Senior Internal Communications Manager

Job summary

Working in the Department for Work and Pensions internal communications team is an exciting, inspiring opportunity that will challenge and develop you as a communications leader. You will be working on high profile initiatives, helping to shape communications on issues that directly influence tens of thousands of colleagues, communities and everyday lives across the country.

We welcome applications from outstanding candidates who want to apply their expertise in delivering impactful internal communications at scale to support understanding, drive engagement and deliver quality business outcomes.

Job description

As our Senior Internal Communications Manager, you will

• Work with your team to develop internal communications and campaigns that are thoroughly planned and fully aligned to DWP’s wider communications strategy. These campaigns will look to innovate and break new ground, taking inspiration from ‘best in class internal communications.
• Act as a trusted advisor, providing strategic advice and constructive challenge to senior leaders to make sure that their communications engage - and resonate with - our internal colleague audiences.
• Gather intelligence and insight and analyse the effectiveness of internal engagement to help inform current and future engagement strategies. We build two-way communication campaigns that engage our people and show we are listening to feedback.
• Provide exceptional leadership and line management, working collaboratively across the wider internal communications function and communications directorate. Develop internal communications talent and build robust succession plans.

Person specification

Experience Criteria for the Role

Internal communication and campaign delivery: you can demonstrate how you bring together the right people to design and deliver engaging campaigns, with proven ability to craft clear, compelling messaging from complex source material and influence outcomes.

Strategic stakeholder influence and advice: you have proven experience of confidently building trusted relationships with the most senior stakeholders across complex organisations to deliver positive communications and outcomes.

Reputational awareness: you understand the political and organisational context that large organisations and their internal communications operate in and can confidently demonstrate how you use good judgement to handle sensitive issues.

Responding to uncertainty: you can show your experience working through uncertainty and with incomplete information, being a flexible, confident and decisive member of the team who can work autonomously and help us to thrive even during changeable times.

Evaluation, insight and continuous improvement: you can confidently demonstrate times when you have driven an insight-led culture in a team that has resulted in the translation of research and data into clear recommendations.

People leadership and building capability: you can demonstrate how you have inspired improvement in those around you, coaching and developing colleagues with a focus on skills building and prioritising workloads.

We will ensure that you are fully supported and can develop your career as a skilled communications professional. DWP is committed to creating an organisation and workforce which is as diverse as the customers we serve. As such, we welcome applications from all suitably qualified people regardless of gender, race, disability, age or sexual orientation.

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Q1. Internal communication and campaign delivery – what were your key considerations when designing and delivering an internal communications campaign to address a complex engagement challenge? (lead question)
• Q2. Strategic stakeholder influence and advice – describe the actions you take when influencing a senior stakeholder to change their approach when they are resistant
• Q3. Reputational awareness – describe how you have applied your skills and experience to handle a sensitive internal communications issue that carried significant reputational risk for your organisation
• Q4. Responding to uncertainty – tell us about a time when you had to complete a project with unclear goals or missing information. What steps did you take to move forward?
• Insight
• Ideas
• Implementation
• Impact

We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:

• Q1. Internal communication and campaign delivery – what were your key considerations when designing and delivering an internal communications campaign to address a complex engagement challenge? (lead question)
• Q2. Strategic stakeholder influence and advice – describe the actions you take when influencing a senior stakeholder to change their approach when they are resistant
• Q3. Reputational awareness – describe how you have applied your skills and experience to handle a sensitive internal communications issue that carried significant reputational risk for your organisation
• Q4. Responding to uncertainty – tell us about a time when you had to complete a project with unclear goals or missing information. What steps did you take to move forward?

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £50,487, Department for Work and Pensions contributes

£14,626 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).

DWP have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave – at least 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year’s continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women’s Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

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

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Experience and Technical skills.

Selection will be by a written sift, followed by a Face-to-Face Interview.

We’ll assess both what candidates are good at, as well as previous achievements to help us measure candidates’ experience and their potential. The assessment process comprises of a written application and for shortlisted candidates, a short scenario-based exercise and interview.

Written application

You’ll need to complete a CV and answer four questions when you apply. Your CV should set out your career history with key responsibilities and achievements. Your CV will not be scored.

The four Technical experience questions (250 words each) will be assessed against the experience criteria as listed above.

Please note – If there are a high number of applications received, an initial sift may be undertaken based on the lead question. Candidates who pass the initial sift may progress to a full sift or may go straight to interview.

Interview

A ‘blended’ interview lasting around 45 minutes to 1 hour will test a mix of experience and GCS technical skills as detailed below. The interview will be a mix of questions and a scenario-based exercise. The experience questions will be based on the experience criteria. As part of the interview there will be an exercise which will be completed prior to the interview. Candidates will present their work at the interview. Details of the exercise will be shared with those candidates invited to interview.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an interview. This will be a face-to-face interview. The interview panel will be a minimum of two people.

You will be tested against the following Government Communications Service (GCS) technical skills at (SIO) grade.

• Insight
• Ideas
• Implementation
• Impact

Selection and Feedback

We will notify all candidates as soon as possible. Feedback will only be provided following an interview. A reserve list will be held for up to 6 months, which we may also use to fill future similar vacancies. Candidates should not resign from their current job until all appropriate checks have been successfully completed. If you’re an existing civil servant and want to know more about transferring to another department, refer to your current department’s guidance on transfers within the civil service.

If you have questions about the role, or the application process, please contact Alex.jenden1@dwp.gov.uk

Sift and Interview Dates :

Our anticipated timetable - which may be subject to change - is as follows:

• Shortlisting will take place commencing 12/10/2026
• Interviews will commence W/C 26/10/2026
• Interviews will be held in person. Further details will be provided if you are successful and shortlisted.
• To apply for this post please follow the instructions in this candidate pack or the job advert on Civil Service Jobs.
• Please submit your application no later than 23:55 11/10/2026

If you’re an existing Civil Servant and want to know more about transferring to another Department, refer to your current department’s guidance on transfers within the Civil Service.

Candidates should not resign from their current job until all appropriate checks have been successfully completed.

If you have questions about the role, DWP or the application process, please contact Alex.jenden1@dwp.gov.uk

Further Information​

At the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

Find out more about working for DWP on the DWP Careers Hub .

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

If you are placed on a reserve list but we cannot immediately offer you a post, please note:

• If you are later offered the role you applied for, in a location you have expressed a preference for, and you decline the offer or are unable to take up the post within a reasonable timeframe you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances (e.g. a contractual Part Time Working Pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered or in cases of serious ill health).
• If DWP makes an offer of an alternative role or location to that which you originally applied for, and you decline that offer, you will be able to remain o