Social Strategy Lead - 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 .

Job Description Overview

As a Social Strategy Lead within the Government Media Unit, you will play a leading role in shaping how the UK government connects with citizens through social media. You will take strategic ownership of flagship UK Government owned social channels - setting direction for each platform and ensuring that they are audience focused and the content drives high positive engagement. You will also help steer the direction of the wider cross-government owned channel ecosystem, ensuring that our presence across departments and platforms is coherent, impactful and trusted.

You will bring deep platform expertise and a genuine understanding of how people consume content online, using that knowledge to guide the GMU's approach to publishing always on content and community engagement. Working closely with colleagues across the Strategy, Campaign and Creative teams, as well as with evaluation and insight teams, you will ensure that social media activity is grounded in data, responsive to audience needs and consistently delivering against government communication objectives.

This is a rare opportunity to directly influence the future of government social media at a senior level, at a time when the GMU is expanding its ambitions and testing new approaches to public engagement. We are looking for someone who is as comfortable thinking strategically about long-term channel health as they are responding with agility to the ever-changing social media landscape.

Responsibilities & Duties

• Strategic Platform Ownership: Lead the long-term strategy, growth and overall health of flagship government-owned social media channels, while steering the strategic direction of the wider government-owned channel ecosystem. Act as the primary strategic liaison with platform representatives, drawing on deep industry knowledge and emerging trends to ensure the GMU remains at the forefront of digital communications.