Department For Digital Culture Media And Sport Jobs – Senior Policy Adviser Loughborough

Overview

Job Summary

About the job

Are you a talented communications professional passionate about the arts, culture, heritage and creative industries? Would you like to be part of a fun and supportive team creating communications promoting these sectors and helping them thrive across the UK?

If so, we want to hear from you.

We need a dynamic and creative communicator who can develop and implement impactful media campaigns, press announcements and PR that tell the UK’s story on how we are supporting our arts, culture, heritage and creative industries.

You will be an experienced and resilient communicator who is passionate about their work.

You will be able to land messages that cut through the national and international press, generate advocacy from influential voices, engage audiences through our digital channels and develop exciting campaigns that feed into the government’s wider agenda.

You should be used to working at pace and have the confidence to influence at the highest levels, working with ministers, senior policy officials and stakeholders. You will be able to deliver against tight deadlines and handle multiple competing priorities. We need someone who has initiative and can get things done from ideas to planning, delivery and evaluation.

What you’ll be doing:

Develop and deliver creative news and PR to promote the sectors you cover and get the issues to the top of the news agenda using the channels our audiences trust.

• Provide communications advice and support to Ministers, senior officials and stakeholders.
• Work closely with communications peers at key stakeholder organisations to maximise opportunities for joint working.
• Handle reactive news calls ensuring that the media understand the Government’s actions, plans and policies on your brief.
• Set clear objectives for your work and select the right channels for your audiences (Press, partnerships digital/social media, advertising, PR).
• Set targets and evaluation to demonstrate the impact of your communications.
• Collaborate with policy teams to identify communications opportunities and risks and drive stakeholder engagement.
• Take part in the out of hours duty rota, for which overtime is paid.

You will report into the desk’s senior communications officer.

Job Description

What we’re looking for

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) has an exciting opportunity for a highly skilled Communications Officer in one of the most interesting, varied and fast paced Whitehall departments. You will be working on the Arts, Heritage and Tourism desk dealing with high profile issues that are very close to people’s hearts.

Who You’ll Be Working With

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) deals with some of the most exciting and interesting policies in Government. From music and film to tech and sport we deal with the issues that make a difference to people’s lives.

As part of the communications team you will cover a diverse and exciting remit. Our office is always busy and every day is different. There’s always room for improvement and we want someone with the ideas and creativity to make a difference to our work.

Person specification

Personal attributes and skills include:

• Be an enthusiastic team player with a can-do attitude, offering creative solutions to problems and driving the media agenda.
• A passionate and energetic communicator with a track-record of delivering creative, impactful integrated communications.
• Able to work under pressure, managing competing priorities under changing deadlines.
• Confident and skilled at working with and influencing ministers or senior leaders, and building alliances with stakeholders to support communications delivery.
• An ability to turn complex insights into clear communications strategies and engaging campaigns, navigating risks and opportunities.
• Able to set and evaluate clear and SMART objectives, evaluating impact and applying learnings.
• Excellent news sense, written and oral communication skills.
• Knowledge of the Government environment would be beneficial.

What We’ll Give You

We can promise you plenty of variety and a role in one of the best, most supportive communications teams in Government. You’ll get access to plenty of learning and development, continuous ‘on the job’ training and events.

If you are looking for an interesting, challenging and varied role and have the talent, skills and enthusiasm to be part of our team then we want to hear from you.

Behaviours

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical Skills

We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Insight
• Ideas
• Implementation
• Impact

Benefits

DCMS values its staff and offers a wide range of benefits to everyone who works here. We’re committed to developing talent, and supporting colleagues to have great careers in our department. To support with that, some of the benefits we offer include:

• Flexible working arrangements and hybrid working – DCMS staff work on a flexible basis with time spent in offices, and time spent working from home.
• 26.5 days annual leave on entry, increasing to 31.5 days after 5 years’ service.
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• 3 days of paid volunteering leave.
• Up to 9 months maternity leave on full pay + generous paternity and adoption leave.
• Staff reward and recognition bonuses that operate throughout the year.
• Occupational sick pay.
• Active and engaged staff networks to join including the LGBT+, Ethnic Diversity, Mental Health and Wellbeing and Gender Equality Networks.
• Exceptional learning and development opportunities that you can explore alongside your day to day work.
• Season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme and much more!

Terms and conditions at SCS grades will vary. Those applying for SCS roles should refer to the candidate information pack for more information on terms and conditions.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

The successful candidate will need to demonstrate a range of essential skills and experience as outlined in the GCS Competency Framework and Behaviours set out in the Success Profiles Framework.

Candidates will be assessed on their CV and statement at the applications stage at both application and Interview stage and on Behaviours and Technical Skills at interview .

Further Information

For indicative sift and interview dates please refer to the attached Candidate Information Pack.

DCMS has a London and a National pay scale. For more information on this, including the circumstances in which each pay scale will apply, please see the ‘Information for Applicants’ document .

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to DCMS 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

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.

Interviews

In most cases interviews will take place remotely via Google Meet video call. However please refer to the Candidate Information Pack to confirm the interview approach.

Location

This role can be based in London .The hub locations are displayed on the job advert. Not all hub locations have confirmed office space yet – successful applicants will be expected to work remotely until this becomes available.

Reasonable Adjustment

We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process.

In order to request an adjustment, please:

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section on 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 a verbal test rather than a written one.

Alternatively, contact the Government Recruitment Service via dcmsrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility difficulties with any of the attachments, please contact us. Contact details can be found in the ‘contact point for applicants’ section of the job advert.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check . See our vetting charter .

People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

Nationality Requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals