Communication Directorate

Publications

Welcome and thank you for your interest in working in the DfT’s Communication Directorate (CD).

Our role

CD is a high profile Directorate at the centre of the Department. We work closely with the Secretary of State, his ministerial team and policy colleagues providing presentational advice on all aspects of DfT’s role and itsbusiness aims and objectives. We deliver media handling and marketing services through a co-ordinated media, stakeholder management, publicity and publishing operation that includes the DfT website. We are responsible for the development and implementation of DfT’s internal communications strategy.

Working for CD

CD requires people with specific skills in a range of specialist communication roles, such as Press, Marketing, Strategic Communications, Print and Publishing and Web.

We recruit as and when vacancies arise. Most advertised posts are offered on a permanent basis, but some jobs may be for a fixed term. Occasionally we may recruit more people than we have advertised for because an additional vacancy in the same area has occurred during the recruitment and selection process. Our vacancies are advertised on the DfT, GCN and Civil Service Recruitment Gateway website. We may also advertise some posts in other media such as, the Guardian Online or Monster Jobs websites.

The majority of jobs in CD are designated as specialist communication posts and form part of government communication (Government Communication Network) We recruit people to these roles through the GCN assessment centre process. All recruitment is conducted by means of fair and open competition, as required by the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Code.

In line with the Professional Skills for Government programme applicants applying for posts in CD will be assessed appropriately against the GCN core skills and the DfT’s competency frameworks;

Core competency framework (DOC - 103 KB)

Policy delivery framework (DOC - 79 KB)

Please refer to the 'Person Specification' section of advertisements for further details.

Recruitment Process

The selection process normally consists of two stages.

Stage 1 – the application sift – the sifting panel evaluates information provided by applicants against the criteria detailed in the person specification and by a specified deadline. Unsuccessful stage 1 applicants will be notified.

Successful stage 1 applicants will be invited to Stage 2 – the GCN assessment centre. Typically this comprises of a presentation, written exercise and interview. But this may vary dependant on the role. Applicant performance will be evaluated by the GCN assessment centre panel against the criteria detailed in the person specification.

Legal right to work

Please note that if you are selected to attend an assessment centre you will be required to provide evidence of your legal right to work in the United Kingdom. If you are a non-UK resident, in order to be eligible to apply for this post and take up employment in the UK, you must already be in possession of a full 1 year work permit. Please enclose a copy of the permit at the application stage (1) and note that you will need to present the original document at the assessment centre.