Specific Vacancy Information

Press Officer

Palace St, London

£27,814 - £31,815
 

New entrants will normally start at the first point of the pay scale – although more may be available for an exceptional candidate. Under our current pay policy there is guaranteed annual progression to the next point on the relevant pay scale for all satisfactory performers.

We offer you the opportunity to join the Civil Service pension arrangements, which include a valuable range of benefits.

Duration and leave

This appointment is for a permanent and pensionable Home Civil Service vacancy and a 10 month probationary period applies. The first job will be located in our office at 1 Palace Street, London.

Duration of appointment

Vacancy located in the UK in band B or C. 

Annual leave entitlement

25 days for first 5 years service, then 30 days after 5 years

THIS STATEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY AND DOES NOT FORM PART OF A CONTRACT

Introduction

DFID, the Department for International Development: leading the British government’s fight against world poverty.

One in five people in the world today, over 1 billion people, live in poverty on less than one dollar a day. In an increasingly inter-dependent world, many problems - like conflict, crime, pollution, and diseases such as HIV and AIDS - are caused or made worse by poverty.

DFID supports long-term programmes to help tackle the underlying causes of poverty. DFID also responds to emergencies, both natural and man-made.

DFID’s work forms part of a global promise to

• halve the number of people living in extreme poverty and hunger
• ensure that all children receive primary education
• promote sexual equality and give women a stronger voice
• reduce child death rates
• improve the health of mothers
• combat HIV & AIDS, malaria and other diseases
• make sure the environment is protected
• build a global partnership for those working in development.

Together, these form the United Nations’ eight ‘Millennium Development Goals’, with a 2015 deadline. Each of these Goals has its own, measurable, targets.

DFID works in partnership with governments, civil society, the private sector and others. It also works with multilateral institutions, including the World Bank, United Nations agencies, and the European Commission.

DFID works directly in over 150 countries worldwide. Its headquarters are in London and East Kilbride, near Glasgow.

Background (country and vacancy)

DFID supports long term programmes to help tackle the underlying causes of poverty. DFID also responds to emergencies, both natural and man-made. Its work forms part of a global promise to meet the Millennium Development Goals agreed by the United Nations to fight poverty and disease, improve health provision and access to education and promote gender equality.

DFID works in partnership with governments, civil society, the private sector and others. It also works with multi-lateral institutions, including the World Bank, United Nations agencies and the European Commission. DFID works in numerous counties worldwide, has 36 offices overseas and two headquarters in London and East Kilbride, near Glasgow.

Communications Division has been re-organised, with a new Head of News, to serve the department and Ministers better and to deliver our new communications strategy, which puts a renewed focus on briefing stories proactively.

Job Description/ duties

The key responsibilities of the post will be:

• Proactively seeking opportunities to promote DFID messages in a wide range of media, including national, consumer, regional and specialist publications
• Providing communications advice to Ministers and officials on announcements, launches, ministerial visits and speeches
• Acting as first point of contact for media enquiries on specific subject areas
• Organising press events and briefings
• Participating in the out-of-hours duty rota
• Drafting communications strategies for overseas visits and accompanying Ministers on visits where necessary

Relevant job specific skills and/or technical competencies required

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

1. Proven skills at press office work or journalism
2. Strong news sense
3. Excellent verbal and written communications skills
4. Ability to produce a high standard of work whilst working under pressure and to tight deadlines

Results – you focus on impact; you challenge and improve yourself and others; you engage with all stakeholders

Integrity – you have strong self-awareness and self-confidence; you are a team-player

Capability – you cultivate innovation; you get the best from everyone; you grow from experience

Direction – you inspire with vision; you seize opportunity; you take tough decisions

Key core competencies for this vacancy

Full information on DFID’s 9 core competencies framework is available on the recruitment page of our website. Listed below are the 5 key core competencies against which candidates will be assessed to this vacancy.

Planning and Delivery Of Work -- Plans and organises work to meet individual, team and departmental objectives whilst achieving quality and value for money.

Analysis and Use Of Information - Assesses and interprets information in order to identify issues or problems.

Decision Making - Considers the information that is available, identifies options and makes timely decisions.

Communicating with others - Vary the way you communicate ideas and information ensuring your message is understood.

Influencing - Positively influences others, creating acceptance and support for ideas

GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK COMPETENCIES

Applicants will be assessed against the following GCN competencies during the selection process.

There are six Core Skill areas which all government communicators are expected to demonstrate:

Communications – Drafting, Layout and Design: Produces clear, persuasive and accessible communication products.

Channels and Technologies: Uses the most effective and appropriate channels and technologies to deliver communications.

Business Knowledge and Communication Environment: Understands the organisation’s business and how communication supports it; is aware of the wider communication context and GCN; is fully aware of and applies propriety guidelines.

Relationship/Account Management: Understands, responds to and satisfies the communications needs of diverse audiences – clients, government stakeholder groups, partners, media and employees; builds and maintains constructive relationships and balances different demands.

Strategic Marketing and Communication: Plans, builds and manages delivery of strategies, campaigns and day to day marketing and communication services which are based on audience insight and are effective in getting the organisation’s messages across and delivered to the highest professional standard; promotes coherent and consistent organisation brand(s).

Evaluation, Research, Evidence:: Gathers and interprets data on the effectiveness of communication strategies, campaigns and services and their impact on audience behaviour and business outcomes; identifies improvement opportunities.

Baseline personnel security standard (Baseline Standard)

All government departments are required to ensure that any personnel employed by them to work in their offices or on their systems, comply with the Baseline Standard before they take up their post. This standard involves verification of identity; nationality and immigration status; employment history (past 3 years) and a criminal record check.

Verification Form and identity Documents

Candidates invited to assessment centre or interview must download a verification form for the Baseline Standard (313 kb).

Please complete the form and bring it with you to the assessment centre together with original documents, not photocopied or scanned, which confirm your identity, nationality and immigration status. You will find a list of acceptable documents at Annex A of the verification form.

At the assessment centre, or interview, your Baseline Standard form and original identity documents will be checked. DFID will process the successful candidate’s information before they are appointed, and we will hold the reserve candidate’s forms until the successful candidate has been appointed. Any forms for unsuccessful candidates will be destroyed immediately.

Disclosure Scotland

At assessment centre, or interview, you will also be asked to complete a Disclosure Scotland questionnaire to allow us to undertake background checks (providing you are a UK citizen and have lived in the UK during the last 3 years.). You will be required to bring a recent original utility bill or similar as proof of address. This will not be necessary if a higher level of security clearance is required.

For more information about Disclosure Scotland.

National Security Vetting

*Baseline standard security clearance is required for this post and therefore must be held or be likely to be attainable. Normally a reasonable period of UK residence and /or British nationality help to facilitate the necessary security checks.

Nationality criteria

Candidates must be nationals of member states of the European Economic Area (EEA), Swiss or Turkish Nationals or Commonwealth citizens with the right to work in the United Kingdom.

Candidates invited to assessment centre or interview will be asked to provide a copy of the photograph page of their passport (or other proof of identity, age, nationality and immigration status if their passport is not available), before they attend the assessment centre or interview.

We recommend candidates scan the relevant pages of their passport to send as an attachment with a covering e-mail. If candidates are unable to do so within the specified deadline they must contact us, as candidates who fail to do so will be withdrawn from the assessment centre or interview.

Equal opportunities

DFID is an equal opportunities employer. Applications are welcomed from all parts of the community. We actively encourage interest from women, ethnic minority groups those with a disability and people from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender communities. Selection is on merit.

Age requirement

In accordance with Equality Regulations, DFID observes the national default retirement age of age 65 years. As appointment is subject to medical and security clearances that can take a number of months to complete we do not accept applications from anyone aged 64.5 or over.

Guaranteed interview scheme

DFID operates a Guaranteed Interview Scheme (GIS). This means that any candidate with a disability who satisfies the minimum essential criteria for an advertised vacancy is guaranteed an interview. Please say in your application if you wish to apply under the GIS.

Reasonable adjustments

All recruitment documents can be made available in other formats on request.

We can agree how best to administer reasonable adjustments at an assessment centre, tests or interview, providing we are made aware in advance of any reasonable adjustments candidates require. Candidates requiring reasonable adjustments should complete the form which is available on our website. Alternatively, please contact us to discuss.

The assessment centre process is explained in the next section

Selection

Assessment centre

Short-listed candidates for this vacancy will be required to attend a one day assessment centre. The assessment centre is a process which complements the technical panel interview system whereby, through a series of written and verbal exercises, we try to identify if you have the personal traits and characteristics most suited to carrying out a DFID appointment.

The assessment centre process will include some of the following elements:

• a technical panel interview with a minimum of 2 and maximum of 4 members;
• a one to one interview covering key generic competencies and people management/leadership skills;
• a technical written exercise (laptop provided), and/or a technical presentation exercise (flip chart normally provided) – you may be asked to prepare these in advance of the assessment day;
• a written management scenarios exercise and or a personality questionnaire – these are usually completed on line in advance
• a Group discussion exercise (normally involving 4-5 candidates).

Assessment dates and location

The centre is likely to take place Late August / Early September 2008, probably in London. Candidates will be advised of the exact date when they are invited to the assessment centre, or interview. Candidates will be advised asap after the closing date if they will be invited to the assessment and should check their email regularly.

Advance exercises

Candidates invited to the assessment centre may need to prepare some exercises in advance; therefore it is essential that we can contact you around the time stated. If we cannot contact you during this period then it may be necessary to withdraw your invitation to the assessment centre.

Candidate expenses

At the assessment centre/interview you will be asked to provide original proof of your name, nationality, immigration status, date of birth and address. If you cannot provide this or the information you provide is inaccurate, we will not reimburse expenses, or you may be asked to repay, the cost of your attendance at the assessment centre.

If you do not live within reasonable travelling distance of the assessment centre, tests or interview venue, you should travel the day before and we will reimburse the costs of hotel accommodation up to £85 per night in London and up to £65 per night in East Kilbride. You should make arrangements to be at the venue on time.

A travel and subsistence form is available for download from our website. You may complete your claim on the assessment day or post it to reach the above address within three months. Only the rate of subsistence quoted, the actual cost of economy fares and any incidental travelling expenses may be claimed.

Recruitment complaints procedure

Our recruitment processes are underpinned by the principle of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Code.

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Code and you wish to make a complaint you should send it to the address below in the first instance:

The Head of Corporate Human Resources Department
Department for International Development
AH 323, Abercrombie House
Eaglesham Road
EAST KILBRIDE
Glasgow
G75 8EA

If you are not satisfied with our response you can contact the Office of the Civil Service Commissioners. Their address is:

Office of the Civil Service Commissioners
3rd Floor
35 Great Smith Street
LONDON
SW1P 3BQ

e-mail: ocsc@civilservicecommissioners.gov.uk 

Your information

The Data Protection Act 1998 gives rights to individuals in respect of personal data held about them by others and as directed by the Act, you should know the following;

DFID is the Data Controller and is registered with the Information Commissioner for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998.

The information you give at the assessment centre will be used by DFID and any external recruitment consultant and/or organisation appointed by us to help with the recruitment process. The information will be used to assess your suitability for the vacancy for which you have applied.

Any other disclosures will only be made if we are required to do so by any court order or similar process, or as required by law.

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