Senior Motion Designer - Government Media Unit

What is the Government Media Unit?

The Government Media Unit (GMU), part of the Government Communication Service in the Cabinet Office, has been established as part of a fundamental transformation of government communications to ensure we are able to operate effectively in a highly fragmented and unstructured media landscape. Established in April 2026, the GMU has a clear goal to reach, connect and rebuild trust with UK citizens in the most effective way possible. Our aim is to provide the public with relevant, useful and authentic content when and where they want to receive it and communicate in an entirely new way.

The government has signalled a clear intention to focus on ambitious, measurable, long-term objectives that deliver better outcomes for citizens. This requires a new way of doing government communications which is more joined-up and better reaches our audiences to build awareness, understanding and trust in the Government.

The GMU will proactively deliver on priority campaigns and lead on cross government communications strategy, coordination, and planning. We need people who think differently and who can respond in a flexible way to the ever-changing media landscape. The GMU will collaborate across the wider GCS, No 10 and departmental communication teams across government. We are focused on real-world impact over volume. This team prioritises evidence-based strategies, audience-led insights, and rigorous performance measurement to combat misinformation and drive meaningful engagement. We execute a modern, integrated communications ecosystem, and operate using a structured 'Long, Short, and Live' model, connecting the whole government communications landscape to deliver high-impact, data-driven narratives that turn promises made into promises kept.

This is a really exciting time to be joining the GMU as we look to expand our activity, test and learn different approaches and deliver communications which make a difference to peoples lives. Join us as we transform government communications, moving beyond reactive announcements to build genuine trust through competence, integrity, and benevolence. We are a strategic strategy & delivery centre, designed to bridge the gap between traditional press offices and behavioural marketing, ensuring government actions resonate with the citizens who need them most.

What were looking for

We're seeking innovative minds and creative talents to help craft our evolving vision. This is a unique opportunity to grow, learn and share your talent with a team of diverse experts with passion and a genuine curiosity to innovate government comms. Most importantly, we want people who are passionate about delivering outstanding communications for the public.

We value colleagues who embrace change, think outside the box, and thrive in a dynamic environment. We welcome applications from the widest range of people of different backgrounds, cultures and experiences. If you're passionate about making your mark and flourishing in an atmosphere that champions fresh thinking and adaptability, we want to hear from you.

About the Government Communication Service

By joining a communications team, you will become a member of the Government Communication Service (GCS), a well-established network of professional communicators working in government departments, agencies and arms length bodies. Youll benefit from continuous professional development from our new learning and development curriculum, a network of skilled communicators sharing best practice, mentoring opportunities, and more!

For more information on how becoming a part of the Communications Profession can support your career and development please visit our careers page.

For our top tips on how to write your application, please take a look at our recruitment top tips for candidates guide.

Overview

As a Senior Motion Designer in the Government Media Unit, you'll be a skilled visual production specialist responsible for the high-volume creation of static and animated assets that power direct-to-citizen government communications.

Working at pace across organic and paid channels, you'll combine technical precision with creative excellence to ensure every asset meets platform requirements, brand standards and objectives and is engaging, attention grabbing and designed for social media.

This is an excellent opportunity to apply your motion design expertise at scale on work with genuine national impact, contributing to government communications that inform, engage and build public trust across the UK.

Responsibilities & Duties

As Senior Motion Designer, your key responsibilities will include:

• Own the high-volume production of static and animated assets, ensuring all outputs adhere to government brand guidelines and maintain consistent visual quality across digital channels.
• Take accountability for the technical execution of all design exports, ensuring assets are correctly formatted for every required digital platform across both organic and paid channels, including appropriate safe zones, aspect ratios and file specifications.
• Drive rapid iteration of creative assets in response to feedback and performance data, working efficiently to tight turnaround times without compromising quality.
• Version existing creative concepts for different regional and demographic segments, applying audience insight to ensure content resonates with specific communities across the UK.
• Maintain production workflows, shared asset libraries and ensure consistent file structures, naming conventions and labelling that keep content accessible for the entire team.
• Embrace AI as a collaborative and creative tool, utilising within your workflows; experimenting, testing and implementing new tools to increase productivity and deliver at pace.

Experience / Ability

Essential requirements:

• Social Media and Digital Design Experience: Proven experience in designing for social media and digital channels, with a portfolio demonstrating creativity, audience engagement, and an eye for detail.
• Adobe Creative Suite Skills: Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, particularly After Effects, Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, with the ability to produce high-quality graphics suitable for government campaigns at pace.
• Platform-Native Execution: Strong understanding of social media platforms and best practices for digital content. Familiarity with platform-specific trends, content formats, and audience engagement strategies.
• Attention to Detail and Organisation: Strong organisational skills and attention to detail, ensuring design assets are accurate, consistent, and adhere to campaign guidelines.
• Collaboration Skills: Ability to work effectively in a team environment, providing support and receiving feedback constructively. Demonstrated experience collaborating with other creatives to produce cohesive and impactful designs.
• Audience-Centric Approach: Understanding of audience needs and ability to design content that simplifies complex messages for clarity and public engagement.
• Background in communications, journalism, digital media, or a related field.

Technical

• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (or equivalent tools), with expertise in animation, static design and 3D animation.

Additional information:

Cabinet Office policy is that a minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. For some roles, due to their nature and the business need, this may be up to 100%. Requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.