About the job

Job summary

Business unit information - CO Comms

Cabinet Office supports the Prime Minister and ensures the smooth running of government - from developing policy, to modernising public services. We welcome talented people from all backgrounds with the skills and the commitment to build a career in the Civil Service.

 The Cabinet Office Purpose is:

• to maintain the integrity of the Union, coordinate the security of the realm and sustain a flourishing democracy;
• to support the design and implementation of HM Government’s policies and the Prime Minister’s priorities; and
• to ensure the delivery of the finest public services by attracting and developing the best public servants and improving the efficiency of government.

The work Cabinet Office delivers is vast and therefore presents opportunities to develop your skills and experience in a variety of critical government agendas.

The External Affairs and Ministerial Visits team leads and delivers engagements for the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for the Cabinet Office and all junior Ministers. We act as trusted advisors whilst delivering strategic engagements including visits, speeches, media moments, events and round tables.

Job description

We are looking for a highly motivated and experienced visits and engagement individual to join the External Affairs and Ministerial Visits team. This is a challenging and exciting opportunity to deliver high quality visits and engagements for the Cabinet Office Ministerial team.

The job will require the candidate to:

• Lead on strategic engagements for senior ministers, including the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for the Cabinet Office including visits, round tables and bilateral meetings.
• Lead on stakeholder engagement advice, proposals and briefings, research, monitor and develop stakeholder engagement strategies for all Cabinet Office Ministers, the Cabinet Secretary, and the COO of the Civil Service.
• Work collaboratively with teams across Cabinet Office, wider Whitehall and overseas at Posts to produce briefings and communication material for Ministers.
• Build effective and proactive relationships with external organisations, policy teams and team members to support the Cabinet Office and Ministerial objectives.
• Deliver Ministerial domestic and overseas visits, from developing creative proposals to delivering on site, including all management of all logistical elements. 
• Protect and promote the reputation of the department and its leadership in the media and online.
• Work closely across departments and the Press Office to ensure consistency and messaging is aligned.
• Travel and early starts/late finishes may be required.

Person specification

• Experienced in leading delivery of high-profile engagements and visits for Senior Ministers/Cabinet Office Ministers.
• Experienced in events management and have a good understanding of Ministerial requirements.
• Experienced in establishing new programmes of work from the conception idea to completion.
• Have experience of planning and working with external stakeholders to deliver visits and events.
• Have experience of handling complex internal and external stakeholder relationships at a senior level to achieve agreed outcomes.
• Be media savvy, with a good understanding of the Civil Service and Cabinet Office policy.
• Alert to emerging issues and trends which might impact or benefit our work.
• Eager to get stuck in, with a willingness to work at pace. 
• Collaborative and used to working with many different people and teams.

Specialist Skills (essential)

• Needs experience of delivering media facing Ministerial visits.
• Experience of working with external stakeholders.
• Strong communication skills and experience working with press office.

Specialist Skills (desirable)

• A good understanding of digital communications.
• Experience working with Cabinet Office Ministers and Cabinet Office policy teams.

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 £44,500, Cabinet Office contributes £12,015 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.

Application process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, 500 word personal statement as well as three 250 word behaviour statements. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form. 

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using your CV and experience. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Selection process

During the blended interview you will be assessed against your experience, behaviours that are contained in this advert and a technical question. GCS technical question: ideas

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – tbc
Expected interview date/s – tbc
Interview location - 70 Whitehall

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

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.

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.

Please note that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally need 5 years’ UK residency in the past 5 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

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 security 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.