Creative Designer Ref.2260

Mind Achieving Impact AwardSocial Mobility Foundation AwardThe Times Top 100Disability confident leaderThe Prince's Responsible Business

Specialist Roles
Manchester
£35,450 starting salary and a £2,189 concessionary payment
At GCHQ, diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, we need a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. This includes diversity in every sense of the word: those with different backgrounds, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking and those with disabilities or neurodiverse conditions. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including those from groups that are under-represented in our workforce.

Short Summary of role

Creative Designer

The successful candidate will create high-quality, impactful designs across a range of digital medium to help customers successfully engage with their audiences both within and outside the organisation.

What will the successful candidate be doing?

GCHQ has a deeply-rooted ethos of innovation and the successful candidate’s design products will reflect that, creating engaging and inspiring content across a range of formats.  

The creative designer will produce work in both print and digital form, static and animated, working closely with other members of the design team based in Cheltenham, and with occasional agency support.

Working from our office in central Manchester, the creative designer will report to our Creative Design Lead within the Corporate Communications function.  Whilst primarily based in the North West of England, you will work across multiple sites, as part of the core design team based in other locations, as well as with internal customers from across the whole GCHQ network.

With design knowledge and expertise, you will be regarded as the lead designer across a range of projects and media, particularly in animation and infographics, to step up the impact of both internal and external campaigns.  Design projects will be varied, including anything from internal transformation programmes, to messages from Director GCHQ, to public facing engagement, such as recruitment campaigns and social media activity.

Whilst leading and influencing creative projects at the operational level, the creative designer will also provide insight that helps shape GCHQ’s in-house creative design capability and toolbox of tomorrow.

Who are you looking for?  

We are looking for a talented and committed creative designer who has a strong track record of developing brands, visual identities and creative content using traditional and cutting-edge creative solutions.  You will have a strong passion for design with an appetite for innovation in design technology and approaches.

A natural leader, excellent communicator and collaborator, with a high ability to engage and inspire people.  Importantly, you must be able to successfully lead projects to meet design briefs.

You will be proactive and autonomous.  You should also have a committed mindset for continual learning and using your knowledge and skills to shape and influence leading-edge design products and approaches in the team.

Key responsibilities:

The successful applicant will need to have:

•    Minimum 3 years’ experience in a creative designer position, in an in-house or agency environment.
•    Specialist design experience around animation and infographics.
•    Additional experience in design/content creation across video, photography, social media, email and websites.


Competency Requirements

•    Communication and Knowledge sharing    - Intermediate
•    Corporate Vision and Efficiency   - Intermediate
•    Change and Innovation   - Intermediate
•    Analysis and Decision Making - Intermediate
•    Contribution to Delivery   - Higher
•    Managing the Customer Relationship   - Intermediate
•    Working with and Leading Others - Higher

You can familiarise yourself with the general competencies we use to assess the aptitude of candidates here - Recruitment Process

If you’re excited about working with us and think you have some of what we’re looking for but aren’t sure if you’re 100% there yet… Rule yourself in and give it a go!

Training and Development

We are committed to providing the successful candidate with training and development opportunities to help their design career reach new heights within GCHQ.  These will be available through training courses, engaging in professional networks and activities within the business.

Benefits we offer

At NCSC and GCHQ, we are proud of our inclusive and supportive working environment that’s designed to encourage open minds and attitudes.  As an organisation that values and nurtures talent, we are committed to helping you fulfil your potential.  With comprehensive training and development opportunities, tailored to your needs and the requirements of your work, we will enable you to flourish in your role and perform to the very best of your abilities.
•    Access to learning and development tailored to your role and support to gain professional qualifications and certifications.
•    An environment that supports a range of flexible working options (including a flexible working hour scheme).
•    A culture which encourages inclusion and diversity.
•    Support to gain professional qualifications and certifications
•    A civil service pension
•    25 days annual leave, rising to 30 days based on length of service.

https://www.gchq-careers.co.uk/recruitment-process.html

Total Rewards Package of £37,639 (on a pro rata basis). This is made up of a £35,450 starting salary and a £2,189 concessionary payment

Location

Central Manchester

Selection Process

To apply for this position, you must meet our nationality, residency requirements. You’ll find more details here – www.gchq-careers.co.uk/recruitmentprocess

As a Disability Confident employer, we will ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for this position will be offered an interview. This is known as the Offer of Interview (OOI).
To secure an interview for this role, candidates applying under this scheme must meet the key responsibilities listed above

Be prepared to dedicate 60-90 minutes to completing your application. We’re conscious this might be more time than you expected, so our system will allow you to save your application at any time and come back to it later. But remember to submit your full application before the closing date.
 
Once we’ve established that you meet our eligibility criteria, the next steps of this selection process are:
 
-    Paper Sift
-    Personal interview, with the presentation of a portfolio showing examples of your previous design work
-    Drug test
 
If you successfully complete these stages, you’ll receive a job offer, conditional upon you completing our developed vetting (DV) process which enables you to obtain the level of security clearance required to perform this vital role.

The closing date for this role is the 14th May

Please be aware that we withhold the right to bring forward the closing date for this role from the original closing date once a certain number of applications have been received. Please be mindful of this and submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.








This Program / Vacancy is closed to applications.