Deputy Director of Communications (Head of News, Digital and Speechwriting)

at  Ministry of Defence

JOB SUMMARY

The Ministry of Defence is recruiting to fill its Deputy Director of Communications post. The new government has brought a refreshed approach to communications and this role will be required to lead the team through both this change and the departmental reform which includes reviewing the communications operating model.

Reporting to the Director of Defence Communications, you will be responsible for:

• News management and creation.
• Strategy and management of the Digital function – one of the most followed in Government
• Oversee some 50 posts with a 24/7 news team, a proactive content-producing campaign function and speechwriters at the heart of that effort.
• Playing a full and proactive role in the Defence Communications Leadership team and leading a team to deliver high quality communication services.

THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE MUST BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS AGAINST THE FOLLOWING ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

• Extensive media relations experience, Board level, and a proven track record in building and managing news teams in busy organisations. You will also need to demonstrate how you are able to build and lead high performing, diverse and inclusive teams in a matrixed environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with an ability to build good internal and external working relationships with a variety of senior stakeholders, especially at Board Level. You will need to show how you use your networks to good effect, build trust quickly, get the best out of others and develop a sense of common purpose to achieve results.
• Proven leadership skills and experience in motivating, empowering and continuously improving teams to meet challenging deadlines while delivering work to the highest standard.
• Demonstrable experience of supporting and building systematic resilience in news and digital teams operating in fast pace, sensitive and high-profile environments.
  Benefits

Alongside your salary of £76,000, Ministry of Defence 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.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS

Open to UK nationals only.

Reporting to the Director of Defence Communications, you will be responsible for:

• News management and creation.
• Strategy and management of the Digital function – one of the most followed in Government
• Oversee some 50 posts with a 24/7 news team, a proactive content-producing campaign function and speechwriters at the heart of that effort.
• Playing a full and proactive role in the Defence Communications Leadership team and leading a team to deliver high quality communication services

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process by no later than 23:55 Sunday 8th December 2024 and will involve providing the two documents outlined below via the Civil Service Jobs portal:

• A CV (no more than 2 pages) setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
• A Personal Statement (no more than 2 pages) explaining how your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role