Communications Officer

**General Information**:

- Salary
- The national salary range is £29,303 - £31,061, London salary range is £33,551 - £35,564. Your salary will be dependent on your base location
- Working Pattern
- Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working
- Vacancy Approach
- External
- Location
- Belfast, London
- Region
- London, Northern Ireland
- Closing Date
- 07-Nov-2025
- Post Type
- Fixed Term, Loan
- Civil Service Grade
- EO
- Number of jobs available
- 1
- Reserve List
- 12 Months
- Job ID
- 10742

**Descriptions & requirements**:

- Job description

**BACKGROUND**

The Northern Ireland Office supports the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in promoting the best interests of Northern Ireland. We make sure that Northern Ireland interests are represented within the UK Government and that UK government responsibilities are fully and effectively represented in Northern Ireland. We are the centre of expertise on Northern Ireland issues across Government.

The Northern Ireland Office employs around 170 staff, with offices in Belfast and London. As a small Department, we adopt a flexible project-based approach to ensure that we have the right people, with the right skills, in the right place to support the delivery of our key objectives.

Due to our structure and size, we are able to offer extensive exposure to Ministers and the opportunity to work on a far wider portfolio of policy and responsibilities than might be the case in a larger department. This creates an interesting and stimulating work environment.

Our key priorities are set out in our Operational Delivery plan and include:

- Supporting greater inclusion, tolerance and openness in Northern Ireland
- Contributing to a safer Northern Ireland, w terrorist and paramilitary groups are less able to cause harm to communities
- Ensuring that governance in Northern Ireland is responsive, transparent and able to deliver effective public service.
- Addressing the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland

**ABOUT THE ROLE**:
Working in the Northern Ireland Office communications team is an exciting, inspiring opportunity that will challenge and develop you as a professional communicator. You will be operating at the very heart of government, producing and editing communications on strategically important topics.

As a Communications Officer at the NIO, you’ll help create and manage government communications that inform the public about important policies and services. Your work might involve writing clear content for websites, social media and publications, or working with journalists and handling media enquiries. You’ll also create communications for staff and help plan and deliver campaigns that reach people across Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

In this role, you’ll learn to use data to understand how well our communications are working and build relationships with important partners and organisations. We’ll help you develop skills across different areas of communications, including digital and social media, press and media relations, marketing campaigns and internal communications.

You don’t need previous government experience for this role. We’re looking for a confident writer who can explain things clearly and is comfortable using digital tools and social media. You should be interested in how the government communicates with the public and colleagues and enjoy working in a fast-moving environment w priorities can change quickly.

**DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES**:
The main responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to:

- Help create and deliver multi-channel communications plans across media, stakeholders and multiple channels, to build awareness and influence behaviours
- Provide expert communication advice and support to senior leaders
- Work with teams to create accurate and engaging content - news articles, blogs and social media content such as graphics, videos, and imagery.
- Use social media and other digital platforms to keep track of relevant news and discussions, report on important updates and help prepare responses when we need to correct misinformation
- Assist in the planning and delivery of virtual and face-to-face events this may include conferences and all staff calls
- Contribute to audience insights and use data driven decision making to inform communication strategies.
- With the support of an experienced network of peers and a strong focus on professional development, you will develop skills in line with these areas.

**Essential Criteria**:

- Strong written and oral communication skills with the ability to write clearly and present effectively
- Excellent planning and organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines
- Understanding of digital and social media platforms
- Experience in developing communication plans across multiple channels
- Able to work effectively in fast paced environments while maintaining calm under pressure
- Strong interperson