About the job

Job summary

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is a small government department with a big mission: to keep food safe, ensure that it is what it says it is, and that it is increasingly healthy and more sustainable. Our communications team play a vital role in helping us deliver ‘food you can trust’, working to connect the public, food industry and wider government with our work.

We are looking for a Senior Digital Content Manager who can help us deliver accessible content to support this mission. You’ll be responsible for the planning, delivery and evaluation of content, using an audience-led approach to help develop effective messaging that has a real impact on audiences.

Job description

You’ll be a natural communicator, writing clearly and concisely to deliver messaging about complex areas of work. You’ll be able to translate what we do into easy-to-understand and accessible content, helping us to connect with as many people as possible.

You’ll use your experience in audience and user insight to build on our customer journey and be a digital brand guardian who can ensure consistency across all we do. There’s plenty of opportunity here to connect and collaborate with stakeholders from across the organisation and wider government, advocating best practice and exploring new possibilities.

If you’re experienced in web content management, delivering creative, accessible digital content and are excited by the opportunity to use your talent for communication to deliver messaging that really matters, apply today to join us as our Senior Digital Content Manager.

Person specification

Please read the attached Candidate Pack to discover further details about the role, our organisation, who we are looking for and the criteria we will assess against during the selection process.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,611, Food Standards Agency contributes £11,475 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.

Full details of the selection process are detailed in the attached candidate pack. 

Application and shortlisting

You will be asked to provide personal details (not seen by the Panel) and to confirm your eligibility to apply for the role.

You will then be asked to complete an application which will be used to assess you against the following essential and desirable criteria. (Desirable criteria will only be assessed in the event of a tie between candidates).

Essential criteria

Experience

• Lead criteria: Significant experience of creating and evaluating web and other digital content for a diverse audience.
• Significant experience of using web content management tools, such as Drupal.
• Excellent copywriting skills, translating complex information into plain English.
• Experience of using data and analytics to develop KPIs and report against them.
• Experience of using design software to create digital assets.

Desirable criteria (Desirable criteria will only be assessed in the event of a tie between candidates).

Experience  

• Demonstrable understanding of the content and social media landscape, and ways to keep up to date with new trends and changes to platforms.

Lead Criteria An initial sift will take place on the Lead Criteria

In the event that we receive a large number of applications, the minimum pass mark for the Lead Criteria may be raised at shortlisting stage. Candidates who apply under the DCS, GPTW or RIS schemes and meet the minimum requirements will be unaffected by the pass mark raise.

Interview

If successful at shortlisting stage, you will be invited to a final interview in which we will assess you against the following Technical requirements of the role and Civil Service Behaviours Level 3.

Behaviours

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leadership
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service

Full details of the positive indicators being assessed for each Behaviour can be found in the Candidate Pack.

Technical (assessed via one assessment exercise)

• Insight: understanding and experience applying a range of sources of communications insight
• Ideas: ability to develop a communications approach (considering creative content and channel strategy) to deliver a particular goal
• Implementation: ability to plan and manage the delivery of a communications strategy, working with and through others

Competency Framework - technical specifications - GCS (civilservice.gov.uk)

Assessment exercise

As part of the interview process, you will be asked to prepare a seen presentation. Further information will be provided to you on the invitation to interview email.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application or used during interview, including your CV and any statements or examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.

Expected Timeline

Advert closes: 12 August 2024 (23:55)

Sift: Expected to take place 13 – 21 August 2024

Final panel interview: Expected to take place during week commencing 2 September 2024

Interviews will be held remotely via MS Teams. (If you do not have the Microsoft Teams application installed on your computer, you can join on the web without installing the application).

Please note that indicated dates may be subject to change.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to the Food Standards 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 at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Reserve List

A reserve list will be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.

Candidates that do not pass the interview but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that the FSA does not hold a licence to sponsor any visa applications and we are unable to provide any advice about visas.

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.