Aberdeen, Ashford (Kent), Basingstoke, Birmingham, Bootle, Bristol, Buxton, Cardiff, Carlisle, Carmarthen, Chelmsford, Crewe, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Leeds, Milton Keynes, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Norwich, Nottingham, Oxted, Plymouth, Sheffield, Wrexham, York
Job Summary
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the independent regulator for work-related health and safety. Our purpose is to protect people and the environment – we save lives.
The Communications Group is a multi-disciplinary function delivering HSE's communications strategy. This role sits within the External Communications team. We are insight-led and results-driven, and our marketing campaigns support strategic objectives using a wide range of channels. We seek to provide high quality media, rebuttal and social media services.
We make a real impact, helping people manage risk in many different business contexts. This can be providing smaller businesses with simple advice and clear actions they can take to manage risk themselves. At the opposite end of the scale, this also means tackling the most serious risks to our society.
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced senior communicator with a background in media and leading press office teams, to help deliver on our mission to protect people and places.
Due to the nature of the business requirements of this position, this role is only suitable for full time working.
You will be required to join the senior management team out of hours evening and weekend press office rota, supporting more junior colleagues on duty.
Job Description
You will lead an insight-led and results driven team of media and social media professionals, setting a pro-active communications strategy and coordinating activity across government priorities and departments including co-regulators and other arms length bodies (ALB's). This role sits within a multi-disciplinary team of colleagues based across GB to deliver communications to employers and employees across England, Scotland, and Wales.
You will need to be able demonstrate excellent news judgment, strong leadership and the ability to form effective and productive working relationships with senior leaders inside and outside of HSE.
Although largely media-based, the role-holder will be expected to work across all communications discipline to support colleagues as and when necessary.
*Key Responsibilities:*
* Driving forward insight-led, creative and proactive communications plans, making the most of broadcast, print, consumer, trade, regional, social and online opportunities to effectively reach our audiences.
* Lead on the development and implementation of reactive handling plans for complex and often sensitive subject matters.
* Oversee the production of content for multiple platforms, including blogs, social media, and podcasts, with a strong focus on aligning messaging with organisational priorities and engaging diverse audiences.
* Relationship building within the wider communications department, with officials, and other government department colleagues.
* Developing and maintaining positive relationships with key journalists, personally briefing them on high-profile or complex issues.
* Providing communications expertise to policy and operational officials.
* Working closely with colleagues in policy, insight, stakeholder relations, and the campaigns team to deliver, develop and evaluate your plans.
* Line management responsibilities for a media and social media team, supporting and raising the capability of the team.
This role offers a hybrid working pattern, with the expectation that you will spend 2 days per week at your local office. Regular attendance at HSE's head office (Bootle) will also be required. In addition occasional travel to support media activity will be required.
You will lead an insight-led and results driven team of media and social media professionals, setting a pro-active communications strategy and coordinating activity across government priorities and departments including co-regulators and other arms length bodies (ALB's). This role sits within a multi-disciplinary team of colleagues based across GB to deliver communications to employers and employees across England, Scotland, and Wales.
You will need to be able demonstrate excellent news judgment, strong leadership and the ability to form effective and productive working relationships with senior leaders inside and outside of HSE.
Although largely media-based, the role-holder will be expected to work across all communications discipline to support colleagues as and when necessary.
*Key Responsibilities:*
* Driving forward insight-led, creative and proactive communications plans, making the most of broadcast, print, consumer, trade, regional, social and online opportunities to effectively reach our audiences.
* Lead on the development and implementation of reactive handling plans for complex and often sensitive subject matters.
* Oversee the production of content for multiple platforms, including blogs, social media, and podcasts, with a strong focus on aligning messaging with organisational priorities and engaging diverse audiences.
* Relationship building within the wider communications department, with officials, and other government department colleagues.
* Developing and maintaining positive relationships with key journalists, personally briefing them on high-profile or complex issues.
* Providing communications expertise to policy and operational officials.
* Working closely with colleagues in policy, insight, stakeholder relations, and the campaigns team to deliver, develop and evaluate your plans.
* Line management responsibilities for a media and social media team, supporting and raising the capability of the team.
This role offers a hybrid working pattern, with the expectation that you will spend 2 days per week at your local office. Regular attendance at HSE's head office (Bootle) will also be required. In addition occasional travel to support media activity will be required.
Person specification
*Essential Skills And Criteria:*
* Significant management and leadership experience of working in a fast-paced news team.
* Proven experience designing and delivering creative media plans across a comprehensive range of media channels.
* Well developed strategic planning skills.
* Ability to maintain high standards and make sound judgements when working to tight deadlines on complex issues in high-pressure situations.
* Accomplished interpersonal and stakeholder management skills.
* Confidence and knowledge in managing relationships with journalists and briefing seniors.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Leadership
* Seeing the Big Picture
* Delivering at Pace
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
* Communications – Ideas
* Communications - Impact
* Communications - Implementation
* Communications - Insight
Alongside your salary of £60,760, Health and Safety Executive contributes £17,602 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
We invest in our people with;
* Competitive rates of pay
* Access to the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme to which HSE contribute 28.97%, far more than in the private sector.
* Family friendly policies and working hours to help balance your home life and career
* Carer friendly policies to help create a supportive working culture
* 25 days annual holiday increasing to 30 days after 5 years' service, plus bank holidays and 1-day Civil Service privilege leave
* Parental leave benefits
* As a member of HSE you will gain access to a wide range of fantastic benefits that you can take advantage of such as the Cycle to Work Scheme, E-Gift Cards and Vouchers via our partner EdenRed.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
Application Information
As part of your application, you will be invited to complete an anonymised CV which should include your career history, experience, and qualifications.
Please ensure you tailor your CV to match the Essential Skills and Criteria as listed within the advert.
You will also be asked to complete an anonymised Personal Statement, of no more than 500 words which demonstrates how you meet the essential skills and criteria listed within the person specification.
Application Guidance
Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply and how to complete a Personal Statement
Sift Information
The sift will take place during the WC 20th October 2025 where you will be assessed on your CV and personal statement.
Please note, in the event of a high number of applications an initial sift will be held on CV only. Those who achieve the minimum pass score for the CV then will progress to a full sift where the personal statement will be scored. These candidates will therefore receive a sift score for both elements. Candidates who fail to meet the minimum pass score for the CV will not have their personal statement scored and will therefore only receive a sift score for the CV.
Interview Information
Interviews will take place during the WC 10th November 2025 where you will be assessed against the technical skills and behaviours listed within the advert.
For guidance on the Technical skills, please refer to the Communication Professional Competency Framework -
Dates may be subject to change. Interviews will take place via Microsoft Teams.
AI Tools & Platforms
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Sponsorship
This role is not open to application from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system. Should you apply for this role and require sponsorship your application will be rejected, and any provisional offers of employment will be withdrawn.
Further Information
Please note that a Reserve List will be held for the period of up to 12 months. There is no guarantee you will be offered a role from our reserve lists, so if you see a vacancy on Civil Service Jobs that you are interested in, we recommend you apply.
HSE reserve the right to conduct additional checks, including Google and social media checks, when recruiting candidates into a role within HSE. These checks will be carried out in line with the Civil Service Commission Principles and, if used all candidates will be subject to these additional checks.
From 23rd June 2025, if you are successful at interview, as part of your pre-employment checks, HSE's Recruitment Team are required to check your details against the Internal Fraud Hub (IFH), using your personal details – name, NINO, and date of birth. If you are included on the database, you will be refused employment. If you believe that there has been an error in the inclusion of your data and wish to make an appeal, please contact the CO email box .
Details of the types of internal fraud/dishonesty covered by this process are defined by the Cabinet Office and can be found here Internal Fraud Register privacy notice - GOV.UK.
It is the candidate's responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful in their application. For a summary of HSE terms and conditions as part of Civil Service Reform, please see the attached HSE Terms and Conditions document.
Progression through pay ranges is subject to annual pay awards as permitted within annual Civil Service pay remit guidance and negotiations with Trade Unions.
HSE is proud to be a part of the Disability Confidence Scheme (DCS). As a Disability Confident employer, we positively welcome applications from disabled people. We are committed to making workplace adjustments to ensure anyone can participate in the recruitment and selection process.
If, during the application or interview process, you require any assistance due to a disability or a medical condition, please contact us at the email address below to discuss how we can support you. For example, if you have a disability, and you need an application form in an alternative format or you would like to know more about our recruitment process, please contact: HR.Resourcing-
If successful in securing your role, HSE can provide suitable workplace adjustments to support you throughout your career with HSE.
Any move to HSE 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 here.
Please note, if you are a current civil servant and you are currently undergoing any of the following formal actions your application will not be progressed any further; Formal discipline action, any formal action regarding attendance, poor performance or any restriction of duties as a result of disciplinary action.
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.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups:
* UK nationals
* nationals of the Republic of Ireland
* nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
* nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
* nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
* individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
* Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
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 : Denver Coulson
* Email :
Recruitment team
* Email : hr.resourcing-
Further information
If you believe that Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition have not been met, you can raise a complaint by emailing: HR.Resourcing- or by writing to HSE at the following address:HR Resourcing Team, 2.3 Redgrave Court, Merton Road, Bootle, Merseyside, L20 7HS. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact Civil Service