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About the job
Job summary
The Government Office for Science works at the heart of Government, ensuring policies and decisions are informed by the best scientific evidence and strategic long-term thinking. It’s an exciting time to join the organisation; we have outstanding and high-profile positions providing you an opportunity to inform and influence policy-making and the systems for use of science and engineering across government. If you are highly motivated and looking for your next career challenge we want to hear from you.
Our mission is:
- Science advice mechanisms that are efficient, effective, speak truth to power and are embedded irreversibly in Government systems.
- Visible impact through both pro-active and demand-led science advice that is relevant, excellent, and delivered fit for purpose.
Our values are:
Collaboration We draw on the experience, skills and knowledge of individuals and partners to reach goals.
Kindness We are always inclusive, respectful, and compassionate. We look out for one another on work related and non-work-related matters where appropriate.
Openness We are curious and always open-minded to new ideas, ways of working and points of view, irrelevant of how unconventional they might seem or who suggests them.
Integrity We commit to upholding the civil service value of integrity by remaining moral, honest, and transparent. We always strive to do the right thing.
Further information can be found here.
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/government-office-for-science
We strongly believe diversity of experience, thought, perspectives, skills, and background makes us a more innovative, welcoming Department, thus making better decisions and better delivering our objectives. We are actively seeking applications from every part of the community and particularly welcome applications from candidates of any age, background, disability, or from an ethnic minority background and any other protected characteristics. This will help us move to a workforce that reflects the people we serve to deliver better policies.
We are a friendly, inclusive team and emphasise personal development. We will ensure individuals with disabilities are provided adjustments to participate in the job application and interview process. We support your wellbeing by putting flexible working at the heart of our offer.; if successful, you will be able to discuss working arrangements with your new manager.
We maintain an internal surge capability of staff who may be called at short notice to support an activation of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE). Training and support will be provided. This is an excellent opportunity to develop crisis management skills.
Job description
Communication is one of the main levers of government, and the team plays a pivotal role in improving the impact of the GCSA and the Government Office for Science through the promotion of science, technology and engineering for resilience and for the economy, and its application as evidence underpinning policy formulation. We need a hardworking and multifaceted individual to join the team.
As part of the trusted and respected Communications team, you will advise the Government Chief Scientist and other key senior colleagues across a range of communications fields, using your influence and reach, as well as building strong networks across Whitehall. In addition, you will need to deliver against tight deadlines and across competing priorities.
You will work across external campaigns, digital and social media, partner engagement, event management and internal communications.
The role will support the Head of Communications and Communications Manager to deliver an ambitious programme of communications.
Key Responsibilities:
Responsibilities will include
- Implementing communications plans to increase brand awareness and recognition for the organisation, and monitor impact.
- Providing excellent media handling advice to the GCSA and the department and write UK press releases for local and national media.
- Facilitating detailed briefing, speaking points and Q&As for the GCSA and GOS to support events, announcements, publications.
- Producing digital content, including filming, photography and animation for both internal and external communications.
- Content creation for GOS social media channel.
- Monitoring press stories relating to the organisation and its brand and improving opportunities for positive coverage.
- Undertaking analysis of GOS partners, both inside and outside government.
- Ensuring all communications messages are consistent and kept under review.
- Managing aspects of the GOS budget, ensuring its use represents value for money
- Planking, editing and writing content for a variety of internal communications channels.
Person specification
Skills required:
- Excellent communicator.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills and a demonstrable ability to simplify complex issues accurately while writing inclusively for different audiences and channels.
- Outstanding influencing skills and confidence to deal with senior people and colleagues.
- Ability to identify and follow through on opportunities and developing creative proposals.
- Excellent project management and organisation skills and the ability to plan and prioritise work.
- Video and photography skills.
- Knowledge and experience of running social media campaigns and building engagement.
- Experience working on content management systems
- Experience of managing work commissioned to external designers and developers.
- Effective evaluator – able to reflect upon and evaluate the success or otherwise of our communications activities.
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
Benefits
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 average employer contribution of 27%.
- 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
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, behavioural statements and a personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Please use your personal statement (in no more than 500 words) to set out why you think you would excel in the role of Communications Officer in the Government Office for Science.
Please note – the CV incorporated into the application form is for information purposes only and will not be scored.
Applications will be sifted on behavioural statements and the personal statement.
In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the lead behaviour statement (Communicating and Influencing).
Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
The interview will consist of behaviour and strength based questions.
Interviewees will be asked to deliver a presentation; further details will be provided nearer the time.
Sift and interview dates
Expected Timeline subject to change
Sift dates: TBC
Interview dates: TBC
Interview Location: MS Teams.
Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.
Further Information
Reasonable Adjustment
We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.
We fully support adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.
We do not have an exhaustive list of adjustments that we support but just some examples include additional time to complete your application form, behaviour questions up to 72 hours prior to interview and having extra time at interview.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
A location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.
Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
Any move to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).
DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service/Disclosure Scotland 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.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk
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.
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
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Working for the Civil Service
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).
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Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Mary Phelan
- Email : mary.phelan@go-science.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : dsitresourcing.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
