Head of External Communications and Engagement

Reporting to the Chief of Staff to the CEO, you will act as a strategic advisor to GDS on matters of external communication, engagement and reputation. You’ll work closely with a broad ecosystem of communicators - including the central GDS team, teams embedded in our major programmes and the DSIT communications team. Bringing teams together around shared objectives, and to become greater than the sum of their parts, will be an integral part of this role. Our audiences are diverse, ranging from delivery partners and senior decision-makers (including ministers) in other parts of government to civil society groups, industry bodies, and potential future recruits. Our objectives are varied too, from working openly to share learnings as we progress, to driving product adoption among service teams, and supporting legislative change in Parliament.Â,

• Lead the development of GDS's external communication strategy, ensuring it delivers a clear and consistent brand, narrative, and messaging across all channels, including social media, press releases, events, and external publications.
• Provide strong leadership and strategic direction to help others maintain and improve communication standards across GDS.Â
• Foster a collaborative environment with embedded GDS communications leads and DSIT on joint approaches which ensure all communications are properly planned, coordinated, delivered and aligned to objectives.Â
• Lead a team to deliver impactful multi-channel communications and outward-facing events that showcase GDS’ innovative work.
• Manage and mentor a team of communication professionals, ensuring their growth and success.
• Collaborate with embedded communications leads, policy teams, and other contributors to commission and develop content that supports our objectives
• Implement the GDS communications strategy taking into account wider DSIT priorities, and leveraging embedded projects to support this in a coherent way
• Collaborate with embedded communications leads, policy teams and DSIT communications to provide robust handling advice to all ministerial submissions.
• Develop and oversee an engagement strategy to build and maintain strong relationships with key government partners and decision-makers, including senior departmental leaders and ministers.
• Monitor and evaluate the success of communications, adjusting strategies as necessary., As part of your application, you’ll be asked to submit an anonymised CV demonstrating your previous work history. It is essential that your CV meets the skills and experience listed in the person specification above.Â
You will also need to answer two application questions based on the person's specifications. Please note you will have up to 300 word limit per question which must be followed. Failure to submit your CV and complete the application questions may result in your application being unsuccessful. + Video Interview stage - The video interview will last no more than 60 minutes and include a 15-minute task presentation. The assessment or task will be sent in advance to prepare. Depending on how many applications we get, there might also be an extra stage before the video interview, for example a phone interview or a technical exercise. In the Civil Service, we use Success Profiles to evaluate your skills and ability. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, increases performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. We’ll be assessing your technical abilities, skills, experience and behaviours that are relevant to this role. For this role we’ll be assessing you against the following Civil Service Behaviours:Â
• leadership
• communicating and influencing
• working together
• seeing the bigger picture
• delivering at pace
Candidates that do not pass the interview but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade. A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made. Recruitment Timeline ; Every effort will be made to keep to the timeline but where this is not possible dates are subject to change, Occasionally, business pressures, priorities or critical delivery may mean that we move you into a different team or work area within GDS. This will always be within the same grade and discipline within which you were hired, but does mean that your focus or objectives may shift in order to deliver GDS business. You may be aware that there are plans for the Government Digital Service (GDS) & the Central Digital & Data Office (CDDO) to move into the Department of Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT). This move is to bring together the digital transformation of public services into one core department. The move itself will offer huge opportunities whilst allowing DSIT to lead the way and drive forward the new Government's digital agenda. As the announcement is relatively new, we are awaiting more detailed information. Therefore, we encourage you to apply for this role, and will keep you informed with updated information throughout the application process. 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
  
  We’re looking for a T-shaped communications professional who can comfortably flex across disciplines in an integrated way to maximise impact. You should be a natural collaborator who can build and maintain relationships at all levels, deliver through others, and mobilise people around shared goals.Â, Outstanding communication and influencing skills, with an ability to build effective relationships at senior levels (internal to GDS, cross government, and agencies) and operate successfully in a political or complex environment to impactful communications
• Communication and engagement skills (technical) - you have experience in campaign planning, media relations, digital, paid-for, events and issues management. You can find innovative communications solutions to defined goals, and are able to inspire this in others.
• Communication leadership skills - you will endorse and advocate for high standards and professional development, you will have led teams in matrixed environments
• Strong interpersonal skills — able to work effectively at pace between teams and with external organisations. Experience of operating strategically to inspire a wider team to deliver on time, and within budget.
• Confident and resilience - you are comfortable challenging the status quo, and being challenged. You are an innovator with strong collaboration skills.
• Project management and influencing skills - you have the ability to prioritise and manage competing demands.
  
  The Government Digital Service (GDS) is seeking a talented and motivated individual to join us as Head of External Communications and Engagement. If you have experience leading communications teams, are looking for a new challenge, and are more focused on achieving outcomes than living inside a “specific” discipline box, this role could be for you.
GDS exists to help government make brilliant public services that empower people in the UK. We work at the very centre of government to drive digital transformation, focused on users. We build and maintain common platforms, products and tools for others to use and create great public services that are accessible, inclusive and easy to use. We also work with departments to identify patterns, share learning and create change to make government more efficient. Our teams are organised around delivering on our priorities. These are:
• making it easier for people to find what they are looking for on GOV.UK
• building common service platforms to make it simpler and cheaper to build quality digital services
• promoting agile, user-centred design practices both in the UK and across the world
  
  The benefits of working at GDS
There are many benefits of working at GDS, including:
• flexible hybrid working with flexi-time and the option to work part-time or condensed hours
• a Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• 25 days of annual leave, increasing by a day each year up to a maximum of 30 days
• an extra day off for The King’s birthday
• an in-year bonus scheme to recognise high performance
• career progression and coaching, including a training budget for personal development
• paid volunteering leave
• a focus on wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme
• job satisfaction from making government services easier to use and more inclusive for people across the UK
• advances on pay, including for travel season tickets
• death in service benefits
• cycle to work scheme and facilities
• access to children's holiday play schemes across different locations in central London
• access to an employee discounts scheme
• 10 learning days per year
• volunteering opportunities (5 special leave days per year)
• access to a suite of learning activities through Civil Service learning
GDS offers hybrid working for all employees. This means that everyone does some working from home and also spends some time in their local office. You’ll agree to your hybrid working arrangement with your line manager in line with your preferences and business needs. Any move to Government Digital Service 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