At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead impactful external communications for major HMRC digital projects.
- Company: Join HM Revenue and Customs, a key player in government transformation.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous leave, and a strong pension scheme.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for growth and collaboration.
- Why this job: Shape the future of communication while making a real difference.
- Qualifications: Experience in external communications and managing complex change.
The predicted salary is between 45544 - 45544 £ per year.
About the job
Discover what it's like to work in a compliance role that makes an impact. Could you help us shape a stronger, fairer future? Your next career move starts here.
As an External Communications Manager for the Secure Digital Exchange Communications (SDEC) project and other CCG digital projects, you will play a critical role in enabling the successful delivery of a major HMRC transformation. SDEC will change how HMRC communicates with customers, businesses, agents and intermediaries. Your role will ensure these changes are clearly understood, effectively communicated, and successfully adopted by external audiences.
Working with a high degree of autonomy, you will design and deliver external communications that support key project outcomes and delivery milestones. You will translate complex operational and technical change into clear, actionable messaging that supports compliance, reduces confusion, and builds trust in HMRC services.
You will work closely with project teams and senior stakeholders, including senior leaders and ministers, to ensure communications align with delivery plans, risks and dependencies. By ensuring the right messaging reaches the right audiences at the right time, you will help maintain momentum, manage expectations, and mitigate reputational risk throughout the lifecycle of the project.
You will lead the delivery of external communications products and channels, including GOV.UK content, stakeholder briefings, agent communications, guidance updates, and targeted engagement with businesses and representative bodies. You will ensure communications are consistent, coordinated, and grounded in delivery reality. Operating in a fast-paced and evolving environment, you will adapt communications activity in response to changing priorities, feedback and emerging issues, ensuring external audiences remain informed, prepared and confident in engaging with new services.
Person specification
You will bring strong external communications experience and a clear focus on delivering outcomes that support complex change. In this role, you will:
- Enable successful delivery of SDEC and other CCG digital projects by ensuring external communications support key releases, transitions and implementation activity.
- Drive understanding and adoption by translating complex change into clear, practical and actionable messages for businesses, agents and customers.
- Strengthen trust in HMRC services by ensuring communications are timely, transparent, accurate and accessible.
- Deliver high-quality communications products across key channels including GOV.UK, agent updates, external guidance, stakeholder packs and briefing material.
- Support senior leaders and ministers with clear, concise communications that reflect delivery progress and key messages.
- Identify and manage communications risks, ensuring issues are anticipated early and handled proactively.
- Align communications activity across delivery teams to ensure consistency, clarity and a single version of the truth.
- Maintain pace by responding quickly to changes in delivery timelines, risks and stakeholder needs.
- Build strong working relationships with internal teams and external stakeholders, including businesses, agents and representative bodies.
Essential Criteria
You will have experience delivering external communications in complex, high-profile environments and a track record of supporting successful change. You will be able to demonstrate:
- The ability to design and deliver external communication strategies aligned to project delivery and behavioural change.
- Experience producing and managing tactical communications across multiple external channels such as GOV.UK content, stakeholder briefings, and guidance products.
- Experience translating complex operational or technical change into clear, accessible messaging for businesses and external stakeholders.
Desirable Criteria
- Experience engaging with external stakeholders including agents, businesses and representative bodies.
- The ability to anticipate and manage communications risks in a fast-paced and high-profile delivery environment.
- Strong judgement and the ability to provide clear, confident advice to senior leaders and ministers.
- Experience using insight and feedback to shape communications and improve effectiveness.
- The ability to manage competing priorities while maintaining quality, accuracy and attention to detail.
- A proven ability to build effective working relationships to support coordinated and aligned delivery.
Benefits
Alongside your salary of 45,544, HM Revenue and Customs contributes 13,194 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. HMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments. We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs. We offer a generous leave allowance, starting at 25 days and increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days.
External Communications Manager - Belfast employer: HMRC
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Belfast where you can make a significant impact on public service. With a strong commitment to employee development, flexible working arrangements, and a generous leave allowance, HMRC fosters a supportive culture that values collaboration and innovation. Join us to be part of a transformative journey that not only enhances your career but also contributes to shaping a fairer future for all.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land External Communications Manager - Belfast
✨Join Compliance Communities
Get involved in compliance and risk communities — both online and offline. Look for forums, LinkedIn groups, or even local meetups where compliance pros hang out. You never know who might drop a job opportunity your way!
✨Attend Industry Conferences
Keep an eye out for compliance and risk management conferences and workshops in your area. These events are a goldmine for networking, and they often have job boards or recruiters on-site looking for new talent. Plus, it’s a chance to learn what's trending in the field.
✨Leverage Your University Career Services
If you’ve recently graduated or are still studying, head over to your university's career services. Many companies, including those in compliance, actively recruit fresh talent through these services, so make sure you tap into that resource.
✨Showcase Your Knowledge Online
Start writing articles or blog posts about compliance topics that interest you. Share them on platforms like LinkedIn to demonstrate your knowledge and passion. This not only builds your presence in the field but can also catch the attention of companies like HMRC looking for candidates who are engaged and informed.
We think you need these skills to ace External Communications Manager - Belfast
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Understanding of Compliance:In the compliance-risk field, it's super important to showcase your understanding of regulations and risk management frameworks. Highlight any relevant coursework, certifications (like ICA or AML), or even projects that demonstrate your knowledge and commitment to this area. We want to see how you can navigate this complex landscape!
Quantify Your Achievements:When detailing your experience, try to quantify your achievements. For example, if you've previously worked on a project that improved compliance metrics or reduced risk exposure, give us the numbers! This data-driven approach really stands out to hiring managers in compliance-risk roles.
Tailor Your CV to Reflect Relevant Skills:Make sure your CV highlights skills that are particularly relevant to compliance, like attention to detail, analytical thinking, and report writing. Ensure these are easy to spot – consider using bullet points to break down your responsibilities and achievements for maximum impact!
Craft a Motivating Cover Letter:In your cover letter, let us know why you’re excited about the compliance-risk role at HMRC. Share what motivates you about compliance, and how you believe you can contribute to our mission. This is your chance to showcase not only your skills but also your passion for this important field!
How to prepare for a job interview at HMRC
✨Master the Regulations
Brush up on key compliance regulations relevant to the industry you're applying to. Familiarising yourself with specific laws and frameworks used in your field will give you an edge during technical questions. Show that you’re not just aware of them but can also apply them—think real-life scenarios!
✨Show Your Analytical Skills
Compliance roles really focus on analytical skills, so be prepared for case studies or situational questions during the interview. We've got to demonstrate how we approach risk assessments or compliance audits, possibly drawing on examples from past experiences or university projects. Bring some thoughtful case scenarios to discuss!
✨Know Your Tools
Get comfortable with commonly used compliance software and tools. Familiarity with platforms like RSA or MetricStream can really impress during your interview, as it shows you're ready to hit the ground running. If you’ve had any experience with them, make sure to highlight that!
✨Align with Company Culture
Since it's a full-time position, show your long-term commitment and interest in the company’s mission and values. Dive into how your ethics and professional philosophy align with HMRC’s stance on compliance. A shared vision can really resonate with interviewers looking for fit as much as skill!
