Head of Strategic Communications & Planning (Team Manager)

We're offering a permanent, full-time role with huge opportunities to grow and develop your skills in strategic communications. You'll oversee the development and delivery of communications strategies across all areas, working closely with key teams to ensure Ofgem's communications are clear, evidence-based, and effective. This crucial role will see you working with colleagues across Ofgem, providing guidance and support to ensure our communication efforts align with our strategic goals. Alongside opportunities to be involved with high-profile projects, you'll be instrumental in raising communication standards across the organisation and delivering integrated strategic communications that influence government and industry.,

• Sets clear and transparent work objectives, milestones and success metrics at team and individual level to oversee and co-ordinate successful team outcomes.
• Collaborates closely with other teams to manage interdependencies, risks and resourcing to support portfolio delivery.
• Jointly responsible with the PDL on welfare and pastoral care of all colleagues.
• Demonstrates effective diversity and inclusive team management within their team and the wider organisation.
Key Outputs and Deliverables
• To lead, plan, develop and deliver an innovative and highly effective Strategic Communications service, giving expert advice and developing strong, evidence-based strategies that will enhance the reputation of Ofgem.
• Establish and implement processes and structures to ensure a strong central communications function based on insight and data, planning, channel expertise and evaluation.
• Manage, plan, implement and evaluate delivery of communication strategies, co-ordinating activity across the disciplines within communications.
• To lead a team protecting and enhancing Ofgem's reputation so that Ofgem can influence decision making across government and increase visibility and positive sentiment with critical stakeholders.
• Work with leaders in the Communications Directorate and beyond to create and deliver a comms plan for the organisation, including key campaigns.
• To provide expert advice, guidance and support on how to handle highly complex / sensitive issues, communicate changes in policy, strategies and working practice both internally and to partner organisations / stakeholders.
• Raise standards and skills in communications across the organisation, with a strong focus on increasing the depth and breadth of the skill base of the communication profession in integrated strategic communications.
• Act as a senior leader within the communications function, including delivering discrete pieces of work and supporting leadership colleagues.
• Support the Chief Executive and Senior Executive Committee to achieve the aims and desired outcomes of the Board.
• Manages effective and inclusive team resourcing and staff onboarding through close engagement with relevant Deputy Director, Workstream Managers, Heads of Professions, PDLs and HR Staffers to ensure best talent match to work needs.
• Helps team members deliver by building supportive, inclusive team environment based on trust-based relationships, transparency and inclusivity.
• Takes ownership for own and team members' professional development by:
- Providing ongoing coaching and identification of development opportunities in regular performance conversations. - Ensuring access to development opportunities as part of the Government Communication Service, ensuring team members are a core part of the cross-civil service communications profession. - Supporting team members' performance evaluation through honest, fair, high quality 360 degree feedback.

We're looking for people with expertise in strategic communications, experience leading teams, and a passion for shaping how organisations engage with stakeholders. You'll need strong leadership skills, a proven track record in developing communications strategies, and the ability to work collaboratively across teams and with external stakeholders. In return, you'll find superb growth potential, opportunities to shape a team, and the chance to influence high-profile communications.,
• Expertise in strategic communications with a strong track record of performance and delivery, including substantial experience in planning and delivering communications strategies and campaigns based on insight and evidence [LEAD].
• Proven aptitude for leadership, with the ability to lead and motivate people both within a team and beyond their authority, including extensive experience working collaboratively with a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds.
• Experience of providing high level advice and developing strategic approaches to complex issues in a prominent sector, and the ability to influence at all levels.
• Outstanding communication skills, both oral and written, with high levels of sensitivity and judgment and the ability to influence outcomes effectively through persuasive argument.
Desirable
• First-class communication skills, with experience across the communications mix.
• Ability to agree, manage and deliver budget and resource requirements.
• Ability to build, lead and supporting the teams delivering the work including effective scoping of work and setting of clear responsibilities.
Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace
Technical skills

Alongside your salary of £58,520, OFGEM contributes £16,953 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. Ofgem can offer you a comprehensive and competitive benefits package which includes; 30 days annual leave after 2 years; Excellent training and development opportunities; The opportunity to join the generous Civil Service pension which also includes a valuable range of benefits; Hybrid working (currently 1 day a week in the office), flexible working hours and family friendly policies. Plus lots of other benefits including clean and bright offices based centrally, engaged networks and teams and an opportunity to contribute to our ambitious and important targets of establishing a Net Zero energy system by 2050. This exciting blend of professional challenge and personal reward identifies career opportunities at Ofgem as something to get excited about. Things you need to know Selection process details This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills. When you press the 'Apply now' button, you will be asked to complete personal details (not seen by the sift panel), your career history and qualifications. You will then be asked to provide a 1250 word 'personal statement' evidencing how you meet the essential and desirable skills and capabilities listed in the role profile. Please ensure you demonstrate clearly, within your supporting statement, how you meet each of the essential and desirable skills and capabilities. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. Security Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. 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. 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) .