Contents Location About the job Benefits Things you need to know Apply and further information Location This role will be contractually based at the VMD, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 3LS. This is a fixed location; the VMD does not use hubs located elsewhere in the UK. You will be expected to spend at least 60% of your working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Organisation workplace includes the VMD office as well as time spent at other locations for meetings, conferences, and field-based activities. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations. This role is not suited to a homeworking contract. Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee. The successful candidate will be required to carry out all their duties from a UK location and cannot do so from an overseas location unless they have permission to do so. About the job Job summary The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is the regulator and policy lead responsible for issues concerning the authorisation, use, and manufacture of veterinary medicines in the UK. Our aim is to protect public health, animal health, and the environment, and promote animal welfare by assuring the safety, quality and effectiveness of veterinary medicines. One of VMDs highest priorities is ensuring our staff, customers and those who use veterinary medicines have all the information they need to carry out their role, access our services, and comply with the Veterinary Medicines Regulations. We are looking for an experienced communicator who can work across a wide variety of communications and external engagement projects. Its a rewarding role that will help strengthen our strategic capability, drive delivery of clear communications and work closely with internal and external stakeholders to improve our engagement with our audiences. As the Senior External Communications Manager, you will closely with the Head of Communications, senior leaders and all business areas within the VMD to provide strategic communications advice around narrative, messaging and channels. You will be at the forefront in implementing our communications strategy and delivery plans, developing our communications channels, and ensuring all our content meets high levels of quality. Job description Your main duties will include: From working on media handling plans, to raising the profile of the VMD amongst key target audiences and working collaboratively with animal or human health public bodies, the VMD Communications team is responsible for the agencies communications outputs. This includes managing the VMD presence on GOV.UK, internal communications, social media management, stakeholder engagement, and producing promotional content. You will work with the Head of Communications to implement the VMDs communication strategy and advise senior leaders on communication plans. You will work closely with subject matter experts across the VMD to coordinate and draft answers to media queries and provide handling advice. You will work with Defra group Communications press office to ensure our media lines are accessible and up to date. Build and use monitoring tools to provide insights and analytics on our communication outputs and VMD social media/media mentions. Keep up to date with the latest sector news to inform our communication plans. Create digital and editorial content and opportunities to enhance stakeholder awareness of the VMD, our staff, our services, and our work. Grow the VMD brand, building trust and recognition, ensuring consistent messaging across all platforms, including social media, websites, press releases, and newsletters. Write and design a range of proactive and reactive material to create useful and engaging communications using a range of channels and styles, such as guidance, news, blogs, reports, and socials. Support the continual development of VMDs stakeholder mapping and engagement planning. Work with external partners and supportive voices to amplify VMDs messaging and communication campaigns. Act as a branding and style champion, providing feedback on draft content for our platforms and assist with training and advising those across the business on best practice. Comply with ISO 9001 (quality management) and ISO 27001 (information security) standards, and GDPR and record management requirements. Act corporately meeting, role-modelling, embedding, and championing the corporate objectives set by the VMD. Person specification Essential Skills/Experience: Working with and advising senior leaders and building trusted relationships with colleagues and partners. You have a proven track record of formulating and implementing communications strategies and plans, delivering on key outputs. Comprehending new information quickly and being able to produce engaging, accurate and impactful content based on that information in a range of styles appropriate to the target audience and delivery channel. A strong eye for detail on own and others work and being able to apply various sets of standards to ensure work is of excellent quality, meets applicable style guides, and is inclusive to all. Skilled at setting measurable communication objectives, measuring outcomes to evaluate the impact of communications activity. Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office 365 packages, particularly Microsoft Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, and can learn in-house packages quickly. We are also looking for someone who can pick up the following areas quickly : Proficiency in web-design/ UX design. Video production/ sound design/ graphic design and an understanding of editing software and Canva. Understanding and visualising data and use of media monitoring tools. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Communicating and Influencing Delivering at Pace Seeing the Big Picture Technical skills We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process: Government Communication Service (GCS) Competency Framework: Competency 1: Insight. This will be assessed through a Presentation at Interview outlined below Benefits Alongside your salary of £44,500, Veterinary Medicines Directorate contributes £12,891 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% Free onsite parking Free eyesight test Onsite gym Access to a prayer room Things you need to know Selection process details This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills. Application Process As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV, Personal Statement, and Behaviour Statements. The CV will ask for your job history, qualifications, and past skills and experience. Your Personal Statement should be no more than 750 words and should demonstrate how your qualifications / knowledge / skills / experience meets the requirements set out in the job advert. When giving examples of Behaviours please use the Situation, Task, Action, Result (STAR) format. Behaviours, Civil Service Careers (civil-service-careers.gov.uk) Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form. Sift If a large number of applications are received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, Communicating and Influencing. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview. Interview If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on behaviours, experience, technical and strengths. Presentation in relation to Technical Skill Government Communication Service (GCS) Competency Framework: Competency 1: Insight Competency Framework - technical specifications - GCS At the start of the interview you will be asked to give a short 5-minute presentation, with or without visual aids, answering the question How could the VMD use external communications to help achieve its organisational priorities? Sift and Interview dates The sift will be conducted week commencing 13th January 2025 Interviews are currently scheduled to take place by MS Teams the week commencing 27th January 2025. Please note, this timeline is indicative at this stage and could be subject to change. Reserve List A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Working Pattern This is a full-time post. It may be possible for individuals to fill these roles on an 80% FTE basis, but no less due to the tight time constraints of the work commitments. Job shares could be possible, although a degree of flexibility would be required so that the job holder(s) could take full responsibility for all aspects of their own work, including attendance at relevant meetings. In order for a job share to be considered there must be two people who are successful at interview who want to work in this way. Salary New entrants are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. Visa Sponsorship Statement Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship Near miss Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions in Defra which may be at a lower grade but have a potential skills match. Criminal Record Check 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.grscabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 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 defrarecruitment.grscabinetoffice.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 youre deaf, a Language Service Professional. Accessibility If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section. Internal Fraud Database Check 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 applicants 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. NSV For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting Higher Security Clearance Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter Childcare Vouchers Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. 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 counter-terrorist check (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. 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). 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 : Natasha Graves Email : n.gravesvmd.gov.uk Recruitment team Email : DefraRecruitment.grscabinetoffice.gov.uk 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: defrarecruitment.grscabinetoffice.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact-us/ to visit Civil Service Commission. 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