Job responsibilities
Location
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) offers hybrid working this means that whilst the role will be based in our Canary Wharf, London office, there will be opportunities for an element of working from home. UKHSA have office locations across the UK.
The balance between home and workplace working is to be agreed with the line manager, determined primarily by business needs and in line with departmental policy.
*Please be aware that this role can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas. Relocation expenses are not available.*
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- The post provides an exciting opportunity to play a leading role in one of Whitehalls newest most innovative and high performing internal communication teams. There are opportunities to shape engagement in UKHSA core vision and purpose; develop industry-leading, innovative communication media to shape the culture of the organisation, work alongside our most senior leaders, and continue developing our exciting strategy.
- The post is ideal for a strong HEO or existing SEO seeking to develop their career and keen to develop strategic skills and experience. The team has strong links with the Government Communications Service and training is available through this professional network.
KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
The post holder will develop working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, clinical and non-clinical, internal to UKHSA. This will include:
- Intranet and digital content officers
- External Affairs Officers, Events, Conferences and Events team, Regional Communications, and other members of the communications division
- Staff networks and groups
- Groups leads and private offices
- Internal Communications Forum representatives
- Intranet design and development
About Us
We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.
UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.
Main Duties of the job
The UKHSA Internal Communications and Intranet team is at the heart of UKHSA leadership and decision-making. They influence departmental culture and behaviour through a high impact programme of exciting communication, channels development, and content, using guidance, frameworks and best practice from the Government Communications Service (GCS).
The Internal Communications Manager post sits in the Internal Communications team, led by the Head of Internal Communications and Intranet, supported by two Internal Communications Strategic Leads, one other Communications Managers and two Communications Officers. The team provides a high-quality effective communications service to approximately 6,000 UKHSA staff. The Internal Communications and Intranet team provides support and advice to the organisation and its directorates through an account management system.
The post-holder will ensure the delivery of clear, timely and targeted strategic communications which engage staff in UKHSAs vision and support them in the delivery of its priorities and programmes. The manager is responsible for deciding on and constructing appropriate communications strategies, having agreed the briefs with policy clients.
Main Responsibilities
You are a creative, focussed individual, experienced in and passionate about internal communications. You will have strong editorial, digital comms and analytical skills in order to produce inspiring and impactful content across a range of internal communications channels for different internal audiences. This means being as comfortable with scientific and statistical data as you are with corporate and management information and having the energy and passion to bring a wide range of content to life in meaningful and exciting ways.
You will be the first point of contact for internal stakeholders seeking internal communications support and will coordinate and manage the effective delivery of evidence based communication activities aligned to the internal communication strategy and workplan. You will have experience as a trusted advisor, able to influence and negotiate at all levels of the organisation, providing advice to colleagues from Director-General level downwards.
Selection process details
STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT:
You will be required to complete an application form and a statement of suitability. Your Statement of Suitability should outline your skills, experience, and achievements, providing evidence of your suitability for the role, against the essential criteria (outlined in the person specification section). Your Statement of Suitability must not exceed 750 words. Please note: The system will allow you to write up to 1500 words but please do not exceed 750 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.
You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed in line with the advertised essential criteria please do provide evidence of how you meet this.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage.
STAGE 2 INTERVIEW
Applicants who are successful at sift stage will be invited to an Interview which will be a blended approach of Behaviour and Technical skills questions (Ideas, Implementation, Impact). You will be asked to do a writing test and deliver a short presentation at interview, with instructions provided in advance.
Technical skills assessed at interview will be based on the GCS Competency Framework - technical specifications:
https://gcs.civilservice.gov.uk/publications/competency-framework/
The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:
- Changing and Improving
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
- Delivering at Pace
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Communications - Ideas
- Communications - Implementation
- Communications - Impact
Expected Timeline:
Advert close: 23:55hrs on 10/12/2023 unfortunately, late applications will not be considered. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Interviews: TBC
Please note these dates could be subject to change.
Eligibility Criteria
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants)
Nationality requirements
Appointments to roles within UKHSA will be made in accordance with the Civil Service nationality rules. These can be found athttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rulesThis job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- Nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of theEuropean Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- Certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.
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 welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.
Security clearance level requirement
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard. People working with government assets must complete Basic Personnel Security Standard checks.
For posts on UKHSA Civil Service terms and conditions, new entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. For existing Civil Servants and roles advertised across government, the rules of transfer apply, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive a 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.
Please Note
This role is to be appointed under Civil Service Terms & Conditions. Full details on the T&Cs are found https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/
Are you already a civil servant, or employed by a Civil Service Commission accredited public body? Please state home department on your application form.
Do you meet the nationality requirements for this post? https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/
The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. 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 UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email:Complaints1@ukhsa.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website.
