About the job

Job summary

The Prime Minister’s Office enables the Prime Minster to deliver the Government’s overall priorities and to communicate the Government’s policies to Parliament, the public and international audiences. From the Policy Unit, Press Office, Switchboard and Custodians, to the Events & Visits team and the Private Office support; the diverse Downing Street team draws on varied expertise from across the Civil Service and beyond. The teams come together to deliver excellent service to the Prime Minister while also making No.10 a great place to work.

Job description

The Prime Minister’s Press Office is looking to appoint a Deputy Head of News to lead the foreign and home affairs desks.

Based at 10 Downing Street, this is one of the most exciting and challenging jobs in government communications, providing a unique opportunity to work at the heart of the Prime Minister’s office. 

While the challenges of this role are significant, so are the rewards, with the successful post-holder having the chance to work within No.10; lead two brilliant and high-performing teams in delivering some of the PM’s top priorities at home and abroad, and working closely with colleagues across Government.

The post-holder will need to provide trusted advice to the Prime Minister and their wider political team; act at the Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Spokesperson at on the record briefings to international journalists; motivate and develop the talented No.10 Press Office and work in partnership with Whitehall counterparts while acting as an exemplar of professional standards. 

This post will appeal to experienced and confident press operators, who enjoy working with senior ministers, political advisers, officials and journalists; who are equally confident that they can articulate the clear sense of direction necessary to motivate a high-performing team; and who want to play an active leadership role in the wider Prime Minister’s Office. 

The main duties of the posts will be:

• Oversight of the Foreign and Home Affairs portfolios as a subject-matter expert on all related policy areas.
• Leading on all aspects of communications around international visits and relevant domestic visits, travelling with the PM where required.
• Maintaining and taking part in regular briefings to members of the foreign press.
• Building and maintaining excellent relations with key contacts within the Prime Minister’s Office and Government departments, specifically FCDO, Home Office, MOD, MOJ, DEFRA, DBT and intelligence agencies, in order to keep abreast of developing policies and offer communications advice accordingly. Maintain close working relations with political communications colleagues within the bounds of propriety.
• Drive professional standards across government and take responsibility for the output of relevant departments.
• Build relationships with the Head of News & Deputy Head of News from relevant departments and provide advice to them where required.
• Develop and advise on strategic media plans on lead areas of responsibility, guide and advise government departments on the presentation, planning and delivery of high profile news events to ensure they’re in line with the PM’s priorities.
• Seek and advise on opportunities for the PM’s involvement in major announcements and events; brief journalists on the PM and Downing Street’s behalf and lead a team in dealing with media enquiries. 
• Assess communications risks and advise on media handling of breaking news stories leading on managing crisis communications as necessary and leading multi-Department activity. 
• Deputise for the Head of News as required, including routinely hosting cross-Government conference calls and meetings.

Working at No.10 involves regularly delivering under pressure and to challenging deadlines. The role will also include routine out of hours work.

Person specification

Essential Skills & Experience:

• First-rate news judgement under pressure 
• A strong grasp of the wider media and political context in which the Government operates 
• Extensive experience briefing and providing advice directly to senior leaders in your organisation and/or externally
• Experience of taking a strategic approach to short and long term campaigns 
• Excellent interpersonal skills, as you’ll be expected to work closely, while under pressure, with colleagues across No.10 and in government departments
• The leadership skills to motivate and develop a team of ambitious professionals 

Desirable Experience:

• Recent foreign or home affairs policy experience
• Experience managing a high performing team 

Additional information:

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £68,790, Cabinet Office contributes £18,573 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, Strengths and Experience.

Application process

Please include a CV and use the Personal Statement to explain how your skills and experience make you a suitable candidate for the role.

Selection process

Applications will be sifted using the "Experience" element of the Success Profiles Framework. Candidates successful at sift will be invited to a Behaviour and Strength based panel interview.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – Late March 
Expected interview date/s – April
Interview location - 10 Downing Street, London

Further information

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

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Cabinet Office 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Please note that this role is open to UK Nationals only and requires DV clearance, which would normally need 10 years’ UK residency in the past 10 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

Reasonable adjustments

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 cabinetofficerecruitment.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 successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

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 circumstances 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-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

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

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.

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.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

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

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

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.