Head of Communication and Engagement

The Government Internal Audit Agency (GIAA) is driven by its unparalleled access across government to build ‘better insights, better outcomes’ for our clients.

This role offers a strong platform for career progression within the Agency and the wider civil service, providing opportunities to develop leadership, stakeholder engagement and strategic relationship management skills across government.

The Agency’s unique access across the public sector exposes you to different risk and control environments, allowing you to gain insights, apply experience, contribute meaningfully, and continue developing professionally.

The Communication and Engagement team manages and provides professional, authentic, trusted communication and engagement services and advice for both external and internal audiences.

The Head of Communication and Engagement will lead the Agency’s communication function, developing and delivering an integrated internal and external communications strategy aligned with the Agency’s strategic objectives. You will use best-practice communication approaches, digital channels, and emerging media to deliver high-quality messaging.

Working closely with senior leaders, you will translate organisational priorities into compelling communications, provide expert media advice in line with government standards, and serve as the principal communications adviser to the Executive Committee and Senior Leadership Team. You will also lead a small, geographically dispersed team, reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, while building strong relationships with key stakeholders across the Agency and the wider Internal Audit Function.

This role ensures consistent, accurate communication and the appropriate handling of sensitive information, reinforcing the Agency’s reputation, independence, and purpose.

The purpose of this role is to lead the delivery of high quality, internal and external communication and engagement activity, projects and campaigns for GIAA, including but not limited to the following areas of strategic activity:

• the overarching GIAA communication and engagement strategy
• the GIAA brand, brand strategy and house style
• leading the communication and engagement team
• proactive and reactive media engagement
• advising and recommending visual solutions and creative campaigns to support, enhance and raise awareness of business activity
• managing the resourcing of multiple competing demands to meet GIAA priorities
• delivering complex change communication programmes
• crisis communication
• acting as ‘trusted advisor’ for senior leaders
• the GIAA social media strategy and activity
• maintaining excellent and accurate writing standards, adhering to house style and guidelines
• the design and production of corporate/flagship documents
• adhering to data protection and GDPR guidelines including copyright and licenses
• effective financial and commercial management of resources
• liaison with the Government Communication Service (GCS) profession and function
• adherence to GCS accessibility and best practice guidelines
• the Agency SharePoint intranet site
• identifying potential risks to Agency reputation, proactively intervening and/or mitigating as required
• leading the delivery of the GIAA conference and other events
• providing communication and engagement support to the Head of Internal Audit Function and Profession
• specialist communication guidance for internal audits as requested

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

Recruitment Timeline

Closing date: 02 September 2026

Shortlisting: w/c 07 September 2026

Interviews: 29 September & 01 October 2026

This timeline is indicative and may be subject to change. We will inform you if there is a substantial change to the recruitment timeline.

If your contact details change at any time during the selection process, please ensure you update your Civil Service Jobs profile.

Please note that only applications submitted through Civil Service Jobs will be accepted.

Eligibility Statement

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role in the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government. Checks will be performed as part of pre-employment checks in line with this. Please refer to the Candidate FAQ document attached to the advert for more information.

Everyone working with government assets must complete Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks. Additionally, individuals appointed to the Treasury group will be subject to National Security Vetting. The level of security vetting required for this role is Security Check (SC)

To allow for meaningful checks to be carried out, applicants will need to have lived in the UK for at least 3 out of the past 5 years. In exceptional circumstances, for example if you have been working abroad on a government posting, a lack of residency would not be a bar to security clearance however the Department will need to consider eligibility on a case-by-case basis once the advert closing date has passed.

Please read the Vetting Charter for information on what to expect during the vetting process and what will be expected from you. Many areas of your life may be explored during your vetting journey, and it is important that every individual, regardless of their background and experiences, should feel comfortable going through this personal process, whilst having confidence that it is fair, proportionate, and inclusive.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.