Location Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Croydon, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, Newcastle, Portsmouth, Stratford (London), Westminster (London)   Due to space restrictions, posts advertised in Stratford, Croydon and Westminster are only available to existing HMRC staff already based in that location.   Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Job summary

 

This is an exciting time to join HMRC as we continue our journey to become one of the most digitally advanced tax authorities in the world. To achieve our ambition, we are investing in ground-breaking initiatives and programmes to transform our tax systems, building a dynamic organisation with a culture that focuses on, and significantly invests in, the continual development of our people. 

HMRC Communications delivers professional communications on behalf of the department and has one of the largest and busiest teams in government.  We’re recognised and respected as running one of the top communications operations in Whitehall.  

We are creative, fast-working and encourage collaboration. With a big job to do, you’ll be joining a strong, motivated communications team. No other government department – indeed, no other organisation - touches the lives of so many people in the UK. 

Job description

The Head of Digital Communications is a brand new, high profile and exciting role that will sit at the heart of an expanded digital and press function. 

We’re looking for an experienced digital communications leader, strategist and innovator to spearhead HMRC’s digital and creative output.  Someone to work closely with colleagues across the department, government and beyond to ensure we’re producing compelling and innovative digital content that enhances our outstanding campaigns and delivers against our objectives.   

One of your first jobs will be to build on and develop our existing social media and digital talent to ensure we have the skills and capabilities to deliver an effective digital communications offer. You’ll lead a team of approx. 18 multi-disciplinary social media experts, digital content producers, GOV.UK content designers and data & insight specialists. 

As a leader in your field, your experience of developing a team to deliver excellent digital content and campaigns to support organisational outcomes is vital to our success. We need to ensure our digital channels are flexible and responsive, our digital content is continually improving, engaging and accessible, and that everything we do is based on data and insight. Your understanding of how digital communications fits within the strategy of a wider communications directorate, and your ability to collaborate effectively with peers leading other disciplines, will also be crucial.  

As the professional lead for digital across HMRC Communications, your ability to influence and lead colleagues across the department and wider government as you develop our digital strategy is crucial.  Government digital communications is changing and, as one of the largest departments, HMRC, and therefore you, needs to be at the forefront of this change as an active member of the network of Heads of Digital across Whitehall. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Shape and implement HMRC’s digital communications to deliver on our Communications 3 year strategy, ensuring we have the skills, capability and capacity to deliver our campaigns and objectives. 
• Set the team’s direction, embodying a culture of respect, inclusivity, creativity and innovation, and position it as a centre of digital excellence and expertise. Build capability, sharing your extensive knowledge of established and emerging online platforms, as well as online content trends and formats.  
• Act as the driving force to develop new and exciting creative content for our digital platforms, exploring new formats with an agile mentality. A strong understanding of accessibility on digital platforms is vital.
• Develop and embed a dedicated and skilled social listening function to identify trending conversations, risks to HMRC’s reputation and customer sentiment.
• Oversee a rapid response team working in close collaboration with Press Office colleagues to combat misinformation and disinformation. 
• Ensure the team delivers clear and compelling strategies, plans and messages that resonate with target audiences, ensuring issues and potential risks are identified and resolved. And, throughout the process ensure activity is rigorously evaluated, impacts understood, and lessons are learned and shared in a cycle of continuous improvement. 
• Be an active member of the Press and Digital senior leadership team and deputise for the Deputy Director, Head of  Press and Digital as required. 

Essential Criteria 

• Demonstrable experience in a communications leadership role, specifically in digital communications and ideally with experience across multiple disciplines with significant experience in developing and leading communications strategies to support and achieve business objectives 
• A track record of driving improvement within teams, motivating colleagues to perform to a high standard, and embodying the civil service leadership principles of being inspiring, confident, and empowering.  
• Strong interpersonal skills, building collaborative and trusted working relationships with a variety of internal and external partners – specifically, you will have a track record of working with press, strategic communications, and campaigns teams on integrated content and audience-focused campaigns. 
• An ability to develop trusted and authoritative two-way relationships with senior colleagues, exert influence at Deputy Director and Director level, and persuade senior leaders to adopt your recommendations. 
• Confident working at pace and able to prioritise work across multiple projects and under pressure. You will be able to adopt a strategic view when it comes to communications and resourcing and have the ability to make and communicate difficult decisions. 

Desirable Criteria 

• Working knowledge of GCS best practice and current strategy, in relation to the delivery of content and channels and evaluation, including accessibility, diversity and inclusion. 
• Experience of content design discipline, working with Government Digital Service and managing GOV.UK content projects.