Strategic Communications Lead

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

- 382385

**Salary**:

- £55,403 - £61,939
- £55,403 - £61,939 Based on capability. The base salary of this grade is £55,403.

**Job grade**:

- Grade 7

**Contract type**:

- Permanent

**Business area**:

- CDDO - Transformation and Operations

**Type of role**:

- Digital
Information Technology

**Working pattern**:

- Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time, Compressed hours

**Number of jobs available**:

- 1

Contents

Location

About the job

**Benefits**:
Things you need to know

Location
- Bristol, Manchester

About the job

**Job summary**:
The Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO) is part of the Cabinet Office, and was established in April 2021 to lead the Government Digital and Data function.

Government Digital and Data is a community of experts leading digital transformation in government, creating more efficient services that have a meaningful impact on people’s lives.

CDDO leads the function from the centre in three main ways:

- We set the strategic direction, standards and guidance for Government Digital and Data, and assure delivery against that
- Convene colleagues from across departments to share best practice, work together on whole of government problems, and deliver the central enablers that make that things easier for digital teams in departments
- Build digital skills at scale, within our digital community and beyond

The Communications Team is part of the Transformation and Operations directorate and is responsible for internal, external and cross-government communications for the whole of CDDO.

This is an exciting time to join the team. Earlier this year, the government announced the creation of a new digital centre of government, with CDDO moving to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), alongside GDS and i.AI, to unite efforts in the digital transformation of public services under one department.

**Job description**:
As a Strategic Communications Lead you’ll work closely with other teams across the organisation to support their objectives through effective strategic communications. Specifically, you will
- Lead the planning, delivery and evaluation of CDDO’s communications priorities focusing. Produce or coordinate accessible content and narratives with impact. Ensure reporting of delivery against the strategy to senior leaders in CDDO.
- Lead a strategic approach to CDDO’s narrative on the digital transformation of government and the unique opportunities associated with working in the government Government Digital and Data function.
- Lead multidisciplinary teams to plan and deliver campaigns that support the digital transformation agenda and raise the reputation of the Government Digital and Data function in government, including through engagement, content, social media, events and audience analysis.
- Lead the strategic planning, content creation and management of CDDO’s owned communications channels including blogs, newsletters and social media.
- Work with DSIT colleagues and others to create accurate, joined-up media lines that align with CDDO’s wider external narrative.
- Manage planning and coordination with the press team through CDDO’s communication grid. Triage incoming requests for communications support for new or emerging communications priorities

**Person specification**:
This role requires:

- An experienced strategic operator with expert knowledge and understanding of the whole communications mix.
- Extensive and demonstrable experience in setting direction, overseeing delivery and measuring efficacy of communications activity.
- Expert writing and editing skills with demonstrable experience of creating different types of content for different purposes
- The ability to be able to grasp a variety of fast moving, often nuanced and complex policies quickly and effectively
- Experience managing risks and issues in relation to communications, inconsistencies and assessing reputational impact of content
- You cope comfortably with ambiguity and thrive on being creative and innovative
- Experience working with external agencies to deliver
- Involvement of managing a wide range of stakeholders and their competing priorities

**Benefits**:
The benefits of working at CDDO

There are many benefits including:

- flexible hybrid working with flexi-time and the option to work part-time or condensed hours
- a Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
- 25 days of annual leave, increasing by a day each year up to a maximum of 30 days
- an extra day off for The King’s birthday
- an in-year bonus scheme to recognise high performance
- career progression and coaching, including a training budget for personal development
- paid volunteering leave
- a focus on wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme
- job satisfaction from making government services easier to use and more inclusive for people across the UK
- advances on pay, including for travel season tickets
- death in