Responsibilities

• Work closely with colleagues, including policy officials and operational teams, to advise on the role communications can play.
• Devise and deliver clear integrated media and communication plans to announce policies or successes by providing media advice, drafting press releases and facilitating ministerial interviews.
• Respond to media enquiries and ensure the Department’s position is accurately reported.
• Advise Ministers and senior officials on proactive and reactive media.

Requirements

• Experience working in a fast-paced media role, or similar, juggling competing priorities, exercising good judgement, and keeping calm under pressure.
• Strong news sense and understanding of current affairs, including how to identify and mitigate reputational risks.
• An ability to communicate effectively (excellent written and speaking skills), and develop trusted and productive relationships with colleagues, external partners and stakeholders.
• Creative and digital communications skills.
• Proven ability to distil large amounts of complex information into clear key messages suitable for specific audiences.
• Understanding of how audience insight and evaluation can be used to inform communication strategies and activity.

Preferred

• Past experience of working in Communications for a large organisation.

Benefits

• In addition to your salary, a career with the Home Office offers a range of benefits, including:
• Successful candidates will be eligible for a Recruitment Retention Allowance (RRA) of £2,300 annually.
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
• 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service to 30 days.
• Eight days of public holidays, plus one additional privilege day.
• Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office.
• See more of our benefits on our careers website.