London (region)
Job Summary
The External Affairs Officer leads the coordination and delivery of Specialist Military Units (SMU) external affairs functions, with a primary focus on strategic communications, media handling, parliamentary business and secretariat support. The role ensures that the organisation’s external engagement is coherent, timely and aligned with Defence’s operational and national security requirements, supporting effective responses to Parliamentary, media and public scrutiny.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.
Job Description
Working closely with the Policy Adviser (POLAD) and wider Branch leads, the post enables the translation of policy intent into clear, consistent and defensible external messaging. This includes supporting the preparation and assurance of Parliamentary Questions (PQs), Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, ministerial correspondence and briefing material, ensuring outputs are accurate, proportionate and delivered at pace. The External Affairs Officer plays a central role in coordinating the proactive and reactive management of media activity relating to SMU. This includes developing and shaping lines to take, supporting responses to emerging issues, and ensuring that engagement protects operational security while maintaining reputational assurance across Defence.
The role also establishes and maintains effective internal communications networks to support consistent messaging across SMU organisations and stakeholders. Through structured communication channels and engagement mechanisms, the post ensures that policy decisions, lines and organisational positions are clearly understood and applied.
In addition, the External Affairs Officer provides secretariat and coordination support across high-profile work areas, including inquiries, inquests and major reviews. This includes managing information flows, maintaining oversight of tasking and deadlines, and supporting senior stakeholders with high-quality briefing and outputs in complex and sensitive environments.
Operating within a high-tempo headquarters environment, the role requires strong judgement, attention to detail and the ability to manage competing priorities across multiple workstreams. The post contributes to wider Branch resilience, including quality assuring outputs, supporting cross-portfolio delivery and sustaining high standards of performance under scrutiny.
You will bring experience of working in demanding environments involving media, communications, and/or Parliamentary business and public scrutiny. The ability to build effective networks, coordinate across organisational boundaries and deliver clear, defensible outputs in sensitive contexts will be key to success in this role.
- Support SMU Parliamentary business, including contributing to the drafting and assurance of PQs, FOIs, ministerial correspondence, tribunal submissions and briefing notes for ministers
- Control the proactive and reactive management of public media activity to maintain National Security, assisting in preparing lines, coordinating responses and ensuring consistent handling of SMU‑related issues.
- Establish and run an internal communications network to support regular messaging to SMU organisations, through both internal and external channels.
- Contribute to wider Branch resilience, including surge support, quality assurance of submissions, and cross‑portfolio tasking to maintain delivery across the policy and media function.
Working closely with the Policy Adviser (POLAD) and wider Branch leads, the post enables the translation of policy intent into clear, consistent and defensible external messaging. This includes supporting the preparation and assurance of Parliamentary Questions (PQs), Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, ministerial correspondence and briefing material, ensuring outputs are accurate, proportionate and delivered at pace. The External Affairs Officer plays a central role in coordinating the proactive and reactive management of media activity relating to SMU. This includes developing and shaping lines to take, supporting responses to emerging issues, and ensuring that engagement protects operational security while maintaining reputational assurance across Defence.
The role also establishes and maintains effective internal communications networks to support consistent messaging across SMU organisations and stakeholders. Through structured communication channels and engagement mechanisms, the post ensures that policy decisions, lines and organisational positions are clearly understood and applied.
In addition, the External Affairs Officer provides secretariat and coordination support across high-profile work areas, including inquiries, inquests and major reviews. This includes managing information flows, maintaining oversight of tasking and deadlines, and supporting senior stakeholders with high-quality briefing and outputs in complex and sensitive environments.
Operating within a high-tempo headquarters environment, the role requires strong judgement, attention to detail and the ability to manage competing priorities across multiple workstreams. The post contributes to wider Branch resilience, including quality assuring outputs, supporting cross-portfolio delivery and sustaining high standards of performance under scrutiny.
You will bring experience of working in demanding environments involving media, communications, and/or Parliamentary business and public scrutiny. The ability to build effective networks, coordinate across organisational boundaries and deliver clear, defensible outputs in sensitive contexts will be key to success in this role.
- Support SMU Parliamentary business, including contributing to the drafting and assurance of PQs, FOIs, ministerial correspondence, tribunal submissions and briefing notes for ministers
- Control the proactive and reactive management of public media activity to maintain National Security, assisting in preparing lines, coordinating responses and ensuring consistent handling of SMU‑related issues.
- Establish and run an internal communications network to support regular messaging to SMU organisations, through both internal and external channels.
- Contribute to wider Branch resilience, including surge support, quality assurance of submissions, and cross‑portfolio tasking to maintain delivery across the policy and media function.
Person specification
The successful candidate will be a confident and reliable professional, able to operate effectively in sensitive, fast‑paced and scrutiny‑heavy environments. Experience in communications, media handling, or coordination roles would be advantageous, but is not essential; greater importance is placed on sound judgement, the ability to rapidly assimilate information, and the delivery of clear, accurate and well‑structured outputs.
You will have strong stakeholder engagement skills, with the confidence to work across MOD, OGDs and specialist organisations. The role requires the ability to coordinate inputs across multiple stakeholders, manage competing priorities, and support the delivery of coherent and consistent external communications.
Excellent written, oral and presentational communication skills are essential. You will contribute to Parliamentary business, media lines, public‑facing responses and senior leader briefing, ensuring outputs are timely, accurate and aligned with strategic messaging. The ability to distil complex or sensitive information into clear and accessible language will be critical.
You will be a collaborative team member, supporting the delivery of communications, media handling and external engagement activity across the Branch. The role includes significant secretariat responsibilities, requiring strong organisational skills, the ability to manage tasking and deadlines, and the discipline to maintain oversight of multiple workstreams in a high‑tempo environment. Experience in parliamentary business or fulfilling a secretariat function would be desirable.
Attention to detail, situational awareness and resilience are essential, along with the ability to operate effectively within a secure and disciplined environment under sustained scrutiny.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Delivering at Pace
- Making Effective Decisions
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Delivering at Pace
- Making Effective Decisions
Alongside your salary of £46,040, Ministry of Defence contributes £13,337 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
- 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%
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.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
- Experience supporting media handling or communications activity, including drafting lines to take, public‑facing responses or briefing material in sensitive or high‑profile environments.
- Experience producing high‑quality written outputs for senior audiences, such as briefings, correspondence, key messages or summary notes, delivered accurately and at pace.
- Experience providing effective secretariat support, including managing tasking, tracking actions, preparing meeting packs and ensuring timely follow‑up of decisions.
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 statement of suitability. (500 Words)
At sift, Candidates will be assessed against
their CV and Statement of suitability and the following:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Delivering at Pace
- Making Effective Decisions
Applications will be sifted on all Success Profile elements, but in the event of a high number of applications, a sift will be conducted on your
CV and Personal Statement only
At Interview, Candidates Will Be Assessed Against The Following
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Making Effective Decisions
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.
There may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all DCS candidates that meet the minimum criteria for the job. For example, in certain recruitment situations such as a high volume of applications, seasonal demand, or peak periods, the employer may wish to limit the overall number of interviews offered to both DCS and non-DCS applicants.
As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into 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.
Candidates will be required to complete an online
Verbal test and Civil Service Judgement test.
The Civil Service Judgement Test is not bankable and therefore must be taken on every vacancy where it is applied.
Should you be invited to complete the online tests, please allow sufficient time to complete the tests and the remainder of the full application form; only candidates who are successful at the test stage will be invited to complete the remainder of the application by clicking ‘Submit Application’. Your application must be completed by 23:55 on the closing date of the vacancy. Late submissions cannot be accepted. The tests are not timed, as they work by giving you harder questions if you answer the previous question correctly, and easier if you get it wrong. You should allow up to an hour for each test, and each test must be completed before you will be invited to complete the second part of your application. Internet access will be required for the duration of the test. Please refer to the attached Candidate Guidance for further information.
Required
Candidates that reach the minimum required pass mark will have their results saved as a banked score against the following tests:
- New Civil Service Verbal Test
- New Civil Service Numerical Test
When a candidate has a banked score they’re not asked to re-take the same test providing it is set at the same level. Scores will be banked for a 6 month period from the date of test completion. If a candidate is invited to take the same test against multiple vacancies, the banked score will be recognised against all vacancies and all active applications will progress.
CSJT scores cannot be banked as each test is generated from the behaviours required for a specific role which will vary between recruitment campaigns.
If you require any particular arrangements (for example due to a disability or health problem) to be made in order for you to complete the online test you MUST contact the DBS Enquiry Centre on 0800 345 7772 BEFORE accessing the online test.
Opening times Mon -Friday 0800- 1600 hrs.
Cyber & Specialist Operations Command (CSOC) generates and operates specialist capabilities, ready to fight across all domains to make the UK secure at home and strong abroad.
Always on, we are across every UK operation, delivering the capabilities you don’t usually see - or those you can’t.
From cyber warriors and medics to intelligence analysts, special forces, educators, and Defence attachés, our collective expertise delivers the warfighting edge Defence needs to deter threats and secure the nation today and prepare for tomorrow.
CSOC unites Defence’s cyber and specialist capabilities under a single, military command alongside the Royal Navy, British Army, and the Royal Air Force - acting as the UK’s fourth Military Command. For more information, please see here.’
Cyber and Specialist Operations Command (CSOC) is going through a significant transformation programme which aims to design the way in which the new Military Command conducts its business and delivers for Defence and the nation. As a consequence of this, posts within CSOC are/or may become subject to review and potential changes as we continuously improve across the period of the transformation programme. These changes may be minor or could be more substantive and will generate new opportunities. Throughout, the Command’s transformation programme is committed to following the MOD’s framework on managing and supporting people through the change process and places an emphasis on early and open consultation and engagement with the Command’s personnel and Trade Unions.
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 developed vetting (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 developed vetting (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
Open to UK nationals only.
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 : RECRUITING-GROUP-MAILBOX-LDN@mod.gov.uk
- Email : RECRUITING-GROUP-MAILBOX-LDN@mod.gov.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.
