About the job

Job summary

Are you an experienced and confident strategic communications professional?

Do you have experience of developing communication strategies and handling plans and overseeing their implementation?

Do you want to play an exciting part in keeping Britain moving, safely and sustainably?

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

Job description

We are seeking a talented Strategic Communications Manager to join us here at the Driver and Vehicle Standard's Agency (DVSA).

We recently set out our vision to 2030, which explains the challenges we face and how our work can help 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.

You’ll help us to do this by:

• providing strategic communications advice to policy officials, corporate senior leaders and ministers.
• having personal impact and leadership skills to persuade and influence others.
• horizon scanning and considering the wider impact of communications and highlighting issues.
• developing strategic handling plans to support us to achieve DVSA’s important business outcomes.
• managing and leading other communication specialists and overseeing the implementation of communication activity and monitoring progress.
• having an appropriate and robust approach to evaluating strategies and plans.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Provide strategic communications guidance and advice to policy officials, corporate senior leaders, directors and ministers.
• Develop communication strategies and handling plans to support the DVSA’s outcomes in the 2030 vision using the Government Communication Service (GCS) OASIS framework.
• Protect and enhance DVSA’s reputation, act as trusted advisor, supporting clients, always looking at the wider impact of communications and highlighting issues.
• Managing and leading other communication specialists including media and press, digital content designers, creative designers and internal communications and overseeing the development and implementation of communications.
• Set robust the communication evaluation criteria for the communication activities to measure their success and share lessons learnt to inform and improve future communication plans.

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

Person specification

We are looking for someone with proven experience of providing strategic communications advice to with senior internal and external stakeholders – including directors, board members, chief executives and ministers.

You’ll need to have a good understanding the principles and application of behavioural theory and how to make sure that communications are accessible and meet customer needs.

You’ll be highly organised and self-motivated, able to work collaboratively and with influence. You will relish the opportunity to take ownership of the communication handling plans, implement the communications and work with other specialist communications professionals in DVSA to develop and evaluate them.

With strong communication and interpersonal skills, and demonstrable experience of effective and personable stakeholder engagement and management, you will be able to work confidently with senior colleagues and offer strategic communications advice.

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 this location will form part of the working arrangements agreed with you. We operate a hybrid working model with the expectation that you will spend a minimum 60% on a DVSA site or on official business giving you greater flexibility about where and when you work. 

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.

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 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. 

Visit the Department for Transport careers website to read more about the great opportunities and benefits of working at DVSA.  

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:

• Can develop communications plans with SMART business and communication objectives using audience insight and evaluate their success using key performance indicators.
• Proven experience of providing strategic communications advice to with senior internal and external stakeholders.
• Leading and managing communications and working collaboratively with other communications specialists.
• Understand how own work contributes to aims and objectives of the organisation or wider sector.

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 a presentation.

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.

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.

The sift is due to take place 08 - 09 January 2024.

Interviews are likely to be held week commencing 22 January 2024.

This interview could be conducted via a video interview, 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.

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.