive team player with positive corporate attitude and creative mindset
• Highly organised, with an ability to prioritise conflicting work and tasks, escalating where appropriate
• Highly IT literate, with ability to understand and advise on use of existing and emerging digital channels and tools
• Excellent written communication skills (grammar, punctuation, accuracy, and attention to detail)
• Confident collaborative working and excellent communicator: ability to engage effectively with a wide range of stakeholders at all levels
• Flexibility and resilience – able to work quickly and effectively under tight deadline

Equality and diversity

• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of organising events: in person, online and hybrid
• Video editing experience
• Photography, photo editing and graphic design experience
• 2 years GCS membership, membership of other communications and PR professional bodies

Benefits

Working for the UKHSA

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.

UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

For more information on the UKHSA please visit: UK Health Security Agency - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

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%
• Range of health and wellbeing support 

Any move to UKHSA 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 Childcare Choices , 30 Hours Free Childcare, Tax-Free Childcare and More , Help with Costs , GOV.UK

Things you need to know

Selection process details

STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT: 

You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed in line with the full list of essential criteria as detailed in the attached job description – please do provide evidence of how you meet this. Your Statement of Suitability should outline your skills, experience, and achievements, providing evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria (outlined in the person specification section).

You will also be asked to provide information within the ‘Employer/ Activity history’ section of the application form. This is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV, setting out your career history.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview.

STAGE 2 – INTERVIEW 

This stage will involve an interview by video. 

Applicants who are successful at sift stage will be invited to an Interview which will be a blended approach of Behaviour and Technical skills questions (Ideas, Implementation, Impact). You will be asked to do a writing test 45 mins before the interview.

Technical skills assessed at interview will be based on the GCS Competency Framework - technical specifications:

https://gcs.civilservice.gov.uk/publications/competency-framework/

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Communications - Ideas
• Communications - Implementation
• Communications - Impact

The Success Profiles framework will be used to assess and recruit the most suitable candidate.  The following behaviours will be used at the interview:

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

For further information on the selection process, please refer to the attached Candidate Pack.

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 7th March 2024 – unfortunately, late applications will not be considered. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Interviews: w/c 25th March 2024

Please note these dates could be subject to change.  

Security clearance level requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.  Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard.  People working with government assets must complete Basic Personnel Security Standard checks.

For posts on UKHSA Civil Service terms and conditions, new entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. For existing Civil Servants and roles advertised across government, the rules of transfer apply, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive a 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest. 

Please Note

This role is to be appointed under Civil Service Terms & Conditions. Full details on the T&C’s are found https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/

Are you already a civil servant, or employed by a Civil Service Commission accredited public body? Please state home department on your application form.

Do you meet the nationality requirements for this post? https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/

Complaint process:

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: Complaints1@ukhsa.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website. 

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.