Campaigns and External Affairs Manager

The Communications team is made up of specialists who lead on all aspects of media, PR, campaigns, digital, strategic communications, external affairs and internal communications for DCMS. We provide a complete communications service complete communications to the media, department and ministers.
The Campaigns and Strategic Communications team sets the communications strategy for the department and manages both short-term and long-term forward looks. The team ensures that communication is led by audience insight and policy understanding and is properly planned and evaluated. The team plays a vital role in delivering paid-for, low/no-cost campaigns and co-ordinating external affairs activity whilst also galvanising different communications disciplines around Ministerial priorities.
The role reports into the Senior Campaigns and Strategic Communications Manager., Are you a talented communications professional with significant experience in external affairs, strategic planning and campaign delivery? Would you like to play a key role in developing the department’s evolving external affairs work, as part of a talented and supportive team, as well as working on some of the most interesting topics in Government? If so, we want to hear from you.
The Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) deals with some of the most interesting, diverse policies in Government.
You will be experienced with developing relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders and proactively identify opportunities for fruitful or long-term partnerships to bring our work to life for audiences across the country.
You will manage the planning, development and delivery of a range of high-profile and important paid and no/low cost campaigns across DCMS sectors. You will be an experienced and resilient communications professional who is enthusiastic, passionate about your work, enjoys delivery and demonstrates strategic, big-picture thinking as well as the ability to work at pace and influence senior stakeholders, such as ministers, special advisers and policy officials., The session will be an opportunity to hear more about the role, the team and wider directorate and the department. It will also be an opportunity for you to ask any questions.
Please register your interest by filling out this Registration Form and you will be sent an invitation.
Please note that the session will not focus on the DCMS recruitment process - please direct any queries that you have on this topic (timelines, reasonable adjustments, onboarding etc) to recruitment.team@dcms.gov.uk

Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Delivering at Pace
+ Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
+ Insight
+ Ideas, This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.
To apply for this vacancy, you will need to submit the following documents which will assessed against the experience success profile:
+ A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you provide employment history that relates to the essential and desirable criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages and you should insert your CV into the "Job History" section on Civil Service Jobs on the Civil Service Jobs application form.
+ A Statement of Suitability (max 500 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential requirements highlighted. You may also choose to reference the desirable skills listed however these will not be considered in the assessment of your application except in circumstances where there are a high number and calibre of candidates.
For the shortlist, we will select applicants demonstrating the best fit for the role by considering the evidence provided in your application.
In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial sift will be conducted on the statement of suitability. Those who are successful in the initial sift will then be scored on all elements of the application.
For support in writing your application and interviewing, please refer to the ‘Application and Interview Guidance’ document attached to the job advert.
The interview process will assess behaviours, technical skills, strengths, and experience through a scenario based task which will be provided during the interview.
The behaviours to be tested at interview are:
+ Communicating and Influencing
+ Delivering at Pace
The technical skills assessed at interview are:
+ Insight - Gain an accurate and deep understanding of the issue(s). Use insight to identify target audiences and partners and to inform communication objectives, messages and solutions.
+ Ideas - Develop the communication strategy and plan. Select channels and develop key messages and content for target audiences. Identify evaluation criteria.
Prior to the interview you will be sent the behaviour questions in advance. You will not be made aware of the strengths being assessed prior to your interview.
As part of your interview, you may be asked to conduct a technical exercise to test your technical skills. The exercise will involve completing some scenario-based task and more information on the exercise will be provided to you during the interview. You will be tested against the Government Communications framework for role here.
For indicative sift and interview dates please refer to the attached Candidate Information Pack.
Your interview will take place via GoogleMeet.
Further Information
Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting
If the vacancy is offered as FTA/Loan, existing Civil Servants must join on a Loan basis only. Prior agreement to be released on loan must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.
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.
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Any move to Department for Culture, Media and Sport 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
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
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.
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.
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.
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
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 counter-terrorist 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.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

+ Team-player, with experience managing and delivering proactive communications campaigns to a high standard, thinking creatively, trialling new methods, and evaluating outcomes.
+ Strong interpersonal skills and experience of building relationships with key external stakeholders. Forming partner networks to support wider government objectives and campaign delivery.
+ Resourceful and able to identify and leverage low/no cost opportunities for partnerships that meet communications objectives and outcomes.
+ Enthusiastic self-starter who can work at pace, prioritise competing demands, horizon-scan and be responsive to change. Ability to work well under pressure and be flexible and resilient to short deadlines or changing requests.
+ Skilled in problem-solving and finding solutions within complex structures and frameworks with excellent oral and written communication skills, prioritising audience and insight to create clear and engaging communications.
Desirable Requirements:
+ Experience of using the Government Communications Service OASIS model to deliver communications activity.
+ Experience of commissioning and managing external creative agencies and managing the associated financial and procurement processes to deliver best value.
We are running an information session where prospective applicants can find out more about the role. This will be hosted by the vacancy holder, Amy Joseph, and will take place on

Alongside your salary of £33,095, Department for Culture, Media and Sport contributes £9,587 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
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 employer contribution of 28.97%
+ Access to the Edenred employee benefits system which offers discounts to popular retailers and access to various useful resources such as financial and savings advice
+ 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
+ Access to the Employee Assistance Programme which offers staff 24/7 confidential support and resources such as counselling, debt guidance and management advice
+ 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.