JOB SUMMARY

Do you want to manage a high-performing team in one of the most interesting, varied and fast-paced departments in Whitehall, advising Ministers and writing tomorrow’s news headlines?
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is looking for a high-performing Chief Media Officer with news savvy and political nous to lead the News-desk & Corporate press team.
The role is challenging and wide-ranging: you will need reactive media experience as well as an eye for forward planning. You will be responsible for running the reactive news-desk team, shaping headlines, protecting the department’s reputation, challenging inaccurate news stories and ensuring short, snappy rebuttals are carried in coverage.
You will also be responsible for the planning function within the Press Office, taking an editorial approach to DBT’s communications activity by ensuring the department’s comms are aligned with No10 and other government departments’ work.
As part of the DBT senior media team, you will work side-by-side with Special Advisers, Private Office. You will be expected to liaise with the Downing Street press office and provide recommendations on prominent business and trade issues. The decisions you make will have a significant impact on the reputation and success of the whole Department.
You’ll have line management responsibilities and be expected to consistently deliver through your team, providing guidance and training to help them continue their career progression and improve in the role.

JOB DESCRIPTION

• Oversee the reactive news function of the department, responding to lobby script requests from Downing Street, briefing journalists to ensure accurate news coverage and responding to breaking news stories.
• Have an editorial mindset, leading the high-performing news planning function to ensure DBT has a constant drumbeat of proactive news across the four priorities (workers’ rights, supporting small business, industrial strategy, and trade).
• Act as the point person for any corporate media issues, including advising the Permanent Secretary, reviewing Freedom of Information requests etc.
• Act as a trusted adviser to Ministers and Secretary of State on all communications matters, including acting as a Press Secretary on domestic and international trips.
• Managing a team of Press Officers, supporting and developing them to ensure they contribute both to your brief and a first-class press office operation overall.
• Set clear communications objectives, provide strong rational for your decisions, and evaluate subsequent coverage to ensure objectives are being met and DBT’s key messages are landing well with our key audiences.
• Participate in an out-of-hours duty rota in a senior supervisory role, for which you will be paid overtime.

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)

This role would generally suit someone who has:

• Proven news sense, excellent judgement, political nous and outstanding internal and external communication skills
• Excellent written English and experience of implementing quality control so your team are consistently delivering high-class media products to short deadlines
• Experience of advising senior figures and delivering high-quality materials for them at pace and scale
• Track record of building strong trusting relationships with national correspondents & delivering a first-class service to journalists
• Experience of line management, or managing a team to successfully deliver communications objectives
• Experience of leading press or media handling for high-profile media moments across print, broadcast and digital channel