Communications Manager
Food Standards Agency
Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 26th January 2025
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Location
Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not overseas.
Travel within the UK will be required on an occasional basis, possibly with overnight stays.
About the job
Job summary
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is looking for a Communications Manager who can help to protect public health, working with their colleagues to ensure the delivery of informative, helpful and accessible messaging to consumers and businesses across Northern Ireland.
As the public-facing representatives of the FSA’s work in Northern Ireland, the Communications Team shapes the public understanding of our work, and fuels important conversations around food safety and nutrition.
Job description
Delivering both proactive and reactive media relations in Northern Ireland, your work will help to maintain consistent messaging, building strong working relationships with a network of journalists, partners and other influencers to enable us to reach as wide an audience as possible.
To this end, you will work to create content across the Northern Ireland focused areas of the FSA’s website and social media channels, and work alongside our Digital Team to ensure that all published content meets our content style guide as well as our accessibility standards.
As the FSA works across three nations, you will also work collaboratively to ensure that national priorities and activities are aligned and delivered effectively in Northern Ireland. You will have a demonstrable knowledge of the local media and political landscape to be able to support these areas.
You should be capable of delivering high quality work and making effective decisions in a fast-paced environment. If you are excited by the opportunity to make a tangible impact in the health and food safety of consumers in Northern Ireland and beyond, be sure to apply for this exciting role.
Working pattern guidance
If applying as a job share partnership, you should both complete separate application forms on Civil Service Jobs, but should make it clear that you are applying as job sharers. Further details on job sharing can be found here JSF – What is the recruitment process for job sharers? , Civil Service Careers (civil-service-careers.gov.uk)
Applicants who wish to work part time / compressed hours are welcome to apply - however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.
Due to the nature of the role we are unable to consider requests for part time working of less than 30 hours per week.
Person specification
Please read the attached Candidate Pack to discover further details about the role, our organisation, who we are looking for and the criteria we will assess against during the selection process.
We look forward to receiving your application and wish you every success.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Making Effective Decisions
- Working Together
Benefits
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Full details of the selection process are detailed in the attached candidate pack.
Application and shortlisting
You will be asked to provide personal details (not seen by the Panel) and to confirm your eligibility to apply for the role.
You will then be asked to complete an application which will be used to assess you against the following essential criteria.
Essential criteria
Experience
- Lead criteria: Demonstrable experience of working with Northern Ireland media and external stakeholders in managing effective communications
- Demonstrable experience of using OASIS thinking to deliver integrated communications plans, comprised of media relations, stakeholder engagement and digital content
- Experience of organising events and coordinating attendance at external events, to promote a scheme or initiative from concept to delivery and evaluation
- Understanding of Northern Ireland media and political landscape
- Experience of creating accessible content and schedules for digital platforms, including social media channels, and reporting on performance
Lead Criteria An initial sift will take place on the Lead Criteria.
In the event that we receive a large number of applications, the minimum pass mark for the Lead Criteria may be raised at shortlisting stage. Candidates who apply under the DCS, GPTW or RIS schemes and meet the minimum requirements will be unaffected by the pass mark raise.
Interview
If successful at shortlisting stage, you will be invited to a final interview in which we will assess you against the following Experience requirements of the role and Civil Service Behaviours.
Behaviours
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Making Effective Decisions
- Working Together
Full details of the positive indicators being assessed for each Behaviour can be found in the Candidate Pack.
Experience
- Demonstrable experience of using OASIS thinking to deliver integrated communications plans, comprised of media relations, stakeholder engagement and digital content to a tight deadline.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application or used during interview, including your CV and any statements or examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.
Expected Timeline
Advert closes: 26th January 2025
Sift: Expected to take place 27th – 29th January 2025
Final panel interview: Expected to take place 6th & 7th February 2025
Interviews will be held remotely via MS Teams. (If you do not have the Microsoft Teams application installed on your computer, you can join on the web without installing the application).
Please note that indicated dates may be subject to change.
Childcare Vouchers
Any move to the Food Standards Agency 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
Reserve List
A reserve list will be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.
Candidates that do not pass the interview but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.
Visa Sponsorship
Please note that the FSA does not hold a licence to sponsor any visa applications and we are unable to provide any advice about visas.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
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).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Laura McGlinn
- Email : laura.mcglinn@food.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : hr.recruitment.campaigns@food.gov.uk
Further information
