UK Ministry of Defence
Deputy Director of Communications and Engagement
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This role is based at MOD Main Building, London. This role is predominantly office-based and requires a strong on-site presence. The nature of this role means the successful candidate will be expected to spend around 80% of their working time in office. Attendance at other MOD sites for official business may also be required and will count towards this expectation.
Job Summary
This role will be one of three Deputy Directors in the MOD's Communications leadership team. The Deputy Director Communications and Engagement will have oversight of the Growth and Industry pillar of Defence Communications Strategy, which includes developing and delivering communications campaigns that support defence investment, innovation, industrial growth, skills and jobs, exports, and engagement with industry partners across the UK and internationally; you will also ensure the pillar’s communications activities strategically align with the Defence Plan, Government Policy, and the Government Communications plan. The post holder will work closely with the Head of Communications in the National Armaments Group.
The primary purpose of this role will be leading the delivery of Defence Communications across industry during a period of significant transformation. As a senior leader in the team, you will provide leadership across multiple functional areas of communications such as Digital and News. You will be responsible for devising the strategy, overseeing planning for its delivery, evaluation of the outputs and planning to assure delivery of the Growth and Industry pillar’s objectives. As Defence continues to evolve its communications operating model, this role will be central to driving modern approaches and strengthening professional communications capability and leading innovation across the function.
Job Description
Providing strategic leadership and direction to the Growth and Industry Pillar within Defence Communications, driving the adoption of modern, innovative and audience-focused communications approaches across Defence and ensuring activity is aligned with Ministerial priorities, Defence objectives and Government Communication Service (GCS) standards.
Acting as a senior communications profession leader, championing best practice in digital communications, audience engagement, content strategy, channel management, campaign delivery, insight and evaluation, and supporting the development of communications capability across Defence.
Driving innovation in communications methods and delivery, identifying emerging trends, technologies and approaches that strengthen Defence's ability to engage audiences effectively through modern communications channels.
Developing a regional Defence Communications capability, building a more integrated and effective network of communicators across the nations and regions of the UK and ensuring alignment with departmental priorities and campaigns.
Providing strategic direction, oversight and improvements for multiple functional communications disciplines such as Digital and News, ensuring the delivery of high-quality communications products and advice to senior leaders and Ministers.
Providing leadership to civilian and military personnel within the Growth and Industry Pillar as First Reporting Officer, ensuring appropriate performance management, professional development and talent support are in place whilst leading teams through organisational change and transformation.
Playing an active role in the senior leadership of Defence Communications, contributing to departmental strategy, workforce planning, governance, financial management and the continued development of communications capability across the organisation.
Providing strategic communications leadership for Defence's engagement with industry, ensuring communications activity supports major Defence industrial priorities, innovation programmes, technology development, investment and wider growth objectives working closely with the Head of Communications and Corporate Services in the National Armaments Group.
Building and maintaining effective relationships with senior stakeholders across Government, the Military, industry, the media and external partners to enhance Defence's communications effectiveness and support broader growth objectives.
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Person specification
Extensive senior communications leadership experience, with a proven track record of developing and leading high-performing, diverse and inclusive communications teams in complex and fast-paced environments. This should include experience of leading across multiple communications disciplines and operating effectively within matrixed organisations.
Significant experience of modern, digital-first communications, including channel management, content strategy, audience growth, campaigns, engagement and the effective use of insight, evaluation and performance data to drive continuous improvement and measurable outcomes.
Strong leadership and people management skills, with a demonstrable ability to motivate, empower and develop teams, build professional capability, and lead organisations and individuals through periods of significant change and transformation.
Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing skills, with an ability to build good internal and external working relationships with a variety of senior stakeholders, especially at Board Level. You will be able to demonstrate how you establish credibility quickly, build consensus and deliver results through effective collaboration.
A strong track record of innovation in communications, including identifying and implementing new communications methods, technologies and approaches to improve audience engagement, organisational effectiveness and communications impact.
Experience of building organisational resilience and capability across communications functions, ensuring teams can operate effectively in high-profile, dynamic and often ambiguous environments while maintaining high professional standards.
Highly proactive and delivery-focused, with the ability to manage competing priorities, lead multiple concurrent workstreams and adapt rapidly in response to changing priorities and emerging challenges.
Desirable Criteria
May Be Used In The Event Of a Strong Field Of Candidates When There Is a Need To Distinguish Between Candidates. This Will Be As a Second Sift, After The Essential Criteria Has Been Considered
Understanding of Defence, Security or Government Communications.
Experience of developing regional communications networks or geographically dispersed communications teams.
Salary and Benefits
Alongside your salary of £98,500, Ministry of Defence contributes £28,535 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%
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
To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process accessed via the Civil Service Jobs portal. This should be completed no later than 23:55 on Sunday 27 September 2026 and will involve providing the two documents which are weighted equally:
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- A CV (no more than 2 pages) setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
- A Personal Statement (no more than 2 pages) providing tangible examples that clearly evidence how you meet the essential criteria for the role.
We will be offering an online Q&A session on Thursday 17 September at 11:30am – 12:30pm to provide an overview of the role and answer any questions you may have. Candidates can access the meeting by clicking here. Please note that attendance is not part of the formal assessment process. If you have any issues accessing the session, please contact Nikki.Lightly768@mod.gov.uk.
External candidates who join the MOD and are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.
For further information about the role and full application process, please refer to the candidate pack attached below. If you wish to receive any material in a different format for accessibility, then please contact People-CivHR-SCSCandidateSupport@mod.gov.uk.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.
As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.
Security
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.
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.
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