About the job Summary

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.
 

Location

Birmingham, Bristol, Hastings, Leeds, Nottingham, Southampton, Swansea

Do you have the ability to build quality relationships with a variety of stakeholders that will enable you to excel in the delivery of current project deliverables?

Do you enjoy producing timely, engaging and innovative communications for large scale programmes?

If so, we'd love to hear from you!

Job description

As Head of Communications and Engagement (FoSS), you’ll be at the forefront of ensuring all staff, regardless of where they work in DfT, have awareness of and feel confident using our suite of new systems. You will be responsible for ensuring that stakeholders feel well informed, consulted and assured that our systems are well understood. You will also be responsible for disseminating change messages, communicating widely and appropriately to a range of groups across the DfT family, so that all 18,000 members of staff are prepared to use the new systems whilst also knowing where to get help, should they need it.
 

Responsibilities

Key accountabilities of the role include:

• Technical and design management of our unique micro-site, providing training, change and communications in one place
• Maintaining innovative and detailed communications plans, providing a shared view of required communications across DfT and its Agencies
• Creation and dissemination of all communications materials across the DfT family
• Creating an expert, high performing and innovative team

For an in-depth insight into the role please refer to the Role Profile.

About You

You are proficient in working with stakeholders from across central government and agencies and can ensure the right and timely messages are delivered to these audiences

You work well with internal and strategic communications colleagues of all levels in different agency contexts

You act as Tech Lead for our game-changing website, which hosts our training, communications and change products in one place

You see patterns and trends and implement them in high-profile programme communications design

You effectively utilise and interpret data to improve the workings of the team and the overall outcomes for communications across the DfT family

You understand user needs, accessibility and content design

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Working Together
• Changing and Improving
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance.

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport.

Things you need to know Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

We are closely monitoring the situation regarding the coronavirus, and will be following central Government advice as it is issued. There is therefore a risk that recruitment to this post may be subject to change at short notice. In addition, where appropriate, you may be invited to attend a video interview.

Please continue to follow the application process as normal and ensure that you check your emails regularly as all updates from us will be sent to you this way.

How to apply

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

For your CV and personal statement, please provide detailed evidence of your experience of the following:

• Experience of building relationships with diverse groups of people
• Experience working in a fast-paced programme
• Experience of designing communications or engagement strategies
• Experience of successfully leading a team/group of people to deliver a business outcome or project

The sift is due to take place on w/c 08/11/2021

Interviews/assessments are likely to be held w/c 22/11/2021

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment could include:

• an interview with one or more exercises

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.

The Department for Transport alongside other Government Departments recruit using Success Profiles. This means for each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

For further information on Success Profiles visit our Careers website.

Please see attached candidate notes for further information about our recruitment process.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section

Further Information

To learn more about applying for a role within the Department for Transport, visit the Application Process page of our Careers website.

Before submitting your application, we encourage you to visit our Things You Need to Know page for further information about applying for a role within the Department for Transport and the Civil Service.

Throughout this job advert there are links to the DfT Careers website, which provides you further information to support your application. Should you be unable to access the information on our website, please email [email protected] for assistance.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

Further information on nationality requirements

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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.

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.

Apply and further information

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants Job contact : Name :   Tim Gardner Email :   [email protected]   Recruitment team : Email :   [email protected] Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: [email protected] If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website at https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk