Speechwriter to The Secretary of State

**Details**:
**Reference number**:

- 324561**Salary**:

- £57,498**Job grade**:

- Grade 7**Contract type**:

- Fixed Term**Length of employment**:

- 12 Months**Business area**:

- DFE - Strategy Group**Type of role**:

- Administration / Corporate Support
- Communications / Marketing**Working pattern**:

- Full-time**Number of jobs available**:

- 1Contents

Location

About the job

**Benefits**:
Things you need to know

Location
- City of Westminster, London (region), SW1P 3BTAbout the job

**Job summary**:
At DfE, we are proud of the commitment we make to diversity and inclusion and of the progress we have made. We have active & vibrant staff networks, special leave policies and workplace adjustments put in place for those who need them. We are continuing to build a diverse DfE, in an inclusive environment which nurtures and realises potential in all, at all levels.

Equality and Diversity - Department for Education

The Department for Education (DfE)’s private office is looking for a talented, creative and experienced speechwriter to work at senior level for the Secretary of State directly.

Working in private office is a unique opportunity to work at the heart of government on the development and delivery of the Department for Education’s flagship policies. The Department deals with a huge breadth of interesting issues which affect millions of young people and adults and have an impact across the education and care system.

Private Office posts involve providing direct support to Ministers, working closely with senior officials and with special advisers. This role will require directly working with the Secretary of State for Education crafting clear, interesting speeches that reflect her priorities and passions.

**Job description**:
As part of the DfE’s Private Office team, you will work closely with the Secretary of State, her advisors, policy teams and the communications team, to provide a top-quality speech writing service.

You will lead the speech writing process from kick off to delivery, running meetings with event organisers and policy teams to make sure the speeches you write align with their objectives as well as those of the Secretary of State.

You will be working directly with the Secretary of State, receiving verbal and written feedback on your work from her, senior policy colleagues and other advisors in the department. You will be proactive in creating and identifying material, including data, policy and delivery insights and case studies that effectively articulates key messages, within the preferred style of the Secretary of State working closely with policy colleagues and private secretaries to source this.

You will draft a range of materials in the Secretary of State’s voice and will need to tailor your writing style for a wide variety of audiences and stakeholders - from school pupils, parents and teachers to university lecturers, business leaders and Parliamentarians.

**Person specification**:
**Essential Criteria**

Successful applicants will have experience of writing speeches, including developing a compelling narrative with clear messaging. They will be hardworking and comfortable operating in high-pressure environments. They will have:

- Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to write clear and interesting speeches and a precise attention to detail.
- Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise effectively and efficiently to manage a complex and varied workload, in the face of competing demands and often under the pressure of tight deadlines.
- Be a successful relationship builder, with ability to influence, negotiate and draw consensus across different positions and interests, and where this might sometimes involve delivering difficult messages.

**Desirable criteria**
- Experience of working with senior stakeholders and/or ministers and or in a communications team
- Working knowledge and interest in the Department for Education and/or related policy areas.

Desirable criteria will only be assessed in the event of a tie break situation to make an informed decision

**Behaviours**:
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

- Communicating and Influencing
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Delivering at Pace

**Technical skills**:
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
**Benefits**:
Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.

As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK, with an average employer contribution of 27%.

You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King’s Birth