About the job

Job summary

Background: The UK Space Agency: 

The UK Space Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) and provides technical advice on the government’s space strategy, supporting the UK space sector to deliver the government’s vision. 

Space is a part of everyday life. Satellites underpin our national economy, from agriculture and banking to aviation and shipping, and support our national security. Space science provides critical data to understand and address global challenges such as climate change, while missions to explore our solar system unite nations and advance humanity’s horizons. 

We support a thriving space sector in the UK, which generates an annual income of £16.5 billion and employs 47,000 people across the country. 

Through our portfolio of programmes and projects, we encourage the development of national space capabilities and are an early-stage investor in space research and development.  We also promote the UK space sector’s interests and achievements; make connections to join up industry and academia; and represent the UK in international space programmes. 

We have a powerful global voice, partnering with institutions across the world, including the European Space Agency. 

More information about the Agency is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-space-agency 

To discover more please watch this film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbZZ-o0IkVU

Our Inclusive Environment

We have an inclusive culture to make UK Space Agency a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.

We offer first-class flexible working benefits, excellent employee well-being support and a great pension. We are fortunate to have a range of excellent staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We will support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive.

We actively welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion.

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced communications professional with diverse skills to join a dynamic team to promote the government’s vision for the UK space sector, with a particular focus on promoting the UK as Europe’s most attractive destination for spaceflight activities.

Earlier this year, the first ever launch from UK soil took place from Spaceport Cornwall in Newquay. To support the rapidly growing interest across Government in launch and help communicate the government’s vision for the wider UK space sector, the role of Launch Programme Senior Events Officer is to promote Spaceflight activities and policies among key stakeholders and drive positive engagement and advocacy.

Working closely with colleagues in the Launch team, you will strive to raise the profile of the UK’s launch offer and the government’s work to deliver the National Space Strategy, in order to attract potential customers and encourage participation in the UK’s growing spaceflight sector.

You will achieve this by building trusted relationships, identifying, and sharing engaging content and listening and collaborating with both internal and external stakeholders.

You will promote a creative and insight-driven culture and through overseeing communications and engagement strategies, you will demonstrate clear and relatable communications techniques.

This fantastic role would suit a confident self-starter with expertise in external affairs and wider communications, who is skilled in building excellent relationships and experienced in advising senior leaders. Led by the Agency’s Strategy Directorate within the Communications and Engagement team, the role is fundamental to raising awareness of our policies among the sector, while enhancing the Agency’s reputation.

This post will be based in the Agency’s office in Harwell, Oxfordshire. Travel to other Agency locations and potentially travel to other parts of the UK and abroad may be required on an ad-hoc basis.

Key Responsibilities:

• Shaping and leading a dedicated events strategy for the Launch Programme, identifying priority platforms to help address both the Programme and the Agency’s goals and the right audiences to help achieve them.
• Coordinating the Launch Programme’s involvement in events by providing expert advice to UK Space Agency colleagues and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).
• Building close working relationships with key external stakeholders to share insight, identify priority events and support strategic planning.
• Managing the Agency’s participation in major events, including logistics preparation, identifying roles and responsibilities for colleagues, shaping objectives and key messages, and evaluating their impact.
• Developing engaging events collateral including stand design, digital content, and brochures.
• Working with wider External Affairs colleagues to support and shape Agency presence at high-profile events such as the Farnborough Airshow and the UK Space Conference.
• Supporting and shaping high-profile events and visits to highlight the sector’s achievements and overseeing the Agency’s participation to ensure value for money and impact.
• Evaluating events activity, ensuring it is driving positive engagement with the Agency’s activities and offering value for money.
• Promoting best practice in events management across the Agency and ensuring staff can access high quality tools to plan, coordinate and evaluate the success of their events.
• Supporting the delivery of the External Affairs Strategy through events.
• Working closely with the Launch team and UK Space Agency’s Senior External Affairs Officer to regularly review the stakeholders who are key to delivering our strategy and the government’s goals and our recommendations for engaging with them.
• Supporting the UK Space Agency Communications team by developing strategic communications plans on wider agency priorities including Discovery and Sustainability, as required.

UK Space Agency Generic Responsibilities (This is a requirement of all posts)

• Ensure compliance with statutory and legal provisions as set out in the UK Space Agency’s policies and procedures. In particular in relation to: Financial Regulations, Equal Opportunities and Diversity, Health and Safety, Civil Service Code, Data Protection & the Official Secrets Act.
• Comply with the behaviours and standard requisites as relevant to your post as detailed in your job description, person specification and take responsibility for continuing self-development, participating in training and development activities as required or requested by your line manager.
• Attend meetings as required some of which may be outside normal working hours

The above mentioned tasks and responsibilities are neither inclusive nor exhaustive. The post holder may be called upon to carry out such other appropriate duties as may be required by the Chief Executive and/or senior officer(s) within the grading level of the post and the competence of the post holder.

Person specification

Essential:

• Experience in planning, coordinating, and delivering successful events.
• Ability to negotiate costs effectively and closely monitor budgets.
• A confident communicator and able to articulate complex ideas clearly, both verbally and in writing with an eye for detail.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to balance multiple and often competing priorities on time and to a high standard.
• Experience of handling complex internal and external stakeholder relationships to achieve agreed outcomes.
• Willing to travel and attend occasional events or issues outside of normal working hours.
• Solid IT experience including Excel.

Desirable:

• Experience designing events collateral including stands, digital content, and brochures.
• Experience of using software packages as Eventbrite and Adobe.
• You have knowledge of industry developments through GCS and other professional networks.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,470, UK Space Agency contributes £10,116 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, Experience and Technical skills.

UK Space Agency is undergoing a transformation programme which may impact your role, line manager and/or location in the future. We will share more details with you as they become known.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please use your personal statement (in no more than 500 words) to outline how your skills and experience meet the criteria set out in the person specification for this role.

Please note - the CV incorporated into the application form is for information purposes only and will not be scored.

The sift will be assessed on behaviours, personal statement and technical skills.

In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the lead behaviour - Seeing the Big Picture.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The Interview will be assessed on behaviours and technical skills

Sift and interview dates

Expected Timeline subject to change

Sift dates: w/c 18th December 2023

Interview dates: w/c 22nd January 2024

Interview Location: MS Teams.

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Further Information

This post is advertised as a Fixed term contract for a period of 12 months.

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

Reasonable Adjustment

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 uksarecruitment.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.

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

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe carried out.

Any move to UK Space Agency 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

A reserve list will be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

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

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

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 circumstance 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-Employment.Checks@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

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.

Feedback

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. 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.