Head of Creative Social Media
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
- Department
- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
- Location
- London
- Openings
- 1 post
- Grade
- Grade 7
- Salary
- £65,820
- Closing
- 6 days left
- Profession
- Administration
- Contract
- Fixed term, Loan, Secondment
- Security clearance
- SC
- Working pattern
- Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time
Job summary
We are MHCLG
As the Head of Creative Social Media, you will work alongside the Head of Social Media Content to lead a team within the Communications Directorate that designs and delivers our social media strategy. You will lead a team of digital communicators, content creators and channel managers, directing the production of engaging social media content for Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) corporate channels, as well as leading the department’s content creator strategy to help government reach wider audiences.
As part of the Press, Social Media, External Affairs and Visits team, you will work closely with colleagues across the department to identify opportunities to engage audiences on the Government’s priorities. You will find and pursue opportunities to communicate our work to build more homes, improve living standards and devolve power out of Westminster to local leaders. You will champion a social-first approach to communications, ensuring departmental channels deliver engaging, audience-focused content that informs, influences and connects with the public. You will be an experienced communications leader with a track record of working in fast-paced environments, managing risk, demonstrating excellent judgement, influencing senior stakeholders and solving complex communications challenges. You will be capable of developing and motivating a high-performing team while operating effectively under pressure.
What they’re looking for
- Significant experience working in a social media environment, developing engaging content for social media platforms, including filming and editing content.
- Proven track record of working with partners, stakeholders and content creators to develop engaging and effective communications.
- Experience managing corporate channels and supporting senior leaders to communicate effectively through social media.
- The ability to segment audiences using insight and create targeted communications that resonate with different groups.
- Excellent judgement and a proven ability to identify emerging social media trends, audience behaviours and cultural moments, fostering a culture of creativity and pace that enables teams to translate insight into timely, impactful content while responding effectively to live events and evolving platforms.
- Understanding of the Government’s priorities and the ability to work collaboratively with other government departments to communicate the Government’s work.
- Experience leading and developing high-performing teams, embedding effective ways of working and maintaining high communications standards in line with Government Communication Service and No.10 expectations.
- Experience using insight, performance data and trend analysis to evaluate content, identify opportunities and continuously improve the effectiveness of social media activity.
- The ability to react quickly and confidently in developing situations, managing competing priorities across a broad policy portfolio and delivering high-quality communications advice to demanding deadlines.
Job description
- Promote a social-first culture that empowers the team to think creatively, act at pace and deliver highly engaging content that cuts through to key audiences while maintaining strong standards of judgement and risk management.
- Lead the team in identifying key stakeholders and content creators with trusted audiences to maximise the reach and relevance of departmental communications.
- Foster a culture of creativity, innovation and pace, ensuring the team identifies emerging social media trends, audience conversations and cultural moments, and develops timely content that supports departmental objectives and reaches audiences in engaging ways.
- Be a confident representative of and advocate for MHCLG, representing the department across the Government Communication Service and with special advisers and partners across government.
- Lead an efficient, high-performing team that provides expert social media advice at pace to ministers and senior leaders, and works collaboratively across the Communications Directorate to ensure activity is aligned.
- Play a leading role in the senior management team within MHCLG’s News, Social Media and Visits function, ensuring activity is coordinated and aligned with wider departmental communications.
Nationality requirements
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)
Selection process
Application and Selection
The application process will be split into 2 stages, testing the following Success Profiles:
Behaviours , Experience , Technical
Stage 1: Sift
Lead sift question:
In no more than 250 words, please outline the social media project you are most proud of and why, and what were the metrics and impact of the project. If you are invited to the interview stage then you will be required to show this project as part of a show reel presentation, so this must be a genuine project that you have delivered.
If we receive many applications, we may conduct an initial sift using the lead question listed in the advert. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.
Please share your CV and a personal statement of no more than 700 words setting out how you meet the skills required in this role.
If you run into any technical problems when applying through Be Applied (for example, trouble logging in or submitting your application), their support team can help. Please contact them at hello@beapplied.com.
Please ensure your CV does not contain any personally identifiable information. We do not consider CV applications sent directly to our inbox. All applications must be
submitted via the provided application link.
Important: Your CV and personal statement must be merged into a single document before uploading.
Stage 2: Interview
Behaviours: Communicating and influencing, Delivering at Pace, Changing and improving
Experience: Experience questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description.
Technical: Candidates will be asked to prepare a 5-minute presentation, further details will be provided on invitation to interview.
Sift and Interview Dates
Sifting is envisaged to take place the week commencing 05/10/26.
Interviews are envisaged to take place the week commencing 19/10/26. This could be subject to change.
Interviews will be held in person in 2 Marsham Street.
Disability Confident Scheme (DCS)
We are a Disability Confident employer.
We apply a fair and proportionate interview process for all candidates. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to progress candidates who apply under the Disability Confident Scheme and meet the required minimum selection criteria.
However, where high application volumes are received, progression to interview may be limited to those who best meet the role criteria. In these circumstances, the benchmark required to proceed to interview may be raised for all candidates.
How We Recruit
Find out more about our recruitment processes here.
- Applying
- Sifting
- Interview
- Interview Results & Feedback
- Reserve List
- Near Miss
- Civil Service Grades
- We are a Disability Confident Scheme, Redeployment Interview scheme & Great Place to Work for Veterans employer
- Reasonable Adjustments
How to Apply
Find out everything you need to know before applying here.
You must review the following information from the MHCLG Career's Site before submitting your application. This step is essential to ensure your eligibility for the role and that your application is completed correctly.
- Security Clearance Requirements
- Civil Service Nationality Requirements
- Right to Work
- Civil Service Code and Recruitment Principles
- CV Declaration
- Sponsorships
- Salary and Grade
- Existing Civil Servants
- Conflict of Interest
- Location and Flexible Working
- Internal Fraud Database
- Appeals and Complaints
- Fixed Term Appointments for:
- External Candidates
- Existing Civil Servants (Including Loans)
- Secondments
- MHCLG employees
Security Clearance Requirements
London Office: BPSS + SC
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Practise before you apply
Civil Service panels score every answer against the Success Profiles behaviours at Grade 7 level. Practise STAR answers and get them marked against the same framework.
3 free questions · No card needed
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