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Speechwriter to the Secretary of State

Posting date:	08 October 2024
Salary:	£57,114 per year
Hours:	Full time
Closing date:	26 October 2024
Location:	London
Company:	Government Recruitment Service
Job type:	Permanent
Job reference:	372781/1

Summary

In the Department of Health and Social Care, we are proud of our purpose – to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. To achieve this, and create a great place to work, we have four values: we are inclusive, we constantly improve, we challenge, and we are agile. If this sounds like an environment you would like to work in, we would love to hear from you.

This is a fast-paced and challenging role involves close engagement with the Secretary of State, other ministers, and special advisers, as well as a range of different teams and external stakeholders.

Speechwriting is a challenging and high-profile function. You must have very strong written and spoken communication skills and you will need to be flexible, able to work at pace and adapt your writing style to different voices.

You must also be able to take feedback and amendments on your work from multiple stakeholders and have the ability to pick out salient facts from a mass of information to suit the target audience.

Candidates who pass the sift will be invited to take a test to assess a technical skill relative to the role, details of this will be provided with the outcome of the sift.

Shortlisted candidates may have the opportunity to speak to the Secretary of State. Further details will be shared beforehand.

Due diligence checks, including social media, will also be undertaken for the successful candidate prior to appointment.

The role of speechwriter sits in the Private Office, Intelligence and Parliamentary (PIP) team in DHSC, which comprises five private offices. It is part of the wider Ministers, Accountability and Strategy Directorate of 180 FTE, which sets the strategic direction of the health and care system, supports Ministers and provides effective internal governance and accountability

The role is varied, challenging and stimulating, working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment in the Secretary of State’s office. Key responsibilities include:

• Writing national agenda-setting speeches for the Secretary of State.
• Communicating the Secretary of State’s vision for health and social care to stakeholders, the media, and the wider public.
• Working closely with the Secretary of State, and their advisers, to capture the Secretary of State’s voice and deliver their priorities.
• Confidently provide ministers with clear advice on their speeches and produce clear, compelling, well-argued products and effectively evaluate their impact on audiences.
• Be able to adapt your writing to capture different ministerial voices- confidently working with Private Office and Special Advisers to adapt messages to the best style.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with ministers, private offices, special advisers, senior officials and ensure a streamlined speechwriting process.
• Work effectively with the wider comms team, so that speechwriting plans are joined up with wider communications strategies. Integrate with media activity around speeches, and identify and drive appropriate tactics to boost this when appropriate.
• Ensure speeches reach a wider audience through the department's full range of digital channels.
• Understand departmental and ministerial briefs so you can communicate key messages clearly, accurately and creatively to the media.