Head of Communications and Engagement
Posted
Description
- Job grade: Grade 7
- Contract type: Permanent
- Type of role: Communications / Marketing, Operational Delivery, Press Relations, Senior leadership, Social Development
- Working pattern: Full-time
- Number of jobs available: 1
Location
Remote working (anywhere in the UK)
About the job
Job summary
The Head of Communications and Engagement will lead the development and delivery of the organisation's communications and engagement strategy, ensuring the delivery of high-quality communications, campaigns and stakeholder engagement activity that effectively reaches, influences and maintains the confidence of priority audiences.
Reporting to the Director of Corporate Operations, the role will translate strategy into delivery, leading a team to plan, execute and evaluate integrated communications and engagement programmes across multiple channels.
Job description
Delivery of Communications & Engagement
- Lead the development and implementation of the organisation's communications and engagement strategy, translating organisational priorities into integrated communications and engagement plans.
- Deliver high-impact campaigns, stakeholder engagement activity and public-facing communications.
- Ensure consistent, clear and compelling messaging across all channels, including internally among staff.
Stakeholder & Audience Engagement
- Build and manage relationships with key stakeholders, industry groups, partners and influencers.
- Act as a trusted adviser to senior leaders on communications and engagement matters, shaping organisational messaging and supporting external engagement activities, including speeches, events and stakeholder meetings
- Identify and engage priority audiences through insight-led approaches.
Content, Campaigns & Channels
- Oversee the development of high-quality content, including speeches, briefings and digital communications.
- Drive a digital-first approach to engagement, working closely with digital and media teams.
- Lead the organisation's media relations and reputation management activity, ensuring a proactive and coordinated approach to external communications.
- Manage external events, speaking opportunities and stakeholder forums.
Team Leadership & Management
- Lead and develop a team of communications and engagement professionals (approx. 5 staff).
- Allocate resources effectively to deliver against priorities at pace.
- Coach and support team members to build capability and maintain high standards.
Insight, Evaluation & Continuous Improvement
- Use data, insight and feedback to inform communications activity and improve effectiveness.
- Monitor stakeholder sentiment and flag emerging risks or issues.
- Evaluate campaign and engagement impact against agreed objectives.
Operational & Cross-Organisational Working
- Work closely with policy, operations, and other teams to ensure joined-up delivery.
- Contribute to wider communications planning and prioritisation.
- Lead crisis communications and reputation management activity, providing strategic advice and coordinating organisational responses where required.
Additional responsibilities
- As a senior leader, make a significant and visible contribution to promoting and upholding IAA values and behaviours.
- Play an active role in the senior leadership of the IAA, contributing beyond the immediate remit of the role where needed.
- Provide line management to at least three direct reports.
- Provide recommendations on communications and engagement activity to inform investment decisions, ensuring value for money and the effective use of public resources
- Undertake any other work reasonably required by the Director of Service Corporate Operations, Chief Executive or Commissioner.
Person specification
Essential criteria
- Strong experience in communications, public affairs or stakeholder engagement roles;
- Experience developing communications strategies and providing strategic communications advice to senior leaders;
- Experience delivering campaigns or engagement strategies in a complex environment;
- Ability to translate strategy into effective, practical delivery;
- Strong drafting, editing and communication skills across multiple formats;
- Experience managing stakeholders and supporting senior leaders;
- Experience of media relations, reputation management and stakeholder engagement within a complex environment;
- Proven ability to manage competing priorities and deliver at pace; and
- Experience leading or managing a team and delivering through others.
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £60,154, Immigration Advice Authority contributes
£17,426 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
An information pack on the IAA and full Job Description is attached to this advertisement.
Things you need to know
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
To apply for this role, please submit a copy of your CV and completed application form (available for download at the bottom of the advert) to recruitment@immigrationadviceauthority.gov.uk by midnight on November 19th 2026.
If you have any issues please contact Recruitment@immigrationadviceauthority.gov.uk
As you apply you will be invited to complete an Equality and Diversity Questionnaire. This is to assist the IAA in ensuring its recruitment processes are fair to all. The questionnaire is not seen by anyone involved in the selection process. Completing the questionnaire is not mandatory, if you do choose to complete please send your completed for too Please send to Astrid.Murray@immigrationadviceauthority.gov.uk
Due to the expected volume of applications, we are unable to provide individual status
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
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
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the
Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window)
and the
Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
Apply and further information
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available.
You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : recruitment@immigrationadviceauthority.gov.uk
- Email : recruitment@immigrationadviceauthority.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : recruitment@immigrationadviceauthority.gov.uk
Attachments
| Head of Comms & Engagement - ED&I Questionnaire Opens in new window (doc, 110kB) |
| JD - Head of Communications and Engagement Opens in new window (pdf, 89kB) |
| Recruitment Pack - Head of Comms and Engagement Opens in new window (pdf, 237kB) |
| App Form - Head of Communications and Engagement Opens in new window (docx, 77kB) |
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