Deputy Head of Media and Digital (Infected Blood Compensation Authority)
| Posting date: | 29 August 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £57,204 to £63,953 per year |
| Additional salary information: | Important information about pay - it is expected that from 1 October 2025 the pay for this role will be £58,655. In addition once the role holder has completed their probationary period (usually 6 months) they will become eligible to receive a pay premium |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 14 September 2025 |
| Location: | Newcastle-upon-Tyne |
| Company: | Government Recruitment Service |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 424466/1 |
Summary
One of IBCA’s key goals is to build and maintain trust with the infected and affected community. Effective, open and transparent communications play a crucial part in this.
The Communications and Engagement team sits at the heart of the IBCA to ensure we explain the compensation scheme with clarity, simplicity and effectiveness.
Opportunities to move to the new Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA). At the moment all IBCA roles are hosted by Cabinet Office within the Civil Service. However, once IBCA becomes an independent employer, it is anticipated that most of these roles will transfer to IBCA, which means that the post-holder will leave the Civil Service to become a public servant.
Roles that transfer to IBCA from Cabinet Office will maintain the same (Infected Blood Compensation Authority) or substantially the same terms and conditions of employment that are overall no less favourable. Employees who move from Cabinet Office to IBCA will be able to continue to participate in the Civil Service Pension arrangements with no break in their pensionable service.
Roles commencing after IBCA has become an employer may be with IBCA itself on similar terms and conditions. All successful candidates will receive full details of the terms and conditions of employment for their role with their formal job offer.
Please note that the mission of IBCA means that it is likely to be operational for a period of approximately 5 to 7 years. When IBCA’s work begins to wind down, IBCA employees will receive support and practical guidance to find a new role, whether in the Civil Service, another Arms Length Body (ALB), or an external employer.
Our organisation has one aim: to deliver compensation to the infected blood community. As a communication and engagement team we collaborate and deliver at pace, working with the community to meet their needs.
We’re looking for an experienced, driven and creative communications leader. The postholder will have a deep understanding of modern media and social media outlets and how to harness these to reach marginalised and hard-to-reach people while informing, involving and supporting. As IBCA is a community-first organisation, you will be passionate about user centric communications that deeply understands the needs of those we are here to support.
Leading the Media and Digital Team, this role will set the direction, pace and ambition for IBCA’s external work through data-led media and social plans and products.
This person will be expected to design, deliver and implement short, medium and long-term communications strategies that will support IBCA’s external channels and stakeholders to reach our audience with support, information and news of IBCA’s claim service.
You’ll be leading alongside other senior leaders in the communications and engagement space and part of a passionate and dedicated leadership team.
While delivering and building the team’s strategic capability, this role will drive and grow the authority's social media presence and channels, understanding and using current tools for delivery and evaluation. Alongside responding to media requests and coverage, you will also be responsible for identifying and overseeing content that community members need, working across a range of media outlets from traditional print such as newspapers and magazines to emerging digital platforms and outlets. You will be confident in guiding senior leaders through media activity, and work with the infected blood community on their needs too.
The job holder will be expected to sometimes work out of hours including weekends and evenings, they will understand what is needed to run an out of hours media team.
Responsibilities
We are looking for a highly motivated and compassionate leader to join our communications and engagement team. This is a vital role and is an opportunity to develop communications strategies and lead a high-performing and motivated team to deliver from the infected blood community.
The job will require the candidate to:
- Be responsible for the development and implementation of creative and supportive social, press and consumer media communications approaches, implementation plans, scoring evaluation criteria and an evaluation framework (according to the OASIS planning method) to support IBCA’s objectives and the community we support;
- Be responsible for the development, management and content strategies of IBCA’s digital and media channels;
- Lead and oversee responses to live media and digital questions to ensure timely responses for community members;
- Work closely with senior leaders to influence and identify communications requirements;
- The ability to effectively horizon scanning and assess and plan for potential coverage to ensure we maintain the highest level of transparency and engagement for the community;
- highly responsive reactive handling capability to explain policy and address inaccuracies.Evaluate and monitor communications activity and feedback insight and evaluation, ensuring lessons learned are applied and shared in a cycle of continuous improvement;
- Focus on professional development, with consideration to Government Communication Service (GCS) and other frameworks.
- Foster a positive and inclusive team environment that promotes wellbeing, collaboration, and a supportive culture aligned with departmental values.
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme