Senior Internal Communication Officer (SEO) - Infected Blood Compensation Authority

In recognition of the hurt caused by the infected blood scandal and highlighted by the Infected Blood Inquiry (IBI), compensation will be paid to those infected and affected. This role is an opportunity to join a new Arms Length Body – the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) – as we build a team of Communications and Engagement professionals to put the infected and affected community at the heart of our communications and support them to get the compensation they are entitled to.
The number one goal for this new organisation is to build and maintain trust with its users. Effective, open and transparent communications will play an important part in this.
The Communications and Engagement team sits at the heart of the IBCA to ensure we explain the new compensation scheme with clarity, simplicity and effectiveness., This role is responsible for delivering effective, creative and impactful internal communication that drives understanding of corporate priorities and supports the development of IBCA’s organisational culture.
You will shape and deliver the communication strategy and internal voice of the organisation through a programme of channels, products and events that are designed with IBCA staff in mind and the infected blood community as our primary service user. This will include developing and delivering proactive digital comms, internal events and guidance to ensure transparency and build trust in the IBCA.
We are creative, fast-working and encourage collaboration. With a big job to do you’ll be striving for innovation and excellence as we build the team together.
Job holders in this grade will carry out a range of activities across communications. This may involve being deployed across functional areas to support priority work.
Responsibilities
+ Support the establishment of an internal communications function.
+ Deliver on the internal communications strategy, putting in place internal communications channels, content plans and the monitoring required.
+ Draft and deliver clear, accurate and effective content.
+ Build and maintain strong relationships across the organisation.
+ Provide strategic communications advice, counsel and constructive challenge to senior managers and others as required on how communications can help support IBCA objectives.
+ Ensure proper use of insight and evaluation across all activity to inform future work and demonstrate effectiveness.
+ Contribute to strategic plans, evaluation documents, reports and other IBCA communications materials and briefings., We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Seeing the Big Picture
+ Communicating and Influencing
+ Working Together
+ Delivering at Pace
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
+ Seeing the Big Picture
+ Communicating and Influencing
+ Working Together

Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
+ Government Communication Service – Implementation
+ Government Communication Service – Ideas
+ Government Communication Service – Leadership, Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the GCS criteria of implementation (internal communications). Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Please refer to the Government Communication Service Technical Framework for the technical skills questions - https://gcs.civilservice.gov.uk/publications/competency-framework/
Interview process
Candidates will be assessed on Behaviours, Technical and Strrength based questions.
Further Information
Any move to Cabinet Office 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
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.
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.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Reasonable Adjustment
If a person with disabilities 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 recruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 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.
Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
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
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).
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+ Experience of developing and delivering clear, accurate and effective internal communications plans and products.
+ Excellent written skills with the ability to take complex policy information and explain it to non-expert audiences in a straightforward way.
+ Leading delivery of corporate digital channels in a busy organisation with a mix of operational and corporate roles, including intranet functionality.
+ Experience of working collaboratively across teams with colleagues at all levels.
+ Experience of evaluating communications activity and feeding back insight.
+ Ability to work in a fast paced, demanding and unpredictable environment with the ability to prioritise work, often under pressure.
+ Strong interpersonal skills and the confidence to challenge decisions should it be necessary.

Alongside your salary of £40,850, Cabinet Office contributes £11,834 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
+ Learning and development tailored to your role.
+ An environment with flexible working options.
+ A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
+ A Civil Service Pension which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and average employer contributions of 28.97%.
+ A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30.
Opportunities to move to the new Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA). At the moment all IBCA roles are hosted by Cabinet Office within the Civil Service. However, once IBCA becomes operational, it is anticipated that these roles may transfer to IBCA, which is a new public body separate from the Cabinet Office and independent of the Civil Service. Roles that transfer to IBCA from Cabinet Office will maintain the same or substantially the same terms and conditions of employment that are overall no less favourable and it is anticipated that employees who move from Cabinet Office to IBCA will be able to continue to participate in the Civil Service Pension arrangements with no break in their pensionable service