Director of Communications & Engagement

Why this role matters

This is not a traditional communications role in the Civil Service role. This is an opportunity to lead a fundamental transformation in how the Government informs and connects with citizens in an era of rapid technological change, evolving media consumption, and the critical challenge of building public trust.

And it is an exciting time to join the Home Office. We are undertaking a major transformation of the department under the Future Home Office programme, driving a significant improvement in delivery and performance, increasing our agility to respond to emerging challenges, and creating an organisation that all staff are motivated and proud to work for. As an advisor to the Home Secretary and Permanent Secretary, who play a pivotal role in shaping and guiding this work, you will play a critical senior role in not only helping to communicate this transformation and its importance to staff and colleagues, but also in driving improvements through your own communications team. As the most senior communications advisor in the Home Office and a member of the cross-government communications leadership group, you will build on the departments formidable existing communications capability by actively leading and embracing further change and innovation, guided by a strong entrepreneurial mindset.

This is a pivotal role. You will operate at the heart of Government decision-making, shaping how policies and priorities are communicated to the public. Your work will directly influence the impact of Government policy, democratic engagement and the perception of Government, both domestically and internationally.

Audience-focused and insight-driven, you will bring consumer marketing and storytelling expertise to public service communication. You will boldly champion modern communications putting the Home Office at the forefront of a cultural shift across Government communications from reactive, press-first communications to integrated always-on campaigns, embracing digital innovation, leveraging responsible AI and boldly putting citizens at the heart of our planning and delivery.

You will be part of a senior peer network of Government Communications leaders, collectively responsible for a Civil Service profession of communicators across departments, agencies and arms-length bodies.

Key accountabilities

As the most senior comms leader in the Home Office, you will:

• Provide decisive, expert counsel to the Home Secretary, ministers and Permanent Secretary on the communication of Home Office priorities and reputation management and work proactively with departmental senior leaders as their top comms advisor.
• Shape the senior leadership of Government Communications across the profession - visibly co-leading the Modernising Govt Comms strategy, driving collaboration and building a truly mission-led profession
• You will partner with policy colleagues to integrate communications thinking into the policy-making process, using insight, data, evaluation, and behavioural science to strengthen policy outcomes and public engagement
• Develop compelling narratives that connect Government priorities to real‑world citizen stories, building partnerships with content creators, community partners, influencers and leaders across the system
• Design and deliver creative high-impact behaviour change campaigns that align with the governments narrative and drive strategic outcomes, directly enabling policy priorities and measurably improving public trust
• Lead crisis communications, with accountability for comms strategies through departmental or national crisis, protecting and rebuilding public trust and departmental reputation.
• Forge strong relationships with No.10, Cabinet Office and all Government departments ensuring joined-up delivery of both the Prime Ministers and the departments priorities
• Drive the digital transformation of communications delivery and champion deep audience insight - harnessing data, social listening and AI tools, bringing the voice of the citizen back to government to ensure communications is embedded at the start of policymaking
• Lead and develop a high performing, multi-disciplinary communications directorate, with accountability for ensuring your team has the highest professional standards and capabilities, and championing an inclusive, future-focused culture.

Essential Criteria

You will be an exceptional senior communications leader with a strong track record of delivery for large, complex organisations. You will be able to demonstrate your capability and potential against the following essential criteria:

• Marketing and storytelling mindset with demonstrable experience of audience-led, insight-driven campaigns. You understand segmentation, targeting and positioning. You have proven success developing multi-channel campaigns and creative content strategies with clear evaluation metrics and measurable impactincluding large-scale behaviour-change or trust-building campaigns.
• Senior advisory and influencing skills - excellent interpersonal and influencing skills as a trusted adviser with diverse stakeholders internally and externally, including at Board, C-suite and ministerial (or equivalent) level. You have experience advising and influencing at the most senior levels with political acumen and emotional intelligence.
• Demonstrable experience leading digital transformation in communications, with deep understanding of how to harness the most effective digital platforms and traditional media.
• Proven crisis management and transformation leadership - experience leading communications transformation with excellent judgement to manage crises, reputational risk and politically sensitive issues. An awareness of public sentiment and proven experience using this information to inform decision-making.
• Exceptional leadership of multi-disciplinary teams - a resilient leader with experience leading transformation, building capability and fostering a creative and impact-focused team.