Senior Information Officer – Childcare and Early Years in Cardiff

Senior Information Officer – Childcare and Early Years

ID 4227

The Welsh Government operates name-free recruitment. The recruiting panel will not see personal information such as a candidate’s name and address during the sifting process. This policy is in line with our commitment to end bias and promote equality and diversity.

Vacancy title

Senior Information Officer – Childcare and Early Years

19/10/2026, 16:00

Advertising basis Permanent

Starting salary will be at the minimum of the pay scale

Salary range or pay band SEO £47,675 to £56,445

Work pattern Full time (applications are welcome from people who work part time, as part of a job share or who work full time)

Group Learning, Communities & Culture Group

Directorate Learning, Communities and Culture Operations

Branch Social Justice and Equality Communications

Location (s) Pan Wales

‘Pan Wales’ means the post holder can be based in any Welsh Government office, subject to business needs. Roles based outside Wales, including London, are not available unless explicitly stated in the advert.

A list of the Welsh Government’s offices can be found on www.gov.wales/welsh-government-offices . Please note it may not always be possible to accommodate a preference for a specific office location.

The post holder’s travel from their home to their assigned Welsh Government office is considered their ‘ordinary commute’ and must be done in their own time and at their own cost.

Purpose of post

The Social Justice and Equality Communications Team leads the planning and delivery of strategic communications and marketing activity that supports Welsh Government priorities across a broad range of social justice, equality,and childcare policies. The team works closely with policy officials, Ministers, stakeholders and communication professionals to develop effective communications that inform, engage and influence target audiences.

The Senior Information Officer (SIO) will play a leading role in the development, commissioning, delivery and evaluation of integrated marketing and communications campaigns and wider communications activity. They will provide expert communications and marketing advice, ensuring that activity is strategically aligned, insight-driven, cost-effective and delivers measurable outcomes.

The postholder will be the communications lead for the Welsh Government's expansion of funded childcare, providing strategic communications support for one of the government's key policy commitments. They will lead the development and delivery of communications relating to the rollout of childcare provision across Wales, working closely with Local Authorities, delivery partners and stakeholders to ensure a coordinated and consistent approach. In addition, they will lead communications activity across wider Children and Early Years policy areas, ensuring communication strategies support policy objectives and public understanding.

Key tasks

As communications lead for the Welsh Government's expansion of funded childcare, you will be expected to:

• Lead the development, delivery and evaluation of integrated communications and childcare marketing campaigns, working closely with policy officials, press office and other communications disciplines.
• Develop strategic communications plans and coordinate communications activity to support the successful rollout of childcare provision across Wales
• Build and maintain strong relationships with Local Authorities and other key stakeholders, meeting regularly with childcare and communications leads to ensure a coordinated approach to campaign planning and delivery.
• Develop communication and marketing strategies informed by audience insight, behavioural evidence, evaluation findings and organisational priorities.
• Commission and manage communications and marketing activity, including the development of briefs, specifications and procurement documentation, budget management and contract oversight, ensuring value for money and effective use of resources.
• Advise and brief Ministers, Special Advisers and senior officials on communications plans, emerging issues, campaign performance and evaluation findings.
• Identify upcoming communication opportunities and risks through horizon scanning, developing proactive communications plans and clear narratives to support key policy announcements.
• Ensure robust evaluation frameworks are in place for all campaigns and wider communications activity; using data and insight to measure impact, demonstrate outcomes and inform future activity.

This role provides an excellent opportunity to develop and strengthen expertise across a broad range of communications disciplines within a high-profile policy area. This role will also develop along with the new government vision, as policy delivery progresses. This role will have an element of the incumbent shaping it to support the policy as required.

The successful postholder will gain experience in:

• Strategic communications and marketing campaign planning and delivery.
• Campaign procurement, commissioning and contract management.
• Campaign measurement, evaluation and evidence-based decision making.
• Behaviour change communications and the use of audience insight to influence outcomes.
• Ministerial and senior stakeholder engagement, including briefing and advisory responsibilities.
• Leadership and people management through line management, coaching and staff development.
• Partnership working and stakeholder engagement across government, public sector and third-sector organisations.
• Developing communication strategies aligned to organisational and policy objectives.
• Project management methodologies and risk management techniques.
• Applying inclusive leadership behaviours and creating positive, collaborative working environments.

Other vacancy related information

• While this job is classed as Pan Wales, the Minister and policy team are based in Cardiff and attendance will be required on a regular basis.
• In the event of a large number of applications, an initial sift will be conducted against the lead assessment criterion: Experience. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
• A reserve list may be held for this opportunity. Any candidate who is successful in being offered a reserve status, will remain on the reserve list for 12 months.
• Whilst not essential, Welsh language skills would be beneficial for this role. Candidates who identify Welsh language proficiency within the evidence provided in their application should be aware that these skills may be tested at interview to assess their level of competence. Where candidates achieve the same assessment score, Welsh language proficiency may be taken into consideration when determining the final merit order.

Vetting level CTC - Candidates applying for a role that requires CTC clearance must have normally resided in the UK for a minimum of 3 years out of the last 5

Number of posts 1

Contact point for further information regarding the post LGCHR-Cangen.Branch@gov.wales

Welsh language requirements

Welsh language requirements 3 - Welsh language skills are not essential for this opportunity; you do not need Welsh language skills to apply. However, as the Welsh Government is a bilingual organisation, Welsh language skills are desirable and will be considered if two or more candidates receive the same score at the application or interview stage.

Understanding by reading 4 - Can read most work-related material

Speaking and being understood 4 - Can converse in most work-related conversations

Understanding by listening 4 - Can understand most work-related conversations

Writing and being understood 4 - Can prepare most written work in Welsh

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our AI candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection Process and Stages

Welsh Government, like all other Government Departments use Success Profiles when we recruit. For each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job. It raises performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

The selection process and stages are:

Number of Stages:

2 stage process

Stage 1 Application Form

Stage 2 Interview

Behaviours

We’ll assess you against these Behaviour criteria during the selection process.

Making Effective Decisions

Analyse and use a range of relevant, credible information from internal and external sources to support decisions

This will be tested at stage 1: Application Form

This will be tested at stage 2: Interview

Communicating and Influencing

Encourage the use of different communication methods, including digital resources and highlight the benefits, including ensuring cost effectiveness

This will be tested at stage 1: Application Form

This will be tested at stage 2: Interview

Delivering at Pace

Act promptly to reassess workloads and priorities when there are conflicting demands to maintain performance

This will be tested at stage 2: Interview

Leadership

Consider the impacts of own and team’s activities on stakeholders and end users

This will be tested at stage 2: Interview

Experience

We'll assess you against the following Experience criteria during the assessment process.

Evidence to provide Experience questions

Ability to develop marketing briefs to deliver objectives and drive behaviour change

This will be tested at Stage 1: Application Form

This will be tested at Stage 2: Interview

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Social Model of Disability

Welsh Government has adopted the social model of disability, which recognises that barriers in society act to disable people who have impairments, or health conditions, who are neurodivergent or who use British Sign Language.

We are committed to removing barriers in the recruitment process so that all (or potential new) staff can perform at their best.

Recruitment adjustments can be made at any part of the recruitment process for candidates with an impairment or health condition, who are neurodivergent or who use British Sign Language.

We are committed to inclusive recruitment and offer interviews to eligible candidates who meet the minimum criteria for the role through the following schemes:

Disability Confident

The Welsh Government is a Disability Confident Leader. As part of our commitment to this scheme we interview any candidate with an impairment, health condition, who is neurodivergent or who uses British Sign Language if they meet the minimum criteria for the post.

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

The Welsh Government operates the Great Place to Work for Veterans Initiative. As part of our commitment to this scheme we interview any eligible candidates who meet the minimum criteria for the post.

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service employers can offer an interview to a fair and proportionate number of civil servants who are at risk of redundancy and who meet the minimum criteria for the post

Social Partnership

In Welsh Government, the relationship between the employer and trade unions is based on social partnership. We believe our goals can best be achieved by management and trade unions working together.

Our 3 recognised trade unions are:

• PCS
• Prospect
• FDA

This relationship is underpinned by a partnership agreement. This sets out how our unions work with Welsh Government on issues such as:

• Pay
• Terms and conditions
• HR Strategy, policies and procedures
• Health, safety and well-being
• Organisational change

Our Welsh Government trade union colleagues work together to give their members a real say in the workplace. They make sure that the interests of their members are promoted and protected. They also help reduce inequalities and improve terms and conditions.

The Welsh Government has an excellent track record of working in partnership with its trade unions. We support you to join a recognised trade union, to ensure your voice is heard in the workplace. We encourage you to learn more about our trade unions, partnership working and to get involved in their work.

All Welsh Government staff are members of the Civil Service, and as a result are eligible for:

• 31 days annual leave (pro-rated for part time)
• training and development opportunities
• Cycle2Work Scheme
• Smart Working flexible working arrangement
• Green Car Scheme (subject to availability)

If you are an active Civil Service Pension member you can continue your membership throughout your employment with us.

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and wish to make a complaint please email complaints@gov.wales . Please ensure that you refer to the vacancy reference number.

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Welsh Government, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: info@csc.gov.uk.

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