About the job

Job summary

Do you have experience in behavioural change and marketing campaigns?

Are you able to develop messages based on insight and adapt your communication style to suit your audience?

Can you encourage others to work towards a common goal?

If so, we'd love to hear from you!

The Senior Campaign Manager will be the main communications advisor, responsible for DVSA’s flagship ‘Ready to Pass? campaign.

The campaign encourages learners to assess their test readiness with their instructor using bespoke campaign resources, to check if they are ready and encourages delaying their test if they are not. It also gives advice on how to make sure that their test goes ahead.

To find out more information about how the campaign you can read our behind the scenes blog posts that explain how the campaign was developed and channels it uses.

Job description

The role holder will be responsible for the day-to-day planning and management of the ‘Ready to Pass? campaign. Providing expert marketing advice and project manage large budgets to deliver advertising, partnership marketing and PR activity. The post holder will be required to work closely with creative and media planning agencies, our internal specialist communication team and forge strong relationships with stakeholders, policy officials and Ministers’ offices.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to;

• Planning and implementing campaign strategies including working with colleagues to develop an integrated media presence. Reviewing and analysing research and policy to extract and identify relevant insights to shape campaign activity.
• Campaign planning and delivery across, above and below the line channels including broadcast (e.g., radio, video on demand), PR, digital and social media platforms, and brand and media partnerships.
• Creating multi-channel campaign plans – mapping channels to audiences to ensure the programme of activity lands effectively with our audiences.
• Managing campaign budgets and leading on the campaign assurance process.

For more information about the role and responsibilities please see the attached Candidate Pack.

Person specification

To thrive in this role, you will have experience in strategic communications, including planning, horizon scanning and evaluation. You will have knowledge of behaviour change theory and experience of developing and delivering significant behaviour change campaigns, to deliver clear communications objectives based on audience insight and data. 

You will have experience of evaluating communications campaigns against agreed key performance indicators and excellent analytical skills. Driven by data, you are able to spot trends and inconsistencies.

You will be able to tailor your excellent communication skills to varying circumstances and audiences. You are assertive and influential, with the leadership skills and aptitude needed to develop and motivate a team.

If not already held, there will be a development opportunity for the successful candidate to work towards one the following qualifications when in post:

• Chartered Institute in Marketing
• Chartered Institute of Public Relations

Please take note that DVSA does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship. 

Additional Information

This role can be based in Swansea, Nottingham, Bristol, or Newcastle, where your presence at one of these locations will form part of the working arrangements agreed with you. We operate a hybrid working model giving you greater flexibility about where and when you work. Our current expectation is that you will spend a minimum 40% of your time at your base location. Visits to other DVSA sites or work locations count towards the 40%. Please be aware there is a Civil Service wide expectation to increase office attendance to 60% and we are working on our implementation plan.

Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement, for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 3 days (22.5 to 25 hours) per week.

There will be occasional travel required with this role to other DVSA locations, including overnight stays.

This post is offered on a Fixed Term Appointment (FTA) basis to work on a specific project.

Permanent Civil Servants will not be expected to change their employment status from permanent to fixed term appointment.

Internal applicants will be appointed on inward loan and subject to the terms of the agreed inward loan agreement. The expectation is that you will return to your previous post at the end of the loan period, which will need to be agreed with your line manager in advance.    

If you're employed by a non-departmental public body (NDPB) by moving jobs this will involve a change of employer and you may break the statutory rules on continuity of employment.

About Us

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) helps keep Britain moving, safely and sustainably. 

 

We do this by helping people through a lifetime of safe and sustainable journeys, helping them keep their vehicles safe to drive, and protecting them from unsafe drivers and vehicles. 

We’re working hard to:  

• make roads safer
• improve services for our customers
• make road transport greener and healthier
• harness the potential of technology and data
• grow and level up the economy

We’re committed to giving all our colleagues purpose, professionalism and pride in what we do. We work in supportive, diverse and inclusive teams where everyone is valued. You can grow, develop and progress, and make a real difference to society. 

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice and welcome and encourage applications from everyone, such as ethnic minorities, women, disabled people and those who identify as LGBT+. 
 
To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace and making DVSA a great place to work visit our Careers website.  

Benefits

• An environment with flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.
• Exceptional pension with an employer contribution of an average of 27%.
• Generous Annual Leave - 25 days holiday, increasing by 1 each year of service, up to 30.
• 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday.
• Latest IT and Tech devices. 
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.
• Excellent learning and development tailored to your role including paid apprenticeships up to Masters level.
• Wide range of discounts schemes on high street names.
• Employee assistance program for health and well being.
• Cycle to work scheme and Gym membership offers.
• For more information see visit our careers page

 

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.

The sift is due to take place 22 - 23 February 2024.

Interviews are likely to be held week commencing 11 March 2024.

This interview could be conducted face to face, details of which will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

We’ll try to meet the dates we’ve set out in the advert. But there may be occasions when these dates will change. We’ll give you plenty of notice of any important dates.

How to Apply 

As part of the application process you will be asked to provide a CV and Personal Statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

For your Personal Statement, please provide detailed evidence of the following:

• Your experience of using audience insight and data to help inform a communications strategy.
• Your experience of developing and delivering behaviour change or marketing campaigns, with clear communications objectives that support business or government goals.
• Your experience of using horizon scanning and trends to help develop communication strategies and plans.
• Your experience of evaluating communications campaigns against agreed key performance indicators.

Your personal statement will be limited to a maximum of 1000 words. 

You need to include details of your experience of all the essential criteria listed above including any outcomes in your personal statement, within the word count. As this will be used in conjunction with your CV to assess candidate suitability to move to the next round in the recruitment process.

As part of the technical assessment for this role you will be assessed against:

The GCS Career Framework.

Further details around this can be found in the 'Technical' section of the advert and in the attached Candidate Pack.

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include:

• An interview and a presentation 

If you would like to find out more about what it’s like to work for DVSA and how to apply, we will be holding virtual sessions to find out more. Please click here to secure your place at one of our upcoming events.

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the candidate pack as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.

The Department for Transport recruits using Success Profiles. For each role, we consider what you need to demonstrate to be successful.

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

You can read more about Success Profiles here.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

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

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

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 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.