Job summary
The Department for Culture, Media & Sport has an exciting opportunity for a talented communicator to join our small, friendly Digital Communications team.
DCMS is one of Whitehall’s most interesting, varied and fast-paced departments and the Digital Communications team plays an important role in supporting departmental objectives.
The Digital Communications team is responsible for all public-facing communications via DCMS’s online and social media channels, managing all of the Department’s corporate social media channels including on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
We are highly proactive on these channels in leading our ALBs and partners with our campaigns and messages to reach new audiences.
Job description
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport award-winning communications team is looking for a dynamic, innovative and experienced digital storyteller to lead in helping us engage audiences in new and meaningful ways. Working alongside a Head of Creative and Head of Channels and Communities, you will lead on gathering meaningful insight to help understand and reach new audiences.From the varied sectors within the creative industries, to grass-roots sport, national ceremonial moments and ensuring our work empowers young people across the country – our remit spans a range of diverse and distinct policy areas and it’s vital we tell our national story in a way that resonates with everyone. As an experienced social media listening practitioner, you will have deep experience of social media intelligence gathering, using a variety of tools to, to help tailor and target online strategies, channels and content.
Reporting to the Head of Digital, the successful candidate will be responsible for gathering and applying insight and data-driven real-time evaluation to help shape the department’s approach to social media and digital products. Using tried and tested methods alongside new and innovative digital tools and tailored approaches, you will lead the team in understanding and applying insight for greater impact and engagement.
Your role in insight gathering and storytelling will set the standard for the team in how to interpret this data and turn it into compelling, well-timed content delivered in appropriate platforms and formats. From having a hunger to find the stories and people that matter, to exploiting the right social media channels and approaches, will have a proven track record of self-made hi-quality content production from inception to delivery, that’s groundbreaking and stands out from the crowd.
You will also have a keen understanding of the news agenda, combined with the latest social media trends and channels and how your work can tap into this to speak to audiences in an authentic and engaging way. We are looking for someone with proven interpersonal and leadership skills, with the ability to influence others across the board, including senior leaders. You will be a hands on and experienced content maker, comfortable and experienced with a range of professional cameras, editing and animation packages, with a willingness to travel to find the right stories at the tight time and work to tight deadlines, often at short notice. In return, we can offer you a competitive package, an excellent range of training and development opportunities and, above all, the chance to play a key role in communicating some of the most important issues in society today.
Person specification
The ideal candidate would have the following key skills and experience.
Essential requirements:
- Expert knowledge of all main social media channels, storytelling techniques, digital engagement trends and content management.
- Expert insight, data gathering and analytical skills with a deep ability to interpret and learn from digital performance data and evaluation.
- High level of experience in developing meaningful storytelling strategies for digital channels, with real meaning and impact to reach new and diverse audiences.
- Professional levels of content capture, editing, animation and channel management for maximum impact.
- Ability to work well under extreme pressure, managing different priorities and working to short delivery deadlines.
Desirable skills:
- Strong leadership skills and the ability to inspire colleagues to higher standards of presentation and delivery through leading by example with expert knowledge of the digital environment and how different content can be optimised for multiple channels and audiences.
- Experience in working with with seniors and influencers to scope and deliver content that brings our priorities and work to life.
- Excellent written and oral communications skills, preferably with experience of running in-house training programmes.
We are running an information session where prospective applicants can find out more about the role and will take place on: 12-12:30m 14th April
The session will be an opportunity to hear more about the role, the team and wider directorate and the department. It will also be an opportunity for you to ask any questions.
Please register your interest by filling out this Registration form and you will be sent an invitation.
Please note that the session will not focus on the DCMS recruitment process – please direct any queries that you have on this topic (timelines, reasonable adjustments, onboarding etc) to recruitment.team@dcms.gov.uk
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Managing a Quality Service
- Delivering at Pace
- Working Together
Technical skills
We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Ideas
- Impact
- Implementation
Benefits
DCMS values its staff and offers a wide range of benefits to everyone who works here. We’re committed to developing talent, and supporting colleagues to have great careers in our department. To support with that, some of the benefits we offer include:
- Flexible working arrangements and hybrid working – DCMS staff work on a flexible basis with time spent in offices, and time spent working from home
- 26.5 days annual leave on entry, increasing to 31.5 days after 5 years’ service
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
- Access to the Edenred employee benefits system which offers discounts to popular retailers and access to various useful resources such as financial and savings advice
- 3 days of paid volunteering leave
- Up to 9 months maternity leave on full pay + generous paternity and adoption leave
- Staff reward and recognition bonuses that operate throughout the year
- Occupational sick pay
- Access to the Employee Assistance Programme which offers staff 24/7 confidential support and resources such as counselling, debt guidance and management advice
- Active and engaged staff networks to join including the LGBT+, Ethnic Diversity, Mental Health and Wellbeing and Gender Equality Networks
- Exceptional learning and development opportunities that you can explore alongside your day to day work
- Season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme and much more!
Terms and conditions at SCS grades will vary. Those applying for SCS roles should refer to the candidate information pack for more information on terms and conditions.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
To apply for this vacancy, you will need to submit the following documents which will assessed against the experience success profile:
- A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you provide employment history that relates to the essential and desirable criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages and you should insert your CV into the “Job History” section on Civil Service Jobs on the Civil Service Jobs application form.
- A Statement of Suitability (max 1000 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential requirements highlighted. You may also choose to reference the desirable skills listed however these will not be considered in the assessment of your application except in circumstances where there are a high number and calibre of candidates.
For the shortlist, we will select applicants demonstrating the best fit for the role by considering the evidence provided in your application.
In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial sift will be conducted on the statement of suitability Those who are successful in the initial sift will then be scored on all elements of the application.
For support in writing your application and interviewing, please refer to the ‘Application and Interview Guidance’ document attached to the job advert.
The interview process will assess behaviours and technical skills through a presentation
The behaviours to be tested at interview are:
- Managing a quality service
- Delivering at Pace
- Working together
Prior to the interview you will be sent the behaviour questions in advance.
The Government Communications Service technical skills to be tested at interview are:
Insight
- Ideas
- Implementation
- Impact
Your interview will take place remotely via GoogleMeets
Further Information
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Any move to Department for Culture, Media and Sport 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 at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
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
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
DCMS has a London and a National pay scale. For more information on this, including the circumstances in which each pay scale will apply, please see the ‘Candidate Information Pack’ attached.
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.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.ukstating the job reference number in the subject heading.
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 applicant’s 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.
Reasonable Adjustment
We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process.
In order to request an adjustment, please:
Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section on 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 a verbal test rather than a written one.
Alternatively, contact the Government Recruitment Service via dcmsrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Accessibility
If you are experiencing accessibility difficulties with any of the attachments, please contact us. Contact details can be found in the ‘contact point for applicants’ section of the job advert.
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
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).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Andrew Simpson
- Email : andrew.simpson@dcms.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : dcmsrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.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, you should contact recruitment.team@dcms.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/civilservicerecruitmentcomplaints/
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