Director of Communications

Details

Reference number

279754

Salary

£80,000 - £90,000

Job grade

SCS Pay Band 1

Contract type

Permanent

Business area

OFQUAL - Chief Regulator's Office

Type of role

Communications / Marketing

Other

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

Location

About the job

Benefits

Things you need to know

Apply and further information

Location

Coventry, West Midlands (England), CV1 3BH

About the job

Job summary

Ofqual is the independent qualifications regulator for England. We currently regulate 200+ awarding organisations, and approx. 11,600 certified qualifications. These include GCSEs, AS and A levels, and a broad range of vocational and technical qualifications. Regulating on behalf of students of all ages and apprentices is central to how we fulfil our statutory objectives.




For more information about the work we do please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofqual




We are committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion throughout the organisation. We are proud of the action we are taking to support EDI and Wellbeing and welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds to support our ethos of creating a diverse culture that is reflective of both our employees and the learners we support.




As part of our positive action commitment, if you are from an ethnic minority background and would like to discuss the role in more detail ahead of submitting your application please email ofqualdc@moloneysearch.com and we will arrange for a call to take place with one of our senior team.




Ofqual is a rewarding, dynamic place to work. We offer employees the opportunity to develop within their role and progress through the organisation via a number of Learning and Development opportunities and activities.

Job description

You’ll be working directly with the Chief Regulator, to set communications strategies that will achieve Ofqual’s strategic priorities.

You will have experience in leading the delivery of complex and coordinated communications across multiple channels, all to secure the confidence of students, parents, teachers and key influential stakeholders in qualifications.

Media interest is guaranteed, not least over the critical and busy summer period when national qualifications are taken in schools and colleges across the country, marked and results are issued in August. The Director of Communications plays a key role throughout that period – both externally and internally.

You’ll need to be an established leader, who can build strong and effective working relationships with colleagues both within and outside the organisation, to secure alignment between stakeholder and communications approaches.

Ofqual has office locations in Coventry, London and Cambridge. The Director of Communications will be expected to spend time in both the London and Coventry offices, with some national travel.

Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Provide expert communications and media advice to the Chief Regulator to enable Ofqual to be effective in regulating on behalf of students and apprentices and achieving its strategic priorities.
• Responsible for setting strategy, using channels and developing tactics for communicating with key audiences to maximise Ofqual’s impact.
• Accountable for developing and managing effective media relationships to support Ofqual’s public confidence work.
• Lead and manage relationships with the Government Communications Service, the Department for Education’s communications team, other Government institutions,
• Lead and manage Ofqual’s media relations and ensure the provision of effective and pro-active press office functions.

Person specification

Please refer to the job description for a full list of essential criteria to support your application.

Qualifications

Level 6 qualification or equivalent experience

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

As a Civil Servant, you will benefit from a leading, modern employment offer which includes flexible working arrangements that support people at different stages in their lives, and pensions among the best available in the UK, as well as generous annual leave entitlements.

Other benefits you can enjoy include:

• Performance Related Pay scheme
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• Regular professional development
• Health and wellbeing initiatives such as mini-medicals, flu vaccinations
• Employee assistance programme and occupational health
• Free eye tests and contribution towards lenses/spectacles for VDU users, if appropriate
• Family friendly policies
• Interest free season ticket loan
• Access to exclusive discounts
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

To submit your completed application and associated application documents please email: ofqualdc@moloneysearch.com.Should you wish to discuss any aspect of the role further, please contact Moloney Search on

0207 368 5100

to speak to Francesca Sloan.

All applications should be received by 11.55pm on the 1st May 2023.

Please be aware that expenses incurred by candidates during the recruitment process will not be reimbursed.



There may be a reserve list from which further appointments could be made.



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 require assistance or need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should tell us what changes or help you might need further in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional. You should contact us at ofqualdc@moloneysearch.com to discuss your needs.



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.



Ofqual is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from candidates regardless of ethnic origin, religious belief, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age or any factor unrelated to someone's ability to perform the job.

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

This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.




As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.

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.

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) (opens in a new window)
• 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 (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.

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

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 :

Francesca Sloan

Email :

ofqualdc@moloneysearch.com

Telephone :

0207 368 5100

Recruitment team :

Email :

ofqualdc@moloneysearch.com

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 Commission’s 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 first contact Ofqual by email: recruitment@ofqual.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can then contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.