Senior Strategic Communications Manager
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
About the job
Job summary
Do you have experience in strategic communications?
Can you effectively develop and deliver communication campaigns?
Are you able to work with senior leaders and communications colleagues, to develop compelling, impactful communications?
If so, we are looking for a Senior Strategic Communications Manager to join us at the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), and we’d love to hear from you!
Job description
Reporting to the Head of External Communications, you will act as a key communications advisor, responsible for delivering a first-rate strategic campaigns and communications partnering service for an assigned business area in DVSA.
You will work closely with Corporate Senior Leaders, alongside colleagues from Internal Communications, External Affairs and Publishing, to develop behaviour change campaigns, communications strategy and related communications plans for the business area you partner. Your work will achieve improved business outcomes for the business area and wider DVSA, whilst ensuring that DVSA’s corporate reputation is protected.
This is a fantastic opportunity, where you will be accountable for ensuring stakeholder propositions, communication plans, narratives, key messages, objectives and evaluation are in place for strategic initiatives, projects and products in your assigned business area of work.
Working closely with the Head of Internal Communications, External Affairs, and Publishing as required, you will ensure staff, customers and stakeholders receive timely, clear and accurate information via relevant or corporate communications channels. You will have management responsibility for 1 HEO Strategic Communications Manager.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Accountable for the development of behaviour change campaigns, communications strategies and related communications plans for assigned business areas.
- Responsible for ensuring all communications in their business areas are aligned and consistent with wider DVSA and DfT strategies.
- Using your professional communications skills and expertise, and knowledge and understanding of the business area you partner.
- Support the delivery of DVSA’s overall communications strategy and plan by working collaboratively with others.
For more information about the role and responsibilities please see the attached Candidate Pack.
Person specification
We are looking for a talented communications professional, who is able to lead on the development and delivery of strategic internal and external communications plans for internal and external audiences.
You have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, enjoy engaging and working with others to achieve shared objectives, and have the expertise and confidence to provide expert advice and strategic insight to influence decisions at senior levels.
You are a highly motivated individual who will thrive managing a varied and challenging workload and have with the drive and determination to exceed expectations and deliver work that makes a real difference.
If not already held/ working towards one of the following professional communication qualifications, there will need to be a willingness to work towards whilst in post.
Chartered Institute of Marketing, Chartered Institute of Public Relations, Public Relations and Communications Association, Institute of Internal Communications or a degree in a communications discipline.
Additional Information
This role can be based in Swansea, Nottingham, Bristol, or Newcastle, 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 expectation is that you will spend a minimum 60% of your time at your base location. Visits to other DVSA sites or work locations count towards this.
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 and overnight stays as part of this role.
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.
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 wellbeing.
- 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.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 in strategic communications – planning, horizon scanning and evaluation.
- Your experience of developing and delivering communications campaigns, to deliver clear communications objectives based on audience insight and data.
- Your experience of evaluating communications campaigns against agreed key performance indicators.
Your personal statement will be limited to a maximum of 750 words.
The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include:
- An interview and an in-tray exercise/ presentation.
As part of the technical assessment for this role you will be assessed against:
The GCS Competency Framework.
Further details around this can be found in the 'Technical' section of the advert and in the attached Candidate Pack.
This interview could be conducted via a video interview, details of which will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.
The sift is due to take place 11 - 12 April 2024.
Interviews are likely to be held 02 - 03 May 2024.
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.
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
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.