media coordinator London, England
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Job summary
#DSIT
The responsibilities for the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology for 2023 are as follows:
- Positioning the UK at the forefront of global scientific and technological advancement
- Driving innovations that change lives and sustain economic growth
- Delivering talent programmes, physical and digital infrastructure and regulation to support our economy, security and public services
- R&D funding
For 2023, our priorities are:
- Optimise public R&D investment to support areas of relative UK strength and increase the level of private R&D to make our economy the most innovative in the world.
- Promote a diverse research and innovation system that connects discovery to new companies, growth and jobs – including by delivering world-class physical and digital infrastructure (such as gigabit broadband), making the UK the best place to start and grow a technology business and developing and attracting top talent.
- Put our public services – including the NHS and schools – at the forefront of innovation, championing new ways of working and the development of in-house STEM capability to improve outcomes for people.
- Strengthen international collaboration on science and technology in line with the Integrated Review, and ensure our researchers are able to continue to work with leading scientists in Europe and around the world.
- Deliver key legislative and regulatory reforms to drive competition and promote innovation, including the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill and our pro-innovation approach to regulating AI.
- Pass the remaining stages of the reformed Online Safety Bill to keep British people, especially children, safe online.
Our Inclusive Environment
We are building an inclusive culture to make the Department a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.
We offer first-class flexible working benefits, excellent employee well-being support and a great pension. We are fortunate to have a range of excellent staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We will support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive.
We actively welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion. We will fully support candidates with a disability or long-term condition who require adjustments in our recruitment process.
Job description
The role and our team
You will help run the media and visits team in Whitehall’s newest government department, created by the Prime Minister earlier this year to ensure the UK is the most innovative economy in the world and a science and technology superpower.
You will lead teams responsible for demonstrating to the public how government is harnessing technology and innovation to change lives and tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow, from growing the economy to improving healthcare.
From record levels of public investment in research and development to ambitions to blanket the country with the fastest and most reliable wireless coverage available, you’ll lead a team of twenty people responsible for laying on highly visual visits that will attract national and international broadcasters and shaping stories to bring the government’s work to life for everyday people, capturing front page coverage and dominating the airwaves.
You will also lead government communications on one of the most defining issues of our age – Artificial Intelligence – demonstrating how the government will both reap the many and varied benefits of the technology, while protecting the public from potential harms and misuse by putting the right guardrails in place.
You will work closely with Ministers, Spads, senior officials as well as counterparts across Whitehall, including Downing Street, to land positive and creative stories in UK and international media, while also ensuring we robustly defend ourselves against criticism where appropriate. You will play a central role in helping the department to achieve this by briefing science and tech reporters, political editors and foreign correspondents.
You will work closely with your counterpart, the Head of Digital Communications, ensuring close collaboration across the teams and ensuring that comms materials and products are integrated and closely aligned.
You will also be part of an outward facing leadership team that is committed to creating an open and supportive culture, one that delivers innovative and trend led communications and one that leads by example on learning and development, encouraging everyone in the team to complete four hours a fortnight so that we can remain on top of the tech and science that we have to explain to our audiences.
This role is ideal for someone who thrives under pressure, with experience of leading a fast-paced and news-focused comms team used dealing with complex policies, in either the public or private sector.
Person specification
Key responsibilities
- You will report directly into the Deputy Director for News, Digital & Visits - and be responsible for line managing three Grade 7s in Press Office and one Grade 7 in the Visits Team. You will deputise for the deputy director as required and be expected to be part of an out of hours duty backup rota.
- As Head of Media, you will have oversight of media plans for a wide range of Departmental priorities, and be confident briefing journalists, Spads, Ministers and the Secretary of State ahead of media activity.
- You will act as a single point of contact for the SpAds and the Secretary of State’s Private Office and be across the details of what is going on in your teams.
- You will continue to drive up standards, leading by example with innovative and creative comms ideas and empowering your teams to take ownership of announcements and the delivery of excellent communications, both proactive and reactive.
- You will lead on team recruitment, culture and process, ensuring we continually evaluate and improve and introduce best practice. You will help maintain an open and supportive culture that encourages colleagues to work across comms disciplines and, while attracting and retaining high-quality people in our team.
- You will liaise with senior leaders across Departmental policy teams, to help generate story ideas, including where a news hook might not be immediately obvious, while identifying and managing communications risks.
Skills and experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of managing a team in a fast-paced news/media environment, comfortable making effective decisions under pressure
- Comfortable leading a large team by setting a clear sense of direction
- A proven track record of driving up standards, nurturing talent, championing L&D and identifying and addressing any skills gaps
- High level of knowledge in how to use media to land positive news stories
- Confident acting as a public spokesperson, or briefing senior figures ahead of public speaking and interviews
- Confident working with senior figures, with excellent skills of persuasion and an ability to push back on seniors where necessary
- Strong personal interest in news and a keen understanding of the wider political environment
Desirable criteria
- Good media contacts, especially in sectors such as science, tech and politics
- Understanding of how Government Comms functions, and how a Department works with the rest of Government
- Experience of working with ministers, private offices and Special Advisers.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Delivering at Pace
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Insight
- Ideas
- Implementation
- Impact
Benefits
BEIS offers a competitive mix of benefits including:
A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an average employer contribution of 27%.
A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.
A hybrid office/home based working model where staff will spend a norm of 40-60% of their time in the office (minimum of 40%) over a month with flex dependent on balancing business and individual need (from September 2021, depending on how the public health guidance evolves).
Things you need to know
Selection process details
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Please use your personal statement (in no more than 750 words) to explain why you think you are the best person for this job, with clear reference to the person specification and skills and experience.
Applications will be sifted on CV and Personal Statement.
In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the CV. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview
The interview will consist of behaviour and technical questions, as well as a written exercise.
Competency Framework – technical specifications:
https://gcs.civilservice.gov.uk/publications/competency-framework/
Expected Timeline subject to change
Sift dates: w/c 10th July 2023
Interview dates: w/c 24th July 2023
Interview Location: Central London or MS Teams
Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.
Further Information
Existing BEIS recruitment campaigns are continuing as usual, but candidates should be aware that following the Government’s announcement on the changes to some civil service departments, roles may be subject to the machinery of government moves and will ultimately be located in one of the new departments. We will provide more information if you are selected for a role. This work remains of high importance to the civil service, and we thank you for your continued interest.
Reasonable Adjustment
If a disabled person 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 [email protected] 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.
We are proud to be a disability confident leader, more information about the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) and some examples of adjustments that BEIS offers to disabled candidates and candidates with long-term health conditions during our recruitment process can be found in our candidate guidance document. A plain text version of the guidance is also available.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
A location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.
Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
Any move to Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
BEIS does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).
BEIS cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. BEIS holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.
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 [email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
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
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
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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) (opens in a new window)
- 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
Working for the Civil Service
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).
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