Westminster, London
Job Summary
About the AFC
The Armed Forces Commissioner is a newly established, dedicated champion for our service personnel, whether full-time or reservists and their families. This independent champion will enable service personnel and their families to voice concerns and seek appropriate support to resolve general welfare issues affecting service life. An unprecedented initiative that demonstrates commitment to supporting those who serve our nation.
The Commissioner will provide independent and impartial oversight of the Service Complaints system that was formerly undertaken by the Service Complaints Ombudsman for the Armed Forces (SCOAF). The Commissioner serves as the final escalation route for individual Service Complaints and reports on the effectiveness, fairness and efficiency of the system. They also have discretion to conduct individual and thematic welfare investigations pertaining to specific and broader general welfare issues facing Service personnel and their families. The independent reports and recommendations they publish will highlight these issues to Parliament and the wider public, holding the government and Armed Forces to account.
Job Description
As Head of Communications, you will operate as the senior strategic communications lead for the Armed Forces Commissioner (AFC), setting the overall direction, standards, and governance for all communications and engagement activity.
You will provide authoritative advice to the Armed Forces Commissioner and senior leadership on communications strategy, reputational risk, media handling, digital output, and stakeholder engagement in a high-profile, politically sensitive environment. You will lead the development and delivery of a coherent, integrated communications strategy that supports the Commissioner’s statutory functions, independence, and public accountability role.
You will build and lead a professional multi-discipline communications function, ensuring effective planning, prioritisation, evaluation and continuous improvement. The role requires strong judgement, the ability to manage competing priorities, and confidence engaging at senior levels across Government, Parliament, Defence, the media, and the Armed Forces community.
You will have direct line management responsibility and corporate ownership of communications capability and performance.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
- Act as the senior strategic lead for communications and engagement across the AFC, with ownership of the overall communications strategy and annual plans.
- Ensure communications activity is aligned to the AFC’s statutory remit, corporate priorities, and the Commissioner’s role as an independent office holder accountable to Parliament.
- Set standards and governance for all internal and external communications, ensuring quality, consistency, accessibility, and compliance with legal requirements.
Senior Advice and Risk Management
- Provide trusted, authoritative advice to the Commissioner on media handling, public positioning, and reputational risk.
- Lead communications risk assessment and mitigation, including handling sensitive issues, critical stakeholders, and adverse media interest.
- Lead the creation and drafting of high-priority communications products including speeches, briefings, Lines to Take (LTT) and Q&A whilst also commissioning input as required and providing final quality assurance and sign-off for use in Parliamentary, media and public engagement.
Delivery Oversight and Assurance
- Own and oversee the delivery of major communications products, including the Commissioner’s annual and thematic reports, ensuring strategic coherence and narrative impact.
- Provide assurance that communications deliver measurable impact and value for money, using performance data, analytics, and evaluation.
- Commission, prioritise and quality-assure communications campaigns and projects, managing any associated budgets.
- Managing owned social media and digital channels, and using earned digital channels to reach target audiences and stakeholder groups.
Leadership and Capability
- Lead, develop and manage the Communications team, setting clear direction, objectives and performance expectations.
- Build communications capability, ensuring the team has the right skills, expertise and professional development to operate effectively.
- Promote an inclusive, high-performing culture focused on professionalism, collaboration and continuous improvement.
Stakeholder Engagement and Outreach
- Lead the development and delivery of the Commissioner’s outreach and engagement strategy, ensuring it supports investigative, oversight and reporting functions.
- Oversee the planning and coordination of the AFC outreach programme, including site visits, stakeholder engagement and public events.
- Hold senior relationships with key stakeholders across MOD, Armed Forces, charities, Parliament, media and external partners.
- Oversee the organisation of the annual AFC Stakeholder Symposium.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.
As Head of Communications, you will operate as the senior strategic communications lead for the Armed Forces Commissioner (AFC), setting the overall direction, standards, and governance for all communications and engagement activity.
You will provide authoritative advice to the Armed Forces Commissioner and senior leadership on communications strategy, reputational risk, media handling, digital output, and stakeholder engagement in a high-profile, politically sensitive environment. You will lead the development and delivery of a coherent, integrated communications strategy that supports the Commissioner’s statutory functions, independence, and public accountability role.
You will build and lead a professional multi-discipline communications function, ensuring effective planning, prioritisation, evaluation and continuous improvement. The role requires strong judgement, the ability to manage competing priorities, and confidence engaging at senior levels across Government, Parliament, Defence, the media, and the Armed Forces community.
You will have direct line management responsibility and corporate ownership of communications capability and performance.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
- Act as the senior strategic lead for communications and engagement across the AFC, with ownership of the overall communications strategy and annual plans.
- Ensure communications activity is aligned to the AFC’s statutory remit, corporate priorities, and the Commissioner’s role as an independent office holder accountable to Parliament.
- Set standards and governance for all internal and external communications, ensuring quality, consistency, accessibility, and compliance with legal requirements.
Senior Advice and Risk Management
- Provide trusted, authoritative advice to the Commissioner on media handling, public positioning, and reputational risk.
- Lead communications risk assessment and mitigation, including handling sensitive issues, critical stakeholders, and adverse media interest.
- Lead the creation and drafting of high-priority communications products including speeches, briefings, Lines to Take (LTT) and Q&A whilst also commissioning input as required and providing final quality assurance and sign-off for use in Parliamentary, media and public engagement.
Delivery Oversight and Assurance
- Own and oversee the delivery of major communications products, including the Commissioner’s annual and thematic reports, ensuring strategic coherence and narrative impact.
- Provide assurance that communications deliver measurable impact and value for money, using performance data, analytics, and evaluation.
- Commission, prioritise and quality-assure communications campaigns and projects, managing any associated budgets.
- Managing owned social media and digital channels, and using earned digital channels to reach target audiences and stakeholder groups.
Leadership and Capability
- Lead, develop and manage the Communications team, setting clear direction, objectives and performance expectations.
- Build communications capability, ensuring the team has the right skills, expertise and professional development to operate effectively.
- Promote an inclusive, high-performing culture focused on professionalism, collaboration and continuous improvement.
Stakeholder Engagement and Outreach
- Lead the development and delivery of the Commissioner’s outreach and engagement strategy, ensuring it supports investigative, oversight and reporting functions.
- Oversee the planning and coordination of the AFC outreach programme, including site visits, stakeholder engagement and public events.
- Hold senior relationships with key stakeholders across MOD, Armed Forces, charities, Parliament, media and external partners.
- Oversee the organisation of the annual AFC Stakeholder Symposium.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.
Person specification
Essential Experience
- Significant experience operating at a senior level in a communications, engagement or strategic communications role.
- Proven experience of setting and leading communications strategy, not just delivering activity.
- Strong track record of advising senior leaders on communications, reputational risk, and stakeholder management.
- Experience of operating in complex, high-profile or politically sensitive environments.
- Demonstrable ability to influence and work with senior stakeholders across organisational boundaries.
- Experience of leading and developing teams, with accountability for performance and capability.
- Experience of overseeing delivery of major communications products, campaigns or publications.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to shape clear, authoritative messaging for diverse audiences.
- Experience using data, insight and analytics to evaluate impact and inform strategic decisions.
- Ability to balance strategic direction with pragmatic delivery under pressure and competing priorities.
- Experience of media engagement, speechwriting and senior briefing.
Desirable Experience
- Experience working with Parliamentary processes or public accountability structures.
- Experience in an Ombudsman, regulator, inspectorate or other independent body.
- Knowledge of Defence and the Armed Forces environment.
- Professional communications qualification or equivalent experience.
- Experience of digital content governance, web content management systems, and use of creative tools
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Making Effective Decisions
- Leadership
- Seeing the Big Picture
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Making Effective Decisions
Alongside your salary of £61,630, Ministry of Defence contributes £17,854 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 with an employer contribution of 28.97%
Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and working from home as part of a non-contractual hybrid working arrangement. All office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to site capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD workplace, will also count towards this level of office attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this and other flexible working arrangements may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.
The post does not offer relocation expenses.
External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.
Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.
Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.
Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.
MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.
Artificial intelligence
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 candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Candidates will be required to provide
CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.
Candidates will be required to provide a
Personal Statement. (750 Words)
At
sift, you will be assessed against your
CV and
Personal Statement and the following:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Making Effective Decisions
At interview, you Will Be Assessed Against The Following:
- Leadership
- Seeing The Big Picture
- Making Effective Decision
- Communicating and Influencing
Shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete a presentation as part of the interview process.
Clear instructions and details will be shared ahead of the interview.
Applications will be sifted on all Success Profile elements, but in the event of a high number of applications, an initial sift will be conducted on your
Personal Statement Only
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .
As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system.
Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.
The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.
The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
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) (opens in a new window)
- 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
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact :
- Name : Nicky Talbot
- Email : nicky.talbot@afcommissioner.org.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk
Further information
Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: info@csc.gov.uk.
