Deputy Head of Strategy, Campaigns and Content (Infected Blood Compensation Authority)

In recognition of the hurt caused by the infected blood scandal and highlighted by the Infected Blood Inquiry (IBI), compensation will be paid to those infected and affected. This role is an opportunity to join a new Arms Length Body – the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) – as we build a team of Communications and Engagement professionals to put the infected and affected community at the heart of our communications and support them to get the compensation they are entitled to.

The number one goal for this new organisation is to build and maintain trust with its users. Effective, open and transparent communications will play an important part in this.

The Communications and Engagement team sits at the heart of the IBCA to ensure we explain the new compensation scheme with clarity, simplicity and effectiveness.

Opportunities to move to the new Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA)

At the moment all IBCA roles are hosted by Cabinet Office within the Civil Service. However, once IBCA becomes operational, it is anticipated that most of these roles will transfer to IBCA, which is a new Arms Length Body (ALB) separate from the Cabinet Office. Roles that transfer to IBCA from Cabinet Office will maintain the same or substantially the same terms and conditions of employment that are overall no less favourable. It is anticipated that employees who move from Cabinet Office to IBCA will be able to continue to participate in the Civil Service Pension arrangements with no break in their pensionable service. Roles commencing after IBCA has become operational will be with IBCA itself on similar terms and conditions. All successful candidates will receive full details of the terms and conditions of employment for their role with their formal job offer.

Please note that the mission of IBCA means that it is likely to be operational for a period of approximately 5 to 7 years. When IBCA’s work begins to wind down, IBCA employees will receive support and practical guidance to find a new role, whether in the Civil Service, another Arms Length Body (ALB), or an external employer.

Job description

We are building a Communications and Engagement Team unlike any other with one aim: to deliver compensation to the infected blood community. As a team we collaborate, we lead and we work at pace. You’ll be striving for innovation and excellence, with a big job to do as we build the team together.

The Communications Strategy, Campaigns and Content team designs, plans and leads high profile and impactful campaigns for IBCA.

We have 2 vacancies and are keen to hear from experienced communications leaders who have experience in 2 or more aspects of our team’s work:

Strategic Communications: Leading the development of communication strategies that deliver against organisational objectives Designing short, medium and long-term strategies to engage with our audiences. Horizon scanning and identifying challenges and developing creative solutions. Leading on evaluation and measurement across the communications and engagement team, identifying trends and opportunities and making sure our work delivers on objectives.

Campaign design and delivery: Working across IBCA to design and plan campaigns that meet our audience needs and drive action.

Marketing: Leading on paid creative marketing campaigns including partnerships,managing external agencies and seeing cross-channel delivery through from start to finish.

Internal communications: Leading our internal communications strategy to build and improve colleague engagement connected to IBCA’s objectives.

Main Responsibilities

We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic leader to join our communications and engagement team. This is a vital role and will be a challenging and exciting opportunity to develop communications strategies and build a high-performing and motivated team to deliver high quality campaigns.

The job will require the candidate to:

Be jointly responsible (with the other G7 in the team) for the development and implementation of robust and creative communication strategies, implementation plans, and scoring evaluation criteria and an evaluation framework (according to the OASIS planning method) to support IBCA’S objectives.

Lead a team of multidisciplinary communications and engagement professionals in a fast-moving environment.

Work closely with senior leaders to influence and identify communications requirements.

Provide proactive strategic advice, counsel and constructive challenge to senior leaders on how communications can help support business objectives, improve staff engagement and protect/enhance reputation.

Work with senior colleagues and other business leads to develop and deliver integrated internal, external and employee engagement strategic communications plans.

Evaluate communications activity and feedback insight and evaluation, ensuring lessons learned are applied and shared in a cycle of continuous improvement.

Identify and manage issues and potential risks that pose a threat to IBCA’s reputation or delivery.

Focus on your own professional development, with consideration to Government Communication Service (GCS) and other frameworks.

Person specification

Essential criteria:

Planning, designing and delivering communications strategies that meet and deliver on business objectives for internal and external audiences.

A confident and creative communications professional who can provide proactive strategic advice, counsel and constructive challenge to senior leaders.

Confident in evaluating communications activity and able to act on insight to improve outcomes.

Comfortable working at a senior level, bringing the voices of people making a claim and colleagues into leadership meetings.

Used to working in a fast-paced environment and adept at juggling multiple projects and programmes at pace.

Designing and delivering robust and creative engagement strategies, implementation plans, and scoring evaluation criteria and an evaluation framework (according to the OASIS planning method).

Experience of developing and delivering, across paid, earned and owned channels, clear, accurate and effective marketing and communications plans and products which are audience centric and insight driven.

A strong leader, used to leading and developing a multi-discipline communications and marketing team.

Desirable criteria

Understanding and knowledge of the Government Communications Service, including the tools and techniques they use to support marketing campaign delivery; for example OASIS models, COM-B and the GCS evaluation framework.

Experience of working in a regulatory environment.

You should also be able to demonstrate experience in at least 2 aspects of our team’s work:

Strategic Communications including using insight and evaluation to improve our communications function

Campaign design and delivery, including leading a team through implementation

Marketing, including working with and managing external communications agencies – across a range of disciplines

Internal communications to engage with colleagues in a unique, fast-paced setting.

Additional information:

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Behaviours

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

Communicating and Influencing

Delivering at Pace

Seeing the Big Picture

Leadership

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

Communicating and Influencing

Delivering at Pace

Seeing the Big Picture

Technical skills

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

Impact

Implementation

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £55,403, Cabinet Office contributes £16,050 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Learning and development tailored to your role.

An environment with flexible working options.

A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.

A Civil Service Pension which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and employer contributions of 28.97%.

A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30.  

Closing date: 20 April 2025.