Media Manager

The Home Office works to build a safe, fair and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counter-terrorism, policing, crime, drugs policy, immigration and passports.

The Corporate Services Group works closely with the Home Office’s policy and operational commands to enable us together to deliver the department’s priorities. The group is comprised of different teams and professional functions, including Commercial, Communications, Finance, People, Portfolio and Project Delivery, Private Office, Security, Estates and Information.

Our work as Home Office communicators is never far from the front pages, making this a fast-paced and hugely exciting and creative team to join.

We believe a positive, open and supportive culture is crucial to help everyone deliver their best work. As a member of the Communications Directorate, you’ll be supporting our mission to deliver outstanding public services that work for everyone.

As a media manager for one of our proactive, thematic teams, (aligned to the Home Secretary’s priorities), you’ll be supporting on one of the UK Government’s key ambitions from reducing knife crime and combatting child sexual abuse and violence against women and girls to reducing net migration, protecting our borders, and strengthening the UK’s national security.

There has never been a more exciting time to join the Home Office Communications Directorate with our policies at the top of the news agenda, you’ll be part of the team helping to set that agenda and bringing the government’s top priorities to the public. The media team plays a key role in shaping communications in the rapidly evolving media landscape, using both traditional print and digital channels to reach our target audiences.

You will join a multi-disciplinary team with colleagues based across the UK working in one of the most complex and demanding departments in government. Home Office communications sit within the wider professional body for government communicators, the Government Communication Service.

You will play a key role in one of the Communications Directorate’s thematic teams, focusing on media. This includes strategic planning on upcoming proactive announcements, managing emerging issues and communications risks and working closely with the newsdesk team on handling reactive enquiries from journalists.

You will work with teams across the Directorate to design and implement insight-led, innovative media plans to reach our target audiences across channels such as broadcast, print and social media.

You will be expected to build relationships with key journalists, briefing them on issues and pitching stories to show the government’s progress in key policy areas.

You will work closely with colleagues including policy officials, operational teams, external stakeholders, Ministers and 10 Downing Street, advising on the role media and communication can play in delivering on government priorities.

Key Responsibilities

• Work closely with colleagues, including policy officials and operational teams, to advise on the role communications can play.
• Devise and deliver clear integrated media and communication plans to announce policies or successes by providing media advice, drafting press releases and facilitating ministerial interviews.
• Respond to media enquiries and ensure the Department’s position is accurately reported.
• Advise Ministers and senior officials on proactive and reactive media.

Training

The Home Office is committed to supporting learning and development through formal training and on the job opportunities.

Working Pattern

Due to the business requirements of these roles, they are only available on a full-time basis.

You will also be required to join the out of hours duty rota and contribute approximately one to two shifts a month. Training and overtime pay is provided.

Travel

Occasional national UK travel may be required for example for a Ministerial visit, when an overnight stay may be required.

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 Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

We will endeavour to conduct the selection process in line with the dates indicated below, but cannot guarantee that these will not, where necessary, be revised.

As part of the application process, you will first be asked to confirm your eligibility by providing some basic personal information.

After submission of this first stage, you will be invited to complete the following Civil Service Work Strengths Test and Verbal Test.

1. Online Test – by 24th September 2026

If you successfully pass the Civil Service Work Strengths Test and Verbal Test, you will be invited to complete the full application form. Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended). If you fail to complete the online tests or full application before the deadline, your application will be withdrawn.

Guidance for the Civil Service tests will be available when you are invited to take the tests. The online tests are accessed via the Civil Service Jobs website.

You cannot complete the tests on a mobile phone or tablet.

Following successful completion of your tests, you will then be asked to complete the full application form.

2. Application – by 24th September 2026

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:

• CV
• Personal Statement (maximum 500 words)
• Evidence of the Behaviour Delivering at Pace (maximum of 250 words)

Your CV should consist of your career history, including any key achievements in each role. Your CV will be scored against the experience required for the role as noted within the essential criteria.

The Personal Statement should be aligned to and demonstrate how you meet the skills and experience set out in the essential criteria, detailed in the job description.

For guidance and information on how to construct your application (CV, Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers website.

3. Sift – from 28th September 2026

The sift will be held on the Personal Statement, CV and Behaviour, as listed in the advert.

Should a high volume of applications be received, an initial sift will be conducted on the Lead Behaviour. Candidates who pass the initial sift will then be progressed to a full sift that will consist of all the remaining elements submitted (Personal Statement and CV). Candidates who fail to meet the minimum pass score for the initial sift will not have their remaining submitted elements scored and will only receive a sift score for that assessed at the initial sift.

4. Interview – from 19th October 2026

If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview that will be Behaviours and Technical Skills based questions. All Behaviours and Technical Skills listed in the selection process will be scored at the interview.

The interview will take place in person, in either our London or Sheffield office.

Please note: travel expenses will not be reimbursed.

For guidance on the Technical skills, please refer to the Government Communication Service (GCS) framework pdf attached to this advert.

In addition, candidates will be asked to complete a written exercise at the beginning of their interview. The exercise question/scenario will be disclosed closer to the interviews.

The written exercise will be assessed against 'Experience' on the 'Success Profiles' and will be assessed against the 'Essential Criteria' as listed in the job advertisement.

For guidance and information on what to expect and how to prepare for an interview, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers.

Problems during the application process

If you experience problems accessing this advert, or you think you’ve made a mistake on an initial application, please contact hocandidates.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk, including the vacancy reference, at least two working days before the vacancy closes. Further information can be found on our website.

Do not create or attempt to submit another application, online test or use a different Civil Service Jobs account to proceed as this would be in violation of the candidate declaration.

Location Preferences

You can select up to three locations in order of preference. Please ensure that these are locations you are prepared to travel to. If you are offered a role at one of your preferred location(s) and you decline, your application will be withdrawn.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made. There is no guarantee that being held on a reserve list will lead to a job offer. Further information can be found on our website.

Reserve lists will be held for each location. Candidates will be appointed in merit order by location.

Breaking Tied Scores

The behaviours and technical skills have been ranked in order of importance to enable us to differentiate between candidates with tied interview scores.

Standards

All Civil Servants are expected to comply with the Civil Service Code, and its core values of integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.

Additional Security Checks

As well as successfully obtaining UK Security Vetting clearance, candidates will be subject to a range of additional checks. The range of checks carried out will depend on whether you are a current Home Office employee, existing civil servant or an external new entrant as well as the role requirements. Further details are included in the Notes to Candidates.

Further Information

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct.

If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Reasonable Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs
• Complete the “Assistance Required” section in the “Additional Requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a language service professional

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.

Feedback

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