Summary

We are the Department for International Trade (DIT). We work with people across the UK and around the world to create a fair and open global trading environment that promotes economic growth, and raising living standards, creating jobs, and lifting people out of poverty.

We’re passionate about our people, so we’ve developed an Employee Value Proposition (EVP) to help our employees understand our employment offer. We’re also developing a strong employer brand to show potential candidates what it’s really like to work at DIT, so they know what’s expected of them and what they can receive in return. We are already finalists for the LinkedIn Talent Awards 2021 (for Best Employer Brand and Diversity Champion), but we know we can do better.

We’re looking for an HR Communications Manager to join our team to coordinate and develop engaging content to promote our EVP to internal and external audiences. You’ll bring stories to life that demonstrate our collaborative ways of working across the globe, our inclusive culture, excellent career and development opportunities and comprehensive pay and benefits.

So, if you love to work in a team and can bring your creative flair, passion to make things happen, an eye for detail and thrive in handling competing priorities, we’ll support you with a comprehensive learning offer and a diverse portfolio of work to help you develop your career.

Job description

This role will sit within the Employee Value Proposition (EVP) and Employer Brand Team in HR but has close links to our Internal Communications Team.

Main duties will include:

•Working closely with colleagues in HR and communications to ensure that communications are carefully planned, coordinated, delivered, and evaluated, aligned with the internal communications strategy and the HR People Strategy. Including but not limited to: Pay and Contract reform; People Survey; Diversity and Inclusion; Wellbeing agenda.

•Collaborating with HR, Communications colleagues, diversity networks, and consultant partners to create, design, implement and evaluate compelling digital, audio and video content to promote our EVP and employer brand.

•Developing and maintaining communications strategies, content calendars and implementation plans.

•Writing and editing high quality copy including newsletter copy, blogs, and articles.

•Personally, designing and delivering best practice creative content that engages our audiences.

•Providing professional communications and engagement advice to HR colleagues, leading design of communication approaches, products, and interventions to support policy delivery.

•Coaching HR colleagues’ content to ensure it is well written, accurate and free from mistakes.

•Facilitating staff engagement events, such as focus groups.

Hybrid worker

The role will be based in either London or Darlington. You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas.

Informal hybrid working arrangements will be available as agreed with the vacancy manager and in line with the requirements of the role.

Most DIT employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending 2-3 days a week (pro rata) in an office, on average. If your office location is London, you will be eligible to receive London weighting.

Appointments will be made to candidates in merit order based on location preferences.

Responsibilities

Essential Criteria

•Ability to write and edit copy to high standards.

•Ability to produce engaging digital, audio, and video content (using software like Final Cut pro)

Desirable Criteria

•Familiarity with digital applications like CMSs, design (e.g., canva), google analytics, and email programmes (e.g mailchimp)

•Ability to engage with a large, complex, multi-site organisation within the UK or dispersed worldwide

Personal Attributes & Skills

You’ll be someone known for coming up with ideas and seeing possibilities where others might not. Your great ideas will need to be balanced with a sensible approach to risk. Our reputation matters, so when writing or approving copy you’ll have an eye for detail and an instinct for how a well-intentioned message might be misunderstood by different audiences.

As you’ll be working with many people with differing views of what is important, you’ll need tact and diplomacy to challenge content and priorities sensitively and a genuine desire to work with across several teams to deliver your work. Keeping people happy will be a juggling exercise.

There is always a lot to do, and sometimes not the time to do it all so you’ll need to make good choices on what you tackle and comfortable working to sometimes quite demanding deadlines and sufficiently resilient to cope with ambiguity or changing priorities as these can change quickly.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Candidate will be asked to undertake a written test where we will assess their ability to write clearly and accurately.

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role

• An environment with flexible working options

• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

• A Civil Service pension

Things you need to know

Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check.

See our vetting charter.

People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

We are closely monitoring the situation regarding the coronavirus, and will be following central Government advice as it is issued. There is therefore a risk that recruitment to this post may be subject to change at short notice. In addition, where appropriate, you may be invited to attend a video interview.

Please continue to follow the application process as normal and ensure that you check your emails regularly as all updates from us will be sent to you this way.

Sift will take place week commencing 10/03/2022.

Interviews will take place week commencing 24/03/2022.

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Judgement Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 07/01/22. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, a personal statement and behaviour statements.

Please align your CV with previous skills and experience.

Maximum of 2 A4 pages

Please use your personal statement to outline your motivation for this role and the way in which your skills and experience matches the requirements of this role. Maximum 500 words.

In the event that there is a high volume of applications, a short sift will be conducted based on lead behaviour: Communicating and Influencing.

During the interview process you will be assessed on the behaviours stated in the advert, strengths and technical skills.

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

The Department for International Trade embraces and values diversity in all forms. We welcome and pride ourselves on the positive impact diversity has on the work we do, and we promote equality of opportunity throughout the organisation.

Please note – harmonised terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to the Department for International Trade 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 here

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via ditrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Vetting Requirements CTC

All security clearances require you to provide evidence of your UK footprint where you have been physically present in the UK.

The requirement for CTC clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years.

Failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected.

If you require CTC clearance you will need to provide evidence of the below requirements.

Checks will be made against:

•departmental or company records (personnel files, staff reports, sick leave reports and security records)

•UK criminal records covering both spent and unspent criminal records.

•Security Services records

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

Further information on nationality requirements

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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.

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.

Apply and further information

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

Further information

Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment on the basis of fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DIT by email: Resourcing@trade.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: Click here to visit Civil Service Commission/Complaints

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