Walter's Ash, South East England, HP14 4UE
Job Summary
Royal Air Force (RAF) Air Media and Communications (Air M&C) is responsible for the delivery of communications that influence how people inside and outside the RAF understand, engage with and think about the Service.
Air M&C is organised into three executive areas of responsibility: Strategy and Planning, External Communications and Engagement, and Internal and Change Communications.
We work closely with the Ministry of Defence (MOD) communications teams, other communications teams across the Armed Forces, and the wider RAF Family of organisations that support our Whole Force.
Air M&C is part of the Government Communication Service (GCS). We use the OASIS framework for strategic communications campaign planning and the four communication competences of Insight, Ideas, Implementation and Impact.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.
Job Description
As part of media operations communications, you will play a key role:
Proactive news gathering: You will, cohere, produce and deliver a range of compelling and timely communication collateral; this will be achieved by working closely with stakeholders across Air M&C, the Defence Directorate Communications (DDC) team in Whitehall, and the RAF. You will be a media champion for the RAF and its successes and achievements.
Reactive and crisis comms: You will have excellent judgement and will work closely with the RAF evaluation lead to assess and advise the Air M&C leadership team on reactive news matters. You will be experienced in handling issues, journalist requests, staying ahead of the curve, horizon scanning, anticipating risk and planning and mitigating to ensure the RAF acts appropriately in response. You will act as a coordination point of contact, building effective relationships, and spotting any gaps in our response, to ensure seamless and consistent messaging on all potential media news issues, aligning to M&C communications strategy.
Supporting M&C campaigns: You will work with teams across media and communications to deliver news collateral around wider campaigns and events, for example Kings Coronation.
As part of media operations communications, you will play a key role:
Proactive news gathering: You will, cohere, produce and deliver a range of compelling and timely communication collateral; this will be achieved by working closely with stakeholders across Air M&C, the Defence Directorate Communications (DDC) team in Whitehall, and the RAF. You will be a media champion for the RAF and its successes and achievements.
Reactive and crisis comms: You will have excellent judgement and will work closely with the RAF evaluation lead to assess and advise the Air M&C leadership team on reactive news matters. You will be experienced in handling issues, journalist requests, staying ahead of the curve, horizon scanning, anticipating risk and planning and mitigating to ensure the RAF acts appropriately in response. You will act as a coordination point of contact, building effective relationships, and spotting any gaps in our response, to ensure seamless and consistent messaging on all potential media news issues, aligning to M&C communications strategy.
Supporting M&C campaigns: You will work with teams across media and communications to deliver news collateral around wider campaigns and events, for example Kings Coronation.
Person specification
* In collaboration with key stakeholders and MoD, writing News press releases for journalists and content for owned Defence and RAF channels.
* Keeping up to date on the news agenda to ensure campaign activity aligns with wider world narratives.
* Supporting RAF M&C responses to reputational communications issues and events, coordinating messaging across stakeholders.
* Collaborating, sharing, and acting on media monitoring and working with M&C planning activity to assure corporate, joined up and brand compliant responses in all situations.
* Advising on reputation management and reviewing media enquiries to ensure relevant senior RAF stakeholders are engaged and kept informed. This will primarily be in conjunction with the RAF Spokesperson, Policy & Secretariat, and Media Operations.
* Collaborating with policy teams to ensure briefings into Ministers and the RAF senior leadership team are aligned and on message.
* Developing and delivering proactive PR campaigns, following GCS OASIS methodology in all planning and comms delivery, targeting audiences, developing ideas, planning implementation activities, and agreeing evaluation criteria. Using evaluation data during delivery to optimise communication effect.
* Participate in an on-call rota during evenings and weekends to deal with breaking news and crisis communication events for which an additional allowance will be paid.
* Manage RAF media facilities and carry out media minding duties as required.
Essential Skills & Experience
* The post holder should have prior experience in PR and news handling with a particular emphasis on skilled and expert reputational issues management.
* Experience of proactive and reactive communications planning and delivery.
* Strong influencer and networker with great key stakeholder management skills.
* Credible, emotionally intelligent, and resourceful.
* Robust, resilient with sound judgement to escalate issues as appropriate.
* Keen brand awareness coupled with strong storytelling and copywriting skills.
* Maintain awareness of communication trends and continuous professional development to be ‘best in class’ by participating in GCS organised activities and training attending communication industry events.
Desirable Skills & Experience
Understanding of the Government Communications Service operating models and principles
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Seeing the Big Picture
* Managing a Quality Service
* Delivering at Pace
* Communicating and Influencing
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
* GCS core: Ideas - https://gcs.civilservice.gov.uk/publications/competency-framework/#Competency-2:-Ideas
* GCS core: Implementation - https://gcs.civilservice.gov.uk/publications/competency-framework/#Competency-3:-Implementation
Alongside your salary of £36,350, Ministry of Defence contributes £10,530 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
* Learning and development tailored to your role
* An environment with flexible working options
* A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
* A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.
The post does not offer relocation expenses.
External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.
Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.
Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.
Any move to MOD 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/.
The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.
MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.
At sift, you will be assessed against your CV the following:
* Managing A Quality Service
At sift and interview, you will be assessed against the following:
* Seeing The Big Picture
* Delivering At Pace
* Communicating and Influencing
When choosing your Behaviour examples, please make sure you use real life scenarios that relate to your own experiences. Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application being rejected.
Technical Skills
* GCS core: Ideas
* GCS core: Implementation
Application Sift Scheduled: week commencing 10 July
Interviews Scheduled to take place week commencing 24 July
The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .
As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system.
Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
Open to UK nationals only.
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
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).
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 also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
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).
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 also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact
* Name : Alastair Jackson
* Email : Alastair.Jackson575@mod.gov.uk
Recruitment team
* Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk
Further information
Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Servicecommission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: info@csc.gov.uk. #J-18808-Ljbffr