Overview
Senior Digital Communications Manager – Belfast
About the job
Job summary
Discover a career in your hands at HMRC. Whether you’re seeking purpose, growth, or a workplace that gives you a true sense of belonging, hear from some of our employees as they share their story about what it’s really like to work at HMRC.
Visit our YouTube channel to watch the full series and come and discover your potential.
This is a role where your analytical expertise directly shapes how one of the UK’s largest departments communicates with millions of citizens. You’ll work at the cutting edge of digital intelligence, with opportunities to:
- Pioneer innovative approaches to digital monitoring and analysis
- Develop expertise with advanced analytics platforms and social listening tools
- Influence high-profile campaigns through evidence-based insights
- Build transferable leadership skills valued across public and private sectors
- Combat misinformation and help citizens make informed decisions
- Join us and lead the digital intelligence function that’s redefining how government communicates in the digital age.
- Shape the digital conversation for one of the government’s most innovative Digital Communication teams.
At HMRC Communications, we’re transforming how government engages with millions of people daily. As our Senior Digital Communications Manager, you’ll pioneer our approach to digital intelligence, leading a team that turns complex data into actionable insights that drive communications excellence.
You’ll be the cornerstone of our digital monitoring and analysis strategy, helping colleagues across HMRC understand and respond to online trends, conversations and audience behaviours. Working at the intersection of data science and strategic communications, you’ll:
- Create a comprehensive digital listening framework that captures the pulse of public conversation
- Transform raw analytics into powerful insights that shape our communications strategy
- Lead the battle against misinformation, ensuring citizens receive accurate, timely information
- Build the evaluation standards that demonstrate our digital impact and drive continuous improvement
- Foster innovation in how we collect, analyse and apply digital intelligence
- Be passionate about innovation and seek to be at the leading edge of the technology landscape.
- You’ll use insight and evidence to underpin action and ensure citizens get the information in the ways they need and want.
Job description
The successful candidate will:
- Lead and develop the digital monitoring and analysis function that will be the hub of expertise for HMRC Communications on digital analytics and social listening.
- Make sense of digital conversations and trends that affect the department and our customers, and of the wealth of analytics data that we generate through our campaign activity.
- Help ensure our customers receive clear, trustworthy information about tax, and that the department’s reputation is protected.
- Devise and manage clear, robust evaluation plans for digital communications and campaign activity rooted in industry best practice.
- Help lead and develop a culture of continuous improvement and agile test and learn activity.
- Drive department-wide strategy for social listening, news monitoring and analytics production, working with different teams across Press, Digital, External Affairs and the wider HMRC directorate.
- Develop strategic recommendations based on digital trends and conversations to help shape communications campaigns and strategies
- Lead a specialised team of digital and analytics experts, fostering creativity, innovation and technical excellence
- Analyse and optimise channel performance, making evidence-based recommendations to enhance trust and grow our digital presence
- Build collaborative partnerships with analysis teams across government and the digital profession to share best practice and join up efficient, collaborative approaches
- Set monitoring standards and educate others on relevant techniques and tools, developing respected methodologies
The successful candidate will deliver:
- Regular (daily, weekly and monthly), robust media monitoring and social listening reports and summaries
- Provide a framework for regular, consistent digital activity evaluation (social and web analytics) and insight to support campaign evaluation and planning
- Oversee Rapid rebuttal / response monitoring process to allow Press & Digital Communications colleagues to make informed decisions when responding to media issues
- Working closely with Press, Digital, Community Engagement and Customer Service colleagues to ensure accurate and timely responses.
- Lead and develop the monitoring and analysis team and support the team’s community management and engagement work
- A clear approach to strategic work planning: You can set direction and deliver results in a fast-paced, demanding and unpredictable environment
HMRC Digital Communications – Showreel on Vimeo
Person specification
Essential Criteria
Strong news sense and communications background: Your experience in journalism, PR or campaigns gives you the instinct to spot emerging trends and reputation risks before they escalate
Digital platform mastery: You possess in-depth understanding of diverse digital platforms and how to strategically leverage each for maximum impact
Strategic reputation management: You can identify, monitor and address reputation challenges using data-informed approaches
Advanced social media expertise: You understand platform algorithms, community dynamics and best practices across all major social networks
Data analysis excellence: You can transform complex datasets into actionable insights that directly improve campaign performance, applying the GCS Evaluation Cycle methodology
Technical tool proficiency: You’re experienced with enterprise analytics tools such as Brandwatch, Google Analytics, Sprout Social and similar platforms
Digital innovation mindset: You stay ahead of emerging technologies, including responsible AI applications, to enhance monitoring capabilities
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Leadership
- Communicating and Influencing
Technical skills
We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- You will also be asked Technical Questions covering the below elements: • GCS Framework – Digital – Implementation • GCS Framework – Digital – Insight
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £44,110, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £12,778 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
HMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments. We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs.
We offer a generous leave allowance, starting at 25 days and increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days.
- Pension – We make contributions to our colleagues’ Alpha pension equal to at least 28.97% of their salary.
- Family friendly policies.
- Personal support.
- Coaching and development.
To find out more about HMRC benefits and find out what it’s really like to work for HMRC hear from our insiders or visit Thinking of joining the Civil Service.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
How to Apply
As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide the following:
- A 500 word Personal Statement – Explaining why they fit the essential criteria and key responsibilities of the role.
We acknowledge that AI can assist you in your application. Find our guidelines here.
Sift
A full sift your Personal Statement will be assessed.
Interview
During the panel interview you will be asked experience and behaviour based questions to explore in detail what you are capable of.
Behaviours
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Leadership
- Communicating and Influencing
You will also be asked Technical Questions covering the below elements:
- GCS Framework – Digital – Implementation
- GCS Framework – Digital – Insight
Interviews will take place via video link. Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
Eligibility
Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. We understand mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days(Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we will not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake, please contact us via: unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk – Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example – ‘Please re-open my application – [404086] & vacancy closing date [29/05/25]’
To check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles – if this applies to you, we’ll let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.
Criminal Record Check
Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.
Merit List
After interview, a single merit list will be created, and you will only be considered for posts in locations you have expressed a preference for. Appointments will be made in strict merit order in line with the set number of roles in each location.
Reasonable Adjustments
We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
- Contact the UBS Recruitment Team via unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
Additional Security Information
Please note: in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for SC is 5 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.
Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers
This role may be suitable for existing HMRC employees who are contractual homeworkers. Occasional attendance to the office will be required where there is a business need. Please consider the advertised office locations for this role when applying and only select locations from the ‘location preferences’ section that you can travel to.
Additional Information
We are looking into ways to enhance the applicant experience.
As part of our legitimate interests, we are testing the use of new technologies such as automation and/or Artificial Intelligence in the assessment for CV, personal statement and behaviour statement.
Please note that for this specific vacancy, this testing may run in parallel with our standard assessment process and will not influence or determine the outcome of your application in any way. You can read the Civil Service Jobs and HMRC Privacy Notices for more information about our lawful basis for processing your personal data and HMRC’s use of AI.
If you don’t want your data to be used as part of the trial, please send your Application ID and the Vacancy Reference to talentacquisitionaiteam@hmrc.gov.uk
Terms and Conditions
Current Civil Servants (all contract types) will need to ensure that they are still employed as a Civil Servant on or beyond the start date for the post. If their contract ends (for example due to the end of Fixed Term Appointment contract or resignation) at any point during the application process for the advertised role, they will no longer be eligible and may be withdrawn.
Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. Where this is an essential requirement, this will be tested as part of the selection process.
HMRC has a presence in every region of the UK. For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations.
The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences.
Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application(s) will be withdrawn from the process.
Recording of interviews is prohibited unless explicit agreement is sought in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulations.
Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.
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 dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
IMPORTANT: Before applying for this role, please make sure you have the right to work in the country where the role is based. Unless it clearly stipulates within in the job advert above that the hiring company is looking to or able to sponsor applicants it is deemed that the hiring employer will only consider applications from those able to comply with and work in the country where the role is based.
