About the job

Job summary

This position is based nationally

Job description

MEDIA OFFICER JOB DESCRIPTION

DEPARTMENT NORTHERN IRELAND OFFICE

POST VACANT MEDIA OFFICER  (HEO)

LOCATION London or Belfast 

Occasional Travel to other office locations will be required.

DURATION  Maternity cover to March 2025 (Fixed Term or Loan)

APPLICATIONS INVITED FROM Existing Home Civil Service staff either at HEO or analogous grades on level transfer or at EO on temporary promotion. External candidates with comparable skills or experience. 

Salary Scale - London £37,174- £40,403 Belfast 32,827- £35,678

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

CLOSING DATE 8th July @ 23:00 

Who we are
 
Inclusion and diversity 

The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) is committed to being an inclusive employer with a diverse workforce. We encourage applications from people from the widest possible diversity of backgrounds, cultures and experiences.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates, as they are under-represented within the NIO at this level.

We strive to be an inclusive employer and are recognised by our staff and externally as being an employer where diversity and inclusion are valued.

We hold a Diversity & Inclusion Charter Mark and are an accredited Disability Confident Leader organisation.

We have an active D&I network supporting colleagues through D&I Advocates, championed by our Directors.

We want all our people to feel valued for who they are and we are confident that you will find the NIO a warm, welcoming and inclusive place to work.

What we do

Background

The NIO represents Northern Ireland’s interests at a UK Government level and UK Government interests in Northern Ireland. 

We have a wide range of responsibilities, including: underpinning political stability in Northern Ireland; leading on national security policy in Northern Ireland; addressing the legacy of Northern Ireland’s past; playing a key role in rebalancing the NI economy; representing NI interests, including on the border with Ireland,following the exit from the EU. 

Our small size and diverse portfolio create a stimulating, fast-paced and challenging working environment, requiring regular engagement with a range of Ministers and senior officials. 

We support flexible working and have a modern, flexible IT system which helps enable this.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

We are looking to recruit a highly motivated person to work as a media officer at the heart of the NIO’s communications team. The post advertised is a temporary position to cover maternity leave until March 2025.

This is an exciting opportunity to work in a very important area of the UK Government. The post holder will work under the supervision of a senior communications officer. 

They will respond to media queries and breaking news stories, draft and implement proactive communication plans, monitor, develop digital content and work with partners across government. They will support ministerial visits and will be required to be part of the out-of-hours duty rota.

This role offers substantial scope for learning and development. It requires flexibility, proactivity, and a willingness and interest to learn new areas of work. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The main responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to:

● Working as an integral part of a busy news desk, handling enquiries from journalists and other media contacts via telephone and email. 

● Responding to all media queries in a timely manner, working alongside policy colleagues to produce appropriate responses that shape reporting;

● Working as part of an out-of-hours duty rota, handling media enquiries, coordinating the departmental response and circulating media coverage; 

● Preparing communications plans, press releases, statements and social media / digital content;  

● Distributing communications products (news releases, statements, commentary etc) to key media stakeholders and on NIO social media / digital channels; 

● Monitoring all news and digital media channels, tracking and evaluating developing news stories and providing updates to relevant stakeholders;

● Supporting the team to arrange and organise Ministerial events and visits as well as interviews and press conferences. Developing media plans for events, announcements and policy changes; 

● Developing and maintaining working relationships with key media and external stakeholders to ensure that key messages are amplified across a wide range of outlets;

● Maintaining and updating information on the nio.gov.uk webpage.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

● Excellent written and oral communications skills, ability to communicate effectively at all grades combined with strong planning and organisational skills 

● An excellent news sense with the ability to anticipate and spot breaking news stories, as well as identifying opportunities to influence reporting;

●  Experience writing copy e.g. for communications plans, press releases, statements and social / digital channels;

● Demonstrable experience of working to meet tight deadlines.

DESIRABLE CRITERIA:

● Experience of working as a journalist or in a multi-functional press team;

● Strong working knowledge of social media channels and how to use them;

● Experience of working as part of an out-of-hours duty rota, handling press queries and responses. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 

The NIO offers a pleasant, modern work hybrid working environment that allows consideration of a range of flexible working arrangements that support a good work/ life balance. These include flexible/ alternative working patterns, part-time and job-share options. 

The NIO offers non-contractual hybrid working, with the expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time in the office.

A duty allowance applies for this role.

Additional information received after the closing date will not be considered.  

SELECTION PROCESS:

The selection and interview process will consist of two stages:

SIFT

Sift: You will assessed and sifted using the following success profiles behaviours:
a. Seeing the Big Picture
b. Making Effective Decisions
c. Communicating and Influencing
d. Delivering at Pace

In your application, please provide a CV detailing relevant work experience (no more than 2 pages) and a statement of suitability (750 words maximum). In your statement of suitability, provide demonstrable examples of your previous work experience when discussing the points below, and remember to tell us how you meet the essential and desirable criteria.  

● How do you work effectively to tight deadlines?
● Describe an occasion when you worked with others to deliver a project.
● How have you developed and maintained key stakeholder relationships in a previous role?
● What is your approach when developing content targeted towards a specific audience? 

Interview: The interview will be of a blended nature consisting of behaviours and experience.

BEHAVIOURS:

We will assess you against the following Success Profiles behaviours at Level 2 during the selection process.

● Seeing the Big Picture
● Making Effective Decisions
● Communicating and Influencing
● Delivering at Pace

More information on behaviours and success profiles can be found here.

Please note that in the event of a large number of applications being received we may run an initial sift on the suitability statement and lead Behaviour “Communicating and Influencing” only.

SECURITY CLEARANCE

Security clearance to SC level will be required for this post.

PAY AND ALLOWANCES

The successful candidate will adopt the terms and conditions of the NIO for the length of their appointment. 

Neither Detached Duty terms nor relocation costs will apply to this post.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Further information about the post may be obtained by contacting Bryan Gray via bryan.gray@nio.gov.uk or 07799 470141.

APPLICATIONS

You can apply for this post through the Civil Service website at civilservice.gov.uk. Once logged onto the site go to the civil service jobs page and then search for jobs in the Northern Ireland Office where the application form can be found.

All applications for employment are considered strictly on the basis of merit.

Additional information received after the closing date will not be considered.  Failure to provide sufficient information in support of an application prior to the closing date will not be considered as grounds for an appeal if an applicant is not shortlisted for interview.

Home Civil Service applicants who, because of disability, need assistance in completing the application form should contact MoJ Shared Services on 0845 010 3512.

All applications for employment are considered strictly on the basis of merit.

This job description should not be taken as constituting conditions of employment.

Please note that due to the high interest in NIO opportunities, feedback cannot be given if you are unsuccessful at sift stage. Feedback is available on request if unsuccessful following interview.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Further information about us

We are a small and friendly department of approximately 185 staff.  Due to our size we are able to offer staff more exposure to ministers and the opportunity to work on a far wider portfolio of responsibilities than might be the case in a larger department.  This creates an interesting, though often challenging, work environment.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme

The Northern Ireland Office operates the Guaranteed Interview Scheme, details of which are attached to the application form for this post.

In the event that we identify more appointable candidates than we currently have posts available, we will hold applicant details on a reserve list for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. This may include roles at a lower grade. Candidates placed on a reserve list will be informed of this. Those candidates who do not wish to remain on the reserve list should contact MoJ-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com to be removed from the reserve list. 

Further information on civil service careers can be found at  www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.  

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. You have the right to complain if you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles. 

Please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@sscl.gse.gov.uk) in the first instance.

If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages:

http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitment/complaints/

https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/code/

Merit Lists

In the event that the advertised post following interview, identifies more appointable applicants than available posts, we will hold applicant details on a merit/reserve list for a period of 12 months from which further future appointments can be made. Candidates placed on a reserve list will be informed of this. Those candidates who do not wish to remain on the reserve list should contact MoJ-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com to be removed from the reserve list.

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,827, Northern Ireland Office contributes £8,896 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 and Experience.https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

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.