Contents Location About the job Benefits Things you need to know Apply and further information Location London About the job Job summary The Role The most important Communications role youll ever do. Are you ready to shape the story of the UK Government? We're looking for an impactful, innovative and visionary Director of Communication to lead the 80 strong DSIT communications team and drive the narrative of our nation's priorities. In this role, you will lead a dedicated, integrated communications team in innovative and creative communication efforts on important issues both in the UK and globally. You'll play a vital role in driving both internal and external communications. Your expertise will lead DSITs communications activities, supporting key business objectives at home and internationally. DSIT was created in February 2023 and has delivered a huge amount in its first year including the first global AI Safety Summit, a landmark piece of online safety legislation and progress across all five critical technologies. The successful candidate will be instrumental in promoting and supporting the DSIT agenda prioritising pro-tech/pro innovation messages and new impactful campaigns. As a new Department, it will be critical that the postholder supports the establishment of DSITs culture and internal brand and reputation. Key Stakeholders Your key stakeholders will include; The Secretary of State, Ministers, and their advisers - you will work closely with Ministers, advising on long term strategies, as well as day-to-day communications handling; The Permanent Secretary and DSIT Executive Committee you will work closely with the Permanent Secretary, Sarah Munby, for example on internal communications in support of the Departments change agenda. You will also work with Directors General on the Executive Committee, who lead policy and corporate portfolios, to help shape their communications plans and activities and ensure coherence with Departments business and communications objectives; and Partners you will build effective relations with a wide range of partners and key stakeholders, in particular with the major Partner Organisations (regulators, executive agencies and delivery bodies across energy, science, research, competition, labour and consumer markets) who implement much of the departments policy on the ground. Job description Key Responsibilities Providing advice to the Secretary of State, Ministers and officials and identifying practical solutions for managing the reputation of all parts of the Department, dealing quickly and proactively with politically sensitive issues. Leading and developing a high-performing Communications Directorate with an ambition to be the best across government. Through demonstration of strong, inspiring management, capability and the ability to create a fully inclusive environment where all staff can progress and develop. Leading the Communications Directorate to deliver on its main responsibilities including: Strategic communications planning (including crisis comms) Media External affairs Ministerial visits Digital content creation and channel management Marketing campaigns Data, evaluation and insight Internal communications Developing influential working relationships with other government departments, Cabinet Office and No.10 to ensure delivery of cross department priorities. Overseeing a multi-million-pound communications budget, with sound management of resources, including identifying and realising no- and low-cost ways of delivering communications through, for example, skills development, stakeholder engagement and partnership working. Person specification To be successful in this role, you will need to be an exceptional senior communications leader with a strong track record of delivery in large, complex organisations. In addition, you will also need to be able to demonstrate your capability and potential against the following essential criteria: Demonstrable experience of thinking and acting strategically and delivering timely, practical and innovative communication solutions to complex issues in high profile, often fast-moving situations, both internally and externally. A proven track record of providing leadership at a senior level with the ability to operate and lead effectively in an organisation of scale, demonstrating your ability to inspire and develop your team. Evidence your ability to step into an environment requiring political sensitivity, a highly proactive and collaborative approach, excellent interpersonal and relationship building skills, and the professionalism to command confidence with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders. Demonstrable experience of the full range of communications disciplines, in particular, media relations, stakeholder and reputation management as well as evidence of the ability to apply the most modern communication approaches. Strong resilience, able to deal with ambiguity and with experience of operating in a demanding environment, subject to scrutiny. Experience in handling communication during crises, including the ability to manage public perception and media relations under pressure. This role will require the postholder to have Developed Vetting (DV) clearance, therefore successful candidates will be expected to either hold this or be willing to undertake the DV clearance process once in post. Benefits Alongside your salary of £98,000, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £28,390 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology offers a competitive mix of benefits including: A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours. Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an employer contribution of 28.97%. A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30. An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue. Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts. A hybrid office/home based working model where staff will spend a norm of 40-60% of their time in the office (minimum of 40%) over a month with flex dependent on balancing business and individual need. Things you need to know Selection process details To apply for this post please submit the following information no later than 23:55 on Sunday 02 February 2025. All applications must be submitted via the following link: www.gatenbysanderson.com/job/GSe118159 A CV 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 supporting statement (maximum 1,250 words) explaining why you want to work for DSIT in this role; how you consider your personal skills, qualities, and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria in the person specification. Both documents contribute to your overall scoring. If you do not submit both documents the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria, meaning your application may not progress further. Please note that when you make your application online, you will be asked to complete diversity monitoring information too. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. Your application will be acknowledged by GatenbySanderson. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise. As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above. Security Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window). See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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. 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 : Gatenby Sanderson Email : duncan.ewartgatenbysanderson.com Recruitment team Email : duncan.ewartgatenbysanderson.com Further information Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commissions Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance dsitresourcing.GRScabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact-us/ Attachments 2025-01-06 Candidate Pack Director of Communications (January 2024) (004) (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 2459kB) DSIT Accessibility Pack - Director of Comms Opens in new window (docx, 48kB) Share this page Print Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn GMail