Digital Media Executive Ref. 2768

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

Specialist Roles
Cheltenham, Manchester
Full-time and part-time opportunities (flexible working hours available)
£29,762 with a concessionary payment of £2,330

About Us    

At GCHQ, we unlock the complex world of data and communications to keep the UK and its citizens safe, both in the real world and online. Working closely with our British Intelligence partners in MI5 and MI6, we protect the UK from threats including serious organised crime, terrorism, and cyber-attacks. A role in GCHQ means you’ll have varied and fascinating work in a supportive and encouraging environment that puts the emphasis on teamwork.


The Role                
 
As the Digital Media Executive, you’ll be responsible for generating creative ideas and delivering high-quality and engaging social media content. You’ll help build trust and understanding of our mission and attract the best people to come and work for us. You’ll need a curiosity about the organisation and our staff to tell inspiring stories about our work. 

You’ll take ownership of campaigns and plan their delivery across our channels to help deliver GCHQ’s communications strategy. You’ll need to be able to communicate effectively by producing different content for different audiences. You might be designing it yourself, or you might work with other teams to bring your ideas to life through to publishing and evaluating your work 

Working in a team of three you will support the long-term strategic development of our digital capability and make sure that everyone receives the best guidance on using digital platforms. 

As well as your social media colleagues, you’ll work closely with our media and campaign teams as well as comms teams in partner agencies both in the UK and abroad. 

What will the successful candidate be doing

•    Planning and designing social media content for use across GCHQ’s social media channels 
•    Planning strategic, long-term campaigns at low or no cost 
•    Overseeing the day-to-day running of our digital channels 
•    Acting as a digital subject matter expert and drive enthusiasm for digital engagement 
•    Evaluating efficacy of any key campaigns, assisting with compiling reports, identifying trends and key learning points. 
•    Keeping up to date with digital developments, emerging platforms and audience trends. 
•    Coordinating work with partner agency digital teams 
•    Content creation and design skills are desirable for this role

Sometimes you’ll work independently on your own ideas, supported by your line manager and the senior digital media officer on the team. Often, you’ll be working on a campaign as part of a wider team, sharing and collaborating on ideas. 

We will also encourage you to seek out new partnerships with organisations where we will have a mutual benefit in a working relationship. 


About you

Some experience working within a communications team or in a media organisation. 

•    Proven experience of creative story telling 
•    In-depth experience of running social media channels 
•    Planning and creating high-quality creative content 
•    Interpreting analytics and adapting approaches 
•    Experience of using Adobe Creative Suite or similar software to create social media assets, be it image, video or animation form 
•    Applicants will be expected to be able to provide examples of previous social media skills, graphic design expertise and campaign experience if successful in reaching the interview stage. 

You’ll need to be constantly curious, be a good team player working with a diversity of views, be able to persevere in sometimes challenging circumstances and creative in your storytelling given the nature of a lot of what GCHQ does is secret. 

You’ll also need to be a self-starter with the ability to get ideas off the ground without too much supervision 


Training and development

As part of our brilliant learning culture, you'll have the opportunity to learn and develop your understanding of national security communications with a combination of on-the-job training, formal training courses as well as access to subject matter experts in their field. Successful candidates will be able to access a suite of training and opportunities through the Government Communications Service, with some opportunities for formal qualifications as part of talent programmes. Members of CET are also encouraged to pursue professional qualifications through communications trade associations like the PRCA or CIPR.

You will have a formal induction to the organisation as well as a bespoke programme of on-boarding sessions with members of the comms team as well as different mission areas. 

CET operates a buddy programme to give you a support network outside of your line management chain. 


Rewards and Benefits

You’ll receive a starting salary of £29,762 with a concessionary payment of £2,330. Other benefits include: 

•    25 Days Annual Leave automatically rising to 30 days after 5 years' service, and an additional 10.5 days public and privilege holidays
•    Opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme
•    Interest-free season ticket loan
•    Excellent pension scheme
•    Cycle to work scheme
•    Facilities such as a gym, restaurant and on-site coffee bars (at some locations)
•    Paid parental and adoption leave. 


Equal Opportunities

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, ages, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including those from groups that are under-represented in our workforce such as women, those from an ethnic minority background, people with disabilities and those from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Find out more about our culture, working environment and diversity on our website:

https://www.gchq-careers.co.uk/life-at-gchq/diversity-inclusion.html


We’re Disability Confident

GCHQ are proud to have achieved Leader status within the DWP’s Disability Confident scheme. This is aimed at encouraging employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people. Being Disability Confident, we aim to offer a person-to-person interview to any candidate who self-identifies as disabled and meets the essential criteria for the role. This is our ‘Offer of Interview’ (OOI). To secure an interview for this vacancy, you will need to meet a minimum pass mark on the application sift to be taken forward to a virtual interview.


What to Expect

Our recruitment process is fair, transparent, and based on merit. Here is a brief overview of each stage, in order:

•    Application sift, looking at your motivation for the role and the organisation and essential skills
•    Virtual interview with Presentation- where you will need to present two examples of previous creative work and how it helped you to meet your objectives (preferably with visuals)
•    If successful, you will receive a conditional offer of employment, subject to vetting

Please note, you must successfully pass each stage of the process to progress to the next. Your application may take around 6 - 9 months to process including vetting, so we advise you continue any current employment until you have received your final job offer.


Before You Apply

To work at GCHQ, you need to be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality. You can read our full eligibility criteria here.

This role requires the highest security clearance, known as Developed Vetting (DV). It’s something everyone in the UK Intelligence Community undertakes. You can find out more about the vetting process here.

Please note we have a strict drugs policy, so once you start your application, you can’t take any recreational drugs and you’ll need to declare your previous drug usage at the relevant stage.

The role can either be based in Cheltenham or Manchester, so you’ll need to live within a commutable distance. Please consider any financial implications and practicalities before submitting an application, as we do not offer relocation costs.

Please note, you should only launch your application from within the UK. If you are based overseas, you should wait until you visit the UK to launch an application. Applying from outside the UK will impact on our ability to progress your application. You should not discuss your application, other than with your partner or a close family member. 


Right to Withdraw Statement: 

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.