Deputy Directors of Communications and Engagement

The Communications and Digital Publishing (CDP) directorate sits at the heart of the ONS, enabling us to communicate the key statistics about the economy, society and population that inform citizens’ lives.
Our work across the directorate, whether it’s partnering with our statisticians and analysts to present our insights in an engaging way, creating communications strategies to manage our reputation across sensitive and high-profile issues, or engaging our colleagues on issues that matter most, is varied and wide-reaching.
These two Deputy Director roles are fantastic leadership opportunities as we reshape our senior team to embed our exciting new communications and dissemination model. The roles will work in close collaboration with each other, and with the Deputy Director of Digital Publishing, to further develop our audience-centred approach with our ambitious, dynamic and friendly teams. You will influence throughout the organisation, supporting our organisational commitment to look outwards and respond to user need., There are two roles available as part of this recruitment campaign.
Deputy Director of Communications and Engagement - Media and External Engagement
This role will focus on bringing greater coherence to the communication of our statistical outputs via the media, social media and range of external channels, including strengthening our strategic engagement with users and stakeholders across government and beyond.
This requires strong news and political nous, helping us to identify and respond to opportunities and risks in a fast-moving environment, and build our corporate reputation.
Deputy Director of Communications and Engagement -Strategy, Insight and Internal
This role will focus on developing our directorate strategic delivery plan to bring together and develop capabilities across our communications and digital publishing teams, ensuring it is aligned with organisational priorities, fully evaluated and underpinned by user insights.
The role includes oversight of our internal communications, as well as responsibility for our citizen engagement programme on the ONS’s use of data. It requires an ability to forge trusted relationships with internal and external partners, and lead creative and innovative and insight-led communications strategies that build trust, enhance understanding and encourage public participation in ONS surveys.
Both roles demand strong strategic thinking and the ability to respond at pace to emerging issues. You will build the confidence of senior colleagues throughout the organisation, while bringing insight and best practice from your communications networks. You will be required to lead across multi-disciplinary teams, nurturing a high performing, cutting edge team of specialists.
These high-profile roles offer excellent leadership opportunities to enhance the directorate’s influence and expand our impact with our diverse audiences., + Lead the ONS’s fast-paced programme of strategic communications and engagement to build trust and extend the reach of our statistics with a range of audiences, providing expert advice to senior leaders on reputational risks and opportunities, and bringing your personal influence to drive innovative and impactful delivery, including through external partnerships
+ Accountabilities split across the two roles for an annual communications and engagement budget in the region of £6m and 65 FTE, including responsibility for specific teams across communications disciplines (media, digital, strategic communications, marketing, external affairs and internal), located at our Newport, Titchfield, London, Darlington and Manchester offices, with direct line management of team leaders
+ Work in close collaboration with the Deputy Director of Digital Publishing to embed our new ONS communications and dissemination model and champion integrated, cross-directorate working, including a shared approach to planning, audience insights and measuring impact
+ Create an environment of continual improvement by monitoring, measuring and reviewing our communications and engagement activity, including ensuring that risks are proactively managed and mitigated
+ Provide effective leadership, direction and support across teams in the directorate, creating an agile, inclusive work environment that encourages diversity, collaboration and empowerment, and supports professional delivery and development
+ Support the Director of Communications, Engagement and Digital Publishing in the regular review of resources against priorities, delivering sound financial and resource management, including maintaining clear delivery objectives, driving more efficient ways of working, and planning for future skills needs
+ Visibly demonstrate proactive collaboration across the ONS to support delivery of our organisational Strategic Business Plan, building strong relationships with Directors and Deputy Directors across all outputs areas, major programmes and key support functions, including People and Business Services, Finance, Planning and Performance, and Strategy
+ Be an active leader within the Government Communications Service (GCS) to help grow the capability of our people and share best practice for communications delivery, including innovative activity and use of new technologies., At ONS we are always looking to attract the very best people from the widest possible talent pool, and we are proud to be an inclusive, equal opportunities employer. As a member of the Business Disability Forum and a Disability Confident Leader we’re committed to ensuring that all candidates are treated fairly throughout the recruitment process.
As part of our application process, you will be prompted to provide details of any reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process that you need. If you would like to discuss any reasonable adjustments before applying, please contact the recruitment team in the first instance.
If you would like an accessible version of any of the attachments or recruitment documents below or linked to in this advert, please contact the recruitment team who will be happy to assist., A lack of UK residency in itself is not always a bar to security clearance but the Department will need to consider eligibility by exception on a case-by-case basis. You will be asked to provide information regarding your UK residency during your application, and failure to provide this will result in your application being rejected.
If you are unsure that you meet the eligibility above, please contact the recruitment email on the advert before applying to discuss, as failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected and any offer of employment being withdrawn.
At the point of SC application you will need to provide or give access to the following evidence:
+ Departmental or company records (personnel files, staff reports, sick leave reports and security records)
+ UK criminal records covering both spent and unspent criminal records
+ Your credit and financial history with a credit reference agency
+ Security Services records
Applicants may utilise AI resources in their submissions; ensuring all information provided is factually accurate, truthful, and original, avoiding any form of plagiarism to maintain the authenticity and credibility of the application process.
Please note that all campaigns may be subject to withdrawal at any stage if the internal resource position changes.
Selection process details
Applications should consist of your CV and Answers combined as one document and uploaded as a single attachment through Civil Service Jobs.
A Curriculum Vitae consisting of:
+ Details of your education and/or professional qualifications.
+ Full employment history, giving details (where applicable) of budgets and numbers of people managed, relevant key achievements in recent posts.
+ Details of your latest remuneration.
Answers to the following questions from your own career and experience linked to the essential criteria and role description – no more than 350 words per answer:
1. How you have led and implemented successful high-profile communications strategies to engage diverse audiences on complex issues?
2. How you have fostered inclusive and collaborative environments with team members, internal and external stakeholders?
Applications will be acknowledged shortly after receipt. If you do not receive an acknowledgement within one week of applying for the post, please contact our SCS Recruitment Team at: SCS.Recruitment@ons.gov.uk
Further information on the assessment and interview for this role can be found in the candidate pack.
Expected Recruitment Timetable
Shortlisting meeting: 15th November 2024
Employee Engagement Exercise: 27th November 2024
Stakeholder conversations: 2nd December 2024
Interviews: 5th & 6th December 2024
Interviews will be held at ONS Newport
(Government Buildings, Cardiff Road, Duffryn, Newport, NP10, 8XG)
Dates are subject to change.
Full terms and conditions are attached at the bottom of this advert. Roles will be allocated in merit order therefore the highest scorer will be offered the permanent role.
If you meet the required standard but the recruiting department is unable to offer you the job, you may be given the option of being added to a reserve list. Reserve lists may be shared with other Civil Service departments and professions who are recruiting for similar roles.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.
As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.

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 security 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).

+ Communications specialist with outstanding leadership skills and extensive experience of bringing together multi-disciplinary teams to work towards a single vision, with excellent resource, finance and risk management to enable efficient and effective delivery
+ Proven ability to provide trusted strategic and tactical communications advice to senior leaders on high profile and sensitive topics, demonstrating a very strong understanding of the political and media environment to support ONS in its impartial role to inform policy and debate
+ A track record of designing, implementing and evaluating compelling communication and engagement strategies that employ channels and techniques across the communications mix, including building influential relationships with stakeholders and maximising use of partnerships and low-cost activity
+ Successful experience of leading high-performing teams that deliver innovative, accessible and inclusive activity to engage a range of target audiences, informed by insight and user need.
+ Recognised role model of collaborative and inclusive leadership, known for exhibiting behaviour that motivates others, supports colleague development and champions diversity
Desirable Criteria
+ Communications qualification and/or membership of a relevant professional body, for example Chartered Institute of Internal Communications, Chartered Institute of Public Relations or Chartered Institute of Marketing.
+ Membership of the Government Communications Service (GCS) is expected on appointment.

The Office for National Statistics is part of the Civil Service, and as such we share a number of key benefits with other departments, whilst also having our own unique offerings to support our 5000 valued colleagues across the business.

Alongside your salary of £76,000, Office for National Statistics contributes £22,017 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.