Head of Events - £75,585 - £84,840 p.a. + benefits

Job summary

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency enhance and improve the health of millions of people every day through the effective regulation of medicines and medical devices, underpinned by science and research.

The MHRA Communications and Engagement Group is a multi-award-winning function responsible for news and media, communications, marketing, events, external affairs, and patient, public and customer engagement. The team plays a vital role in supporting the Agency's strategic objectives by placing patients and the public at the centre of everything it does.

The Communications function develops and delivers integrated communications and engagement activity that supports organisational priorities, protects and enhances reputation, and builds trust with patients, the public, stakeholders and partners. The Events function leads the strategic planning, development and delivery of the MHRA's corporate events programme, ensuring events are a key driver of stakeholder engagement, organisational reputation and business outcomes. The function delivers high-quality in-person, virtual and hybrid events that connect priority audiences with the Agency's work, support corporate objectives, strengthen relationships with partners and stakeholders, and enhance trust in the MHRA. It works collaboratively across communications, external affairs and business teams to deliver integrated, audience-focused engagement activity.

We are currently looking for a Head of Event s to join our Communications and Engagement Team.

Role Purpose

• This is a senior leadership role requiring high visibility and influence across the Agency to provide strategic advice and ensure events support delivery of the Agency’s business outcomes.
• This is a multi-disciplinary events role responsible for managing internal and external events, and relationships at a senior level, to develop and deliver against our communications and engagement strategies for senior leaders, staff and external partners, and delivering through others including digital, marketing, media communications and brand management.
• Outcomes will be measured by strong stakeholder and audience engagement and agreed objectives in events as part of communications and engagement strategies, including trust in the agency, its leadership and clear direction and demonstrable value indicators across the Agency, as measured through event surveys and broader communications and engagement metrics, including the annual reputation survey.

Job description

• Lead the events team, ensuring high quality service provision through providing impactful events and webinars in line with the aims of the organisation and the Communications and Reputation Plan, with the ability to develop and deliver events to a range of external and internal audiences.
• Provide strategic and proactive events advice and delivery for senior leaders, including the executive committee, chief executive and board. Ensure all events are insight-led and targeted towards clearly defined priority audiences, including key stakeholders, partners and influencers.
• Position events as a core pillar of the Agency’s communications and reputation plan, supporting delivery of corporate priorities through integrated, audience-led engagement. Deliver an impactful and strategic programme of annual events to raise the profile and enhance the reputation of the MHRA and to further the aims of the agency, nationally and internationally. This will support business strategy and priorities and internal culture change as required.
• Identify, plan, and deliver a programme of strategically developed events that engages our stakeholders, customers and audiences, through impactful and innovative content accessible to all audiences, tailored to our messaging, and aligned with broader communications and engagement activity. Oversee the development of innovative, accessible and hybrid event formats, maximising digital reach and engagement alongside in-person delivery.
• Work in close alignment with external affairs to design and deliver stakeholder engagement activity that builds advocacy, relationships and influence among priority audiences. Ensure full integration of events with media, digital, marketing and stakeholder engagement activity to deliver coherent, multi-channel communications activity and maximise impact.
• Oversee the efficient management and development of the agency’s resources to deliver a programme of events, including the events team and budget. Lead the development and delivery of a single, integrated annual events plan, aligned with the Communications and Reputation Plan and corporate planning cycles.
• Act as communications account director for one of the key Groups in the Agency, attending senior leadership team meetings and ensuring all communications and engagement is strategically coordinated to support their corporate priorities.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills both written and oral, with the ability to accurately and confidently communicate, influence and challenge staff and external contacts at all levels.
• A confident self-starter, who can operate independently and manage conflicting priorities while delivering to deadline but can also operate flexibly as part of a team and encourages feedback and the views of others.
• Extensive senior experience of designing, managing and delivering professional quality events for high-profile organisations. Includes: drafting action plans, securing required resource and setting performance standards. (Lead).
• Proven senior leadership and management skills, able to demonstrate experience of leading multi-functional events teams in a complex organisation, including motivating and developing staff, and managing their performance.
• Demonstrable track record of developing event communications and materials, including pre- and post-event collateral, using a range of communications tools and techniques.
• Strong event management skills, with a proven understanding of what makes a good event to meet business and audience needs.
• Lead projects involving cross organisational and external team members including ability to anticipate potential risks, handle any unanticipated problems and develop and communicate creative solutions to achieve successful resolution whilst delivering a high standard of customer service.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Developing Self and Others

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £75,585, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency contributes

£21,896 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).

Government departments and agencies are working towards implementing a minimum 60% attendance in office sites.

We are currently implementing a flexible, hybrid way of working, with a minimum of 8 days per month working on site to enable the collaboration and contact with partners and stakeholders needed to deliver MHRA business. Attendance on site is driven by business needs so depending on the nature of the role, this can flex up to 12 days a month, with the remainder of time worked either remotely or in the office. Some roles will need to be on site more regularly. Remote working is potentially available for some specific roles. Please discuss this with the recruiting manager before accepting an appointment.

• Annual Leave: 25 days annual leave on entry, rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff. PLUS 8 bank holidays
• Privilege Leave: 1 day
• Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
• Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): One month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of five months full pay/five months half pay
• Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allowing staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
• Civil Service Pension Scheme. Please see the link for further information http://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/ For enquiries relating to the Civil Service Pension Schemes please contact MyCSP's Pension Service Centre directly on 0300 123 6666
• Flexible working to ensure staff maintain a healthy work-life balance
• Interest free season ticket loan or bike loan
• Employee Assistance Services and access to the Civil Service Benevolent Fund
• Eligibility to join Motoring , Boundless by CSMA
• Variety of staff and Civil Service clubs
• On-going learning and development

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 Behaviours and Experience.

We use the Civil Service Success Profiles to assess our candidates, find out more here .

• Online application form, including questions based on the Behaviour, Experience and Technical Success Profiles. Please ensure all application questions are completed in full; your application may not be considered if any responses are left blank.
• Presentation, to be prepared as part of your interview, with further information being supplied when you reach this stage.
• Interview, which can include questions based on the Behaviour, Experience, Technical and Strengths Success Profiles.

In the instance that we receive a high number of applications, we will hold an initial sift based on the lead criteria of: Extensive senior experience of designing, managing and delivering professional quality events for high-profile organisations.

Applicants are assessed on whether they meet any mandatory requirements as well as the necessary skills and experience for the role. Applications are scored based on the competency-based answers provided- ensure you have read these thoroughly and allow sufficient time. You can view the competencies for this role in the job description.

• Closing date: 9th September 2026
• Shortlisting date: from 11th September 2026
• Interview date: from Wednesday 23rd September 2026

Candidates will be subject to UK immigration requirements as well as Civil Service nationality rules. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available here .

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check as well as animal rights and pro-life activism checks. People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks .

Certain roles within the MHRA will require post holders to have vaccinations, and in some circumstances, routine health surveillance. These roles include:

• Laboratory-based roles working directly with known pathogens
• Maintenance roles, particularly those required to work in laboratory settings
• Roles that involve visiting other establishments where vaccination is required
• Roles required to travel overseas where specific vaccination may be required.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dish