Department for Transport

Head of Digital, Content & Publishing

Salary : National - GBP60,135 London - GBP65,439

Locations : Birmingham, Leeds or London

Our digital channels have become ever more important during the Covid-19 pandemic. This is an opportunity to build on what we have learnt and really deliver a step change in our digital communications.

Do you have experience of working within a busy communications team or similarly fast-paced environment?

Do you have proven experience in leadership and management, setting strategic communication objectives including for digital channels?

The Department for Transport is seeking to fill a critical senior leadership Head of Digital, Content and Publishing role. This is a fantastic opportunity for the right person to join us to build on the great work the team has delivered to date and to further develop our digital presence and enhance our reputation.

You will lead a highly skilled team in delivering inspiring, engaging and effective content to better engage our audience and reach new audiences in innovative and creative ways. You will have overall responsibility for content across a range of channels, including the creation of ideas through to delivery and evaluation, to deliver world-class content to promote Government, departmental and Ministerial priorities and activities.

Job description

This is an incredibly exciting, high profile and challenging job in government communications, providing a unique opportunity to work at the heart of an incredibly busy department with a broad remit where transport impacts everyone's lives.

You will work closely with colleagues across the department and government to deliver engaging and innovative digital campaigns whilst promoting best practice. You will ideally have experience of working within a busy communications team or similarly fast-paced environment.

The successful candidate will be required to work closely with colleagues across the department and government to deliver engaging and innovative digital campaigns whilst promoting best practice. Also, you will have overall responsibility for all external digital channels and content including GOV.UK publishing as well as print publishing.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the creative content team to produce inspiring, effective and engaging content on owned social media channels and GOV.UK, empowering the team to proactively support key announcements, visits and events via DfT digital channels demonstrating continuous improvement in quality and engagement.
• Set strategic direction and lead on content and channel strategies to reflect audience and user need whilst growing DfT reach through digital channels.
• Lead the team to develop stretching KPIs ensuring that all digital activity is data driven with actionable insights and regular reporting.
• Develop and manage relationships across communications and with special advisers and private offices to ensure digital content is an integral part of all communications planning.
• Play a leading role in upskilling the wider communications team in digital communications to build resilience and capability.
• Be an expert on social media channels and think strategically and creatively about where digital is going next.
• Build relations with external digital partners including bodies such as social media platforms, media outlets and others.
• Lead the team through periods of ambiguity and crisis, managing delivery and planning during key, high-pressure moments.
• Play an active role in the wider Senior Leadership Team for Group Communications.

About you

Do you understand trends within digital, and are able to use data to tell stories and evaluate the performance of content to build content strategies?

To be successful in this role you will need to think on your feet to juggle multiple urgent priorities with tight deadlines, whilst also working on longer-term projects. You will bring previous and proven experience of leading during a crisis and, having oversight for operational response activity across Communications. You can use your strong analytical skills and the ability to interpret and learn from digital performance data. Also, you will be open in your communication and able to communicate clearly with senior stakeholders, as well as having excellent written and verbal communication skills.

You will bring strong leadership capabilities, as you will be required to lead a team to provide high quality digital communications within very short timescales, dealing with pressure well and being able to manage a variety of relationships. You will be an expert in how social media and digital platforms work, and bring experience of managing multiple high profile social media accounts. with a track record of designing and implementing creative social media solutions. You are someone who understands media relations and the role of digital channels in managing news announcements, alongside having a good political understanding and understanding of what makes news. You will have an understanding and experience of managing online website content.

Closing date: 11:55 pm on Sunday 24th January 2021