Communication and Engagement Manager

Summary
At HMRC we are committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues; an inclusive and respectful environment that reflects the diversity of the society we serve.

We want to maximise the potential of everyone who chooses to work for us and we offer a range of flexible working patterns and support to make a fulfilling career at HMRC accessible to you.

Diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to our success and we welcome applications from all people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role.

HMRC has a vital purpose to collect the money that pays for the UK's public services such as schools, hospitals and roads and gives financial support to people. Our vision is to be a trusted, modern tax and customs department.

This is an exciting time to be in Borders and Trade given we have a pivotal role to play in helping to shape and deliver the 2025 Government Border Strategy. We work on high-profile national priorities which are subject to considerable media and stakeholder scrutiny.

The role sits in the new delivery programme to transition the Customs Declarations Service (CDS) into the UK's Single Customs Platform from March 2023. The Single Customs Platform (SCP) programme will deliver ongoing improvements to CDS, migrate thousands of importers from the legacy Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) service by September 2022 with exporters following by March 2023. In addition, it will decommission CHIEF and associated services.

Job description
The Single Customs Platform Programme is recruiting for Communications and Engagement Leads to join this high-profile area at this exciting time. You will be at the forefront of driving messaging to UK businesses and representatives.

You will work closely with the SCP Programme Strand Lead and Borders and Trade senior leaders to understand key drivers and ensure our communication strategy and messaging drive out both the desired business outcomes and right level of information and support to transition importers and exporters onto CDS.

You will ensure through effective engagement and information, our HMRC and wider HM Government colleagues are appropriately informed of the transitional change and progress and how it affects them.

You will work collaboratively and in close partnership with senior leaders and colleagues across Borders and Trade, wider HMRC and with border partners to ensure our communication direction collectively support our vision of being a trusted, modern tax and customs department.

You will work cohesively and in close partnership with HMRC Communications colleagues to assure strategic narrative and adherence to corporate communication standards and secures the appropriate level of assurance and governance approvals.

You will work with representatives from the border industry, trade associations and partnership organisations to understand their perspectives, support them and identify and agree opportunities for them to cascade and amplify our transition messages.

You will lead and support the high-performing team ensuring quality is integral to the work and outputs of the team, making sure it is running smoothly as well as setting new direction according to business need.

Responsibilities
• Develop, maintain and oversee the communication strategy and implementation plan to ensure the UK businesses and external delivery partners have the right information and messaging, at the right time and channel and feel supported through their transition to CDS.

• Build and maintain close working partnerships and ongoing engagement with HMRC Communication team colleagues, HMRC Press Office and ministerial offices to ensure a joined-up cohesive flow of accurate and quality information.

• Lead on key briefings around SCP, secure input from subject experts within timescales and ensure alignment of strategic message and professional product delivery.

• Implement a proficient lines to take library to support consistent and aligned SCP messaging across the team, SCP Programme and wider HMRC colleagues.

• Lead and actively participate in project campaign planning discussions with SCP delivery leads/teams, key HMRC stakeholders and HMRC Borders and Trade Communications colleagues.

• Build, lead and coach a high-performing team. Set direction, manage team resource effectively and support them in designing and delivering effective sequenced communication products, messaging, lines to take and briefings to quality standards.

• Effectively track, measure and analyse key communication products to ensure key messages land as intended and ensure continuous improvement.

• Support the SCP Strand Lead and Business Case Lead to assess business case narrative and spend profiles for SCP communications.

• Work with representatives from the border industry, business representative organisations and wider government to identify and implement communications to achieve business objectives.

• Attend and, where needed, deputise for the SCP Strand Lead, at senior level internal and external governance groups and boards to engage with key stakeholders and communicate our objectives, plans and progress.

• Develop a deep understanding of SCP Programme audiences, issues and plans and the role of communications in delivering both the SCP Programme objectives and the government's aim for the UK to have a world efficient customs service by 2025.

• Provide trusted advice to Borders and Trade and HMRC senior leaders on SCP communications and the wider communications functions.

• Actively participate in HMRC's Communication network, continuously building up your own communications professional experience and skills.

Essential Criteria:

• Strong communication leadership experience.

• Excellent writing, editing and content shaping skills and experience of delivering high impact campaigns.

• Confidence in supporting senior stakeholders with strong influencing skills.

• Highly organised, resilient and ability to manage competing priorities.

Desirable criteria:

• Professional Communications qualification.

• Programme or project management experiences