Senior Social Media Manager - 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

A platform-specialist role responsible for the day-to-day management, health and growth of a designated government social media channel. Working within the GMU's Creative pillar alongside the wider social media team, you will combine deep platform knowledge with strong editorial instincts to ensure government content reaches citizens in ways that feel native, relevant and trustworthy on each platform.

You will be the GMU's primary expert and day-to-day owner for your assigned platform, staying ahead of algorithm changes, emerging formats and audience behaviour shifts to keep government communications current and effective. Working closely with the Senior Social Media Manager, content creators, and evaluation colleagues, you will help ensure the GMU's always-on social presence is consistently high quality, well-timed and genuinely engaging for the public.

Responsibilities & Duties

• Take day-to-day ownership of a designated government social media platform, maintaining its overall health, growth and engagement levels. Drive the platform-specific strategy by staying current with the latest trends, best practice guidance and product developments, and cultivate a strong working relationship with the relevant platform representative to ensure the GMU benefits from the earliest possible access to new features and opportunities.
• Oversee the high-quality publishing of all assets on your designated platform, ensuring content is scheduled and posted at optimal times to maximise reach and audience engagement. Take responsibility for the native adaptation of all content, tailoring captions, formats and creative treatments to suit the specific culture, conventions and audience expectations of your platform, so that government communications feel authentic and relevant rather than out of place.
• Lead active community management on your designated platform, monitoring citizen responses and interactions in a timely and considered way. Foster meaningful engagement with the public, escalating issues where appropriate and contributing to a social media presence that feels responsive, human and trustworthy.
• Monitor and report platform-specific analytics to the evaluation manager on a regular basis, providing clear and accurate data to support measurement of the GMU's always-on strategy. Stay informed of emerging trends, platform algorithm changes and shifts in audience behaviour, using these insights to make proactive recommendations that improve content performance and inform future publishing decisions.

Experience / Ability

• Social Media Expertise: Experience managing, scaling, and optimising organic social channels across major platforms (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X, etc.).
• Track Record of Results: A portfolio demonstrating the ability to create and execute engaging social content that drove clear, measurable results (e.g., audience growth, high engagement, or website traffic).
• Process Improvement: Experience identifying inefficiencies in day-to-day workflows and helping to implement or refine new processes (e.g., content calendars, asset management) to improve team output.
• Budget Tracking & Maintenance: Experience assisting with budget management, tracking spend across production and tools, and ensuring campaigns stay within allocated financial limits.
• Reputation & Editorial Judgment: Strong editorial judgment with experience handling sensitive community management issues, Escalating brand risks appropriately, and adhering to brand guidelines.
• Data & Performance Analysis: Solid experience tracking content performance, using analytics tools to evaluate impact, and identifying key drivers of success to inform future content ideas.
• Education & Experience: Bachelors degree in Marketing, Communications, Journalism, Business, or a related field (or equivalent practical industry experience).

Technical

• Experience with platform publishing tools.

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.