Art Director - NMU - GCS

The New Media Unit (NMU) is part of the Government Communication Service (GCS) and sits within the Cabinet Office. The NMU was established in November 2024 with the clear goal to reach, connect, and rebuild trust with audiences in the most effective way possible. Our aim is to provide the public with relevant, useful, and authentic content when and where they want to receive it and communicate in an entirely new way.

The government has signalled a clear intention to focus on ambitious, measurable, long‑term objectives that deliver better outcomes for citizens. This requires a new way of doing government, which is more joined‑up and better reaches the public to build awareness, understanding, and trust in the government’s missions. The NMU is a critical lever in achieving these long‑term aims, bringing together the specialist skills required to reach citizens with content they want to consume at a time and place they want to consume it.

The team works in an agile way, proactively delivering on priority campaigns and responding to nationwide communications. We need people who think differently and who can respond to the ever‑changing media landscape. At its core, this team is focused on flexibility and collaboration across the three pillars (Strategy, Campaign, and Creative), working closely with GCS Strategy & Campaigns, Applied Data and Insight teams, alongside No10 and across government departmental communication teams.

What we’re looking for

We need outstanding specialists in digital design, copywriting, and content production, who have a high level of expertise and will put audiences at the heart of everything they do. We're seeking innovative minds and creative talents to help craft our evolving vision. This is a unique opportunity to grow, learn and share your talent with a team of diverse experts with passion and a genuine curiosity to innovate government comms. Most importantly, we want people who care about delivering outstanding communication for the public. We value colleagues who embrace change, think outside the box, and thrive in a dynamic environment where responsibilities evolve with our ambitions. We welcome applications from the widest range of people of different backgrounds, cultures and experiences. If you're passionate about making your mark and flourishing in an atmosphere that champions fresh thinking and adaptability, we want to hear from you.

Job Description

As an Art Director (SEO), you will be the visual and conceptual engine room of the NMU. You will work within a "Concept Team," partnered with a Concept Copywriter, to generate the big ideas that drive our campaigns. We are welcoming applications from individual Art Directors looking for a new partner, or established creative teams (Art Director + Copywriter) who wish to join together. In this role, you will move beyond simple execution to true ideation. You will be responsible for the "look and feel" of government priorities, turning dry policy into visually arresting social concepts. You will visualise ideas for paid social, creator briefs, and integrated campaigns, ensuring that every piece of content stops the scroll.

Responsibilities & Duties

• Conceptual Ideation: Work alongside a Senior Copywriter partner to brainstorm and develop "big ideas" for social-first campaigns. You will turn briefs into creative concepts that work across paid, organic, and creator channels.
• Visual Direction & Storyboarding: Create scamps, mood boards, and storyboards to visualise scripts and concepts. You will define the visual language of a video or static post before it goes into production.
• Social-First Art Direction: Ensure all output feels "native" to the platform. You understand that the visual aesthetic of a TikTok trend is different from a high-polish YouTube documentary, and you can direct the visual style for both.
• Creative Presentation: Mock up high-quality visuals for pitch decks and presentations. You will help "sell" brave creative concepts to senior stakeholders by showing them exactly what the idea will look like.
• Brand Guardianship: Act as the visual checkpoint for the unit. Whether it’s a creator-led video or a paid graphic, you ensure the art direction is consistent, high-quality, and aligned with the campaign identity.
• Production Oversight: Collaborate with designers, editors, motion designers, and videographers to ensure your vision is executed correctly during the production and post-production phases.

Travel to London for team/client/stakeholder meetings and presentations will be required on a regular and ad-hoc basis. The New Media Unit and Cabinet office cover all areas of government your role will require you to work across a variety of portfolios including but not limited to: economic growth, the NHS, safer streets, barriers to opportunity, clean energy, strong foundations and secure borders.