About the job

Job summary

The Equality Hub sits at the heart of the Cabinet Office, responding to some of the government’s top priorities.

The Hub consists of the Government Equalities Office, the Disability Unit and the Race Disparity Unit, which look after different portfolios.  The Social Mobility Commission secretariat also sits within the Hub and reports to the Social Mobility Commissioners.

Amongst the Hub’s current priorities are the delivery of the Disability Action Plan, work to tackle LGBT conversion practices, empowering women in the workplace and the Inclusive Britain strategy.

We’re looking for someone with a passion for communications and media relations to work in our busy Press Office. The successful candidate will also work closely with No.10 as the Equality Hub’s planner.

Job description

The successful candidate will be a key part of the Hub’s communications output, planning effective media moments to promote the work of the organisation, whilst also defending its reputation.

With a knowledge of UK media and a good sense of what appeals to different publications, you will be working on a number of high profile issues with the support of an experienced team.

In order to ensure that the work of the Hub is properly gridded, a small part of this role involves grid planning and horizon scanning. Supported by the rest of the team you will ensure submissions are sent to No10 on time and in the correct format, whilst also attending the weekly planning meeting with gridders from across Whitehall.

Responsibilities:

• Handling a range of reactive media enquiries, working with Hub colleagues to develop responses and issuing them to journalists.
• Delivering effective media moments, creating comprehensive plans and output that ensures the work of the Hub is carried in national, regional and trade media.
• Grid planning, ensuring that the Hub’s work is effectively communicated to No10 and colleagues across government.
• Acting as part of the out of hours media rota, normally with one light-touch shift a week to provide effective cover outside of working hours.
• Building positive relationships with journalists in areas relevant to the Hub.

Person specification

Essential

• Knowledge of UK media and current trends.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills.
• Good level of political awareness.
• Ability to work to tight deadlines.
• Calm under pressure
• Press Office experience

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.

This role will require clearance as follows:

London: minimum of CTC clearance - if you do not have the minimum of CTC clearance, checks will be undertaken which will take between 8-10 weeks to complete.

National: minimum of BPSS clearance

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £35,400, Cabinet Office contributes £9,558 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.

Application process

We kindly ask applicants to also provide a CV. The CV is just for reference, it will not be used to sift applications.

The application process requires written examples against the behaviours listed in the advert.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, Delivering at Pace. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Selection process

A sift will take place on the behaviours

For interview: the format will be on the behaviours.

There may be a presentation as part of the interview, we will let you know in advance if you need to prepare a presentation.

Expected timeline (subject to change)
Expected sift date – either W/C 17th or 24th June 2024 - this will be dependent on the volume of applications 
Expected interview date/s – either W/C 24th June or 1st July 2024 
Interview location - the interview will take place via Google Meet video conferencing.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

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 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. 

Further Information

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

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 or Disclosure Scotland 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. 

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

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

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter

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.

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 counter-terrorist check (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

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.