About the organisation:

DWP Digital offers uniquely challenging and fulfilling careers for people interested in using their skills to make a genuine difference to society. We’re part of the UK’s biggest government department, and along with 83,000 colleagues, we support 20 million people every day to help them to find work and save for their future. Few other organisations globally provide the same opportunity to apply next-generation digital technology on a massive scale to issues which touch the lives of so many.

About the team:

It's a really exciting time to be Digital. The Digital Engagement team plays a vital role in supporting DWP Digital’s ambitions by telling a compelling, people-led story of what we do to a range of internal and external audiences.

Within Digital, we’re helping our digital, data and technology communities of practice to grow, engaging colleagues on our vision and priorities, and involving colleagues in shaping our organisation. We help 83,000 colleagues across DWP understand how digital is changing the way we work with customers and with each other. And we’re building the profile and reputation of DWP Digital externally, publicising the exciting work we do to help us attract and retain the talent we need to continue to transform our services.

We’re building a team which works inclusively and collaboratively across channels and audiences to deliver innovative and communications and engagement activity, where individuals and teams are empowered to be creative and make their mark on some of the most rewarding engagement challenges in government.

About the role:

We are looking for a talented and experienced communications professional to help DWP Digital engage effectively with internal audiences and stakeholders, as we accelerate DWP’s digital transformation.

It’s vital that DWP Digital engages effectively with our broad range of internal audiences - from expert partners helping deliver complex digital changes outside working hours, to tens of thousands of front line colleagues delivering vital services to customers.

As a result, we’re strengthening our capability in this area, recruiting a dedicated Digital Engagement Manager to shape strategy and drive delivery. This is an exciting opportunity for an internal communications expert to develop their leadership skills in a challenging, fast-paced environment. You’ll work closely with colleagues across Digital and Communications teams to develop a comprehensive engagement strategy which:

• Tells a clear and compelling story of how we’re improving digital products for colleagues and customers (delivered in partnership with DWP’s Internal Communications team).

• Keeps Operations colleagues informed and engaged on weekly digital change where it directly affects their jobs.

• Minimises the impact of IT incidents when they arise, by engaging DWP colleagues with speed, clarity and transparency.

• Helps build capability in internal engagement across DWP Digital.

You’ll combine strong team and project management ability with excellent hands-on communications skills, producing high-quality, insight-driven engagement products yourself and through your team.

You’ll also be an energetic team worker with a natural ability to work collaboratively to deliver great communications with and through a network of internal partners.

Key Responsibilities:

• Working with DWP Internal Communications to jointly deliver a proactive, insight-driven engagement strategy which helps DWP colleagues understand how Digital Group’s priorities, plans and delivery affect them: this includes shaping communication objectives, helping identify issues which are important to colleagues, and crafting effective messages.

• Using a journalistic approach to develop and deliver great communications products, working across Digital Group to identify important issues and build a strong network of contacts.

• Playing a leading role in delivering an efficient and effective 24/7 stakeholder engagement model for major incidents, drafting and sharing fast, accurate and helpful communications (such as email and intranet updates) to minimise the impact of disruption.

• Using copywriting and design skills to create a high quality suite of briefing products which help Digital colleagues engage their partners across DWP with clarity, consistency and impact.

• Measuring and improving effectiveness of communications through a thorough evaluation approach.

• Helping uphold internal engagement standards, and building communications capability across DWP Digital, so that the wider organisation communicates with impact, clarity and consistency.

• Building effective communications delivery partnerships across Digital and wider DWP to jointly deliver communications plans and products efficiently, consistently and credibly.

Person Specification:

• Experience of working successfully in a complex organisation providing professional internal communications and engagement advice to a range of stakeholders, up to and including board level.

• Ability to demonstrate expert knowledge and understanding of all communications and engagement and its’ successful practical application.

• Strong evidence of devising, delivering and evaluating effective internal communications strategies in large or complex organisations, with strong editorial and political judgement.

• Strong evidence of using communications skills, both verbal and written, with evidence of translating complex issues into engaging, people-focused communications for non-technical audiences.

• Proven leadership skills within a communications environment, with the ability to maximise colleagues' performance, motivation and delivery.

• Strong evidence of developing and planning work to ensure effective delivery of campaigns using multiple channels with the resilience to work effectively under pressure.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership

• Communicating and Influencing

  Technical skills

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

• Insight

• Ideas

• Implementation

• Impact

  Pensions

  Civil Service pension schemes may be available for successful candidates.

  Benefits

  In addition to salary there is an attractive benefits package which includes an employer pension contribution of up to 20%, a generous annual leave allowance and flexible working arrangements. Packages will be discussed with successful candidates based on skills and experience.

  Allowances

  The Digital Engagement Manager (Cross-DWP Internal Communications) salary ranges from £38,493 up to £47,661
  

  Please note this is a SIO (Senior Information Officer) grade and the salary is based on the DWP Government Specialist Communication pay-scale. Flexible starting pay applies to this role.

  Things you need to know

  Security

  Successful candidates must pass basic security checks.

  Selection process details

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

  Please note:
  
  

  DWP Digital want to bring in and bring on a diverse workforce at all levels.
  
  

  The application system is designed to remove as much bias as possible from the recruitment system – this means that a hiring manager does not know your name, or your details, do not see your whole application in one go (or have your CV at review stage unless stated otherwise).
  
  

  Your answers are randomised. This means that each assessor views sets of responses to questions for example all candidates’ responses to ‘Leadership’ rather than seeing a candidate’s full application. This reduces the effects of unconscious bias as much as possible.
  
  

  Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that each of your answers would be viewed by different assessors.
  
  

  When writing your application, remember:

  
  
  • that the assessor won’t be reading your answers sequentially.

  
  • do not assume that the same assessors will have read all of your answers.

  
  • If talking about something in your first answer, make sure that you write the second answer as if you had not written the first (and so on!)
  
  

  At the sift stage, we will be assessing your responses to questions on the application that are based on criteria listed in the Person Specification and your working experience from your CV.
  
  

  There is a 250 word limit per question.

  
  
  Stage 2 – Candidates invited to interview will be also be given a practical written exercise to assess your specialist skills. At this stage you’ll be assessed against using the Behaviours and Technical Skills listed below, along with Strengths. More detail regarding the Technical Skills, Behaviours and Strengths is available via the links in additional information.
  
  

  Behaviours.
  
  •Leading
  •Communicating and Influencing
  
  And also the following Technical Skills (based on the Government Communications Service competencies).
  
  •Insight
  •Ideas
  •Implementation
  •Impact
  
  

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

  Nationality requirements

  Open to UK, Commonwealth and European Economic Area (EEA) and certain non EEA nationals. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available here.

  Working for the Civil Service

  The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a guaranteed interview scheme (GIS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

  Apply and further information

  Contact point for applicants

  Tracy Dewhurst: Tracy.dewhurst1@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

  Sift/interview dates and location

  Interviews will be held from the 13th May onwards.

  Further information

  A reserve list will be held for 6 months for this vacancy.
  Link to Government Communication Service Competencies