Chief Communications Officer, No10 Communications Team
| Posting date: | 31 March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £62,988 to £68,558 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 09 April 2026 |
| Location: | SW1A 2AA |
| Company: | Government Recruitment Service |
| Job type: | Temporary |
| Job reference: | 454983/1 |
Summary
- 1x Chief Communications Officer for the Newsdesk
- 1x Chief Communications Officer for Home Affairs.
These posts will appeal to experienced communications professionals who enjoy working with and advising Ministers; are able to understand complex issues quickly; and have highly-tuned news judgement.
Chief Communications Officer for the Newsdesk
Reporting to a Deputy Official Spokesperson, this is an excellent opportunity to join a high-performing communications team managing high-profile news stories on a daily basis.
The post-holder should have strong media handling skills and extremely good news judgement. Experience working on a busy newsdesk is highly desirable.
The demands of this post are high. You will:
- have first-rate media handling skills and enjoy shaping and responding to the news agenda
- be able to draft compelling, concise and clear media materials to very tight deadlines
- have experience delivering high-profile announcements
- have excellent crisis communications skills, with the ability to foresee and mitigate communications risks
- have excellent interpersonal skills as you’ll be expected to work closely and at ease with senior and junior colleagues across No10 and other government departments
- be an excellent manager who encourages continual professional development
Chief Communications Officer for Home Affairs
Reporting to a Deputy Head of News for Foreign and Home Affairs, this is an excellent opportunity to join a high-performing communications team creating and managing high-profile news stories and delivering creative communications plans on a daily basis.
The Home Affairs desk in the Prime Minister’s press office leads on high-profile, complex and sensitive issues including immigration, crime and justice, the environment and national security. The team oversees both the Prime Minister’s engagements and public communications on these issues, and overarching HMG activity and messaging.
The demands of this post are high. You will:
- have strong media handling skills and extremely good news judgement.
- be an adept writer, able to draft compelling and clear media materials and communications advice to very tight deadlines.
- need excellent interpersonal skills as you’ll be expected to work closely and at ease with senior and junior colleagues across Number 10 and other government departments.
- be a capable briefer, being ready to brief the Prime Minister’s Official spokesperson on a breaking news story ahead of lobby, to representing the Prime Minister’s view at senior cross-Government meetings, to accompanying the Prime Minister on a visit and briefing him on media engagement, to coordinating the Government’s response to an emerging national crisis.
- be flexible to support the wider work of the team, providing support to the Foreign Affairs desk and the wider press office in order to deliver on the PM’s priorities.
Working in the Prime Minister’s Press Office frequently involves working under pressure and to immovable deadlines, as well as routine out of hours work, including duties, and some travel.
Responsibilities
Chief Communications Officer for the Newsdesk
Main duties of the post includes:
- Responsibility for managing the newsdesk team within No10.
- Develop and advise on strategic media plans on the union, including proactive media interventions and visits by the Prime Minister.
- Build and maintain excellent relations with key contacts within No10 and Government departments. This includes maintaining close working relations with political communications colleagues within the bounds of propriety.
- Guide and advise government departments on the presentation, planning and delivery of high profile news events to ensure they’re in line with the PM’s priorities.
- Assess communications risks and advise on media handling of breaking news stories, managing crisis communications as necessary and leading multi-Department activity.
- Prepare the PM’s Official Spokesman for the daily briefings of political correspondents, including drafting pertinent lobby scripts and quality-controlling the scripts of others.
- Staff and run logistics for Prime Ministerial visits, supporting the wider office where necessary.
- Line manage the Senior Communications Officer on the newsdesk
- Playing an active part as a senior member of the communications team, embedding best practice, promoting a positive and collaborative culture, and ensuring the smooth running of the team.
- Provide out of hours duty press officer cover overnight and at weekends on a duty rota basis.
Chief Communications Officer for Home Affairs
Main duties of the post includes:
- Responsibility for overseeing the media work on PM priority issues, including immigration, and for departments including the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice.
- Developing and advising on strategic media plans for the Prime Minister for issues in your portfolio, working closely with the No 10 digital team and using insight and evaluation to deliver across a range of channels.
- Managing the day-to-day output of the Home Affairs press team, including line management of two Senior Communications Officers.
- Building and maintaining excellent relationships with key contacts in Number 10 and across Whitehall. This includes maintaining close working relations with political communications colleagues within the bounds of propriety.
- Guiding and advising government departments on the presentation, planning and delivery of high-profile news events to ensure they’re in line with the PM’s priorities.
- Assessing communications risks and advising on media handling of breaking news stories, including leading xWH responses to major crises.
- Preparing the PM’s Official Spokesperson for daily briefings – drafting lobby scripts and quality controlling the scripts of others.
- Deputising for the Deputy Head of News as required, including at cross-Government calls and meetings.
- Playing an active part as a senior member of the communications team, embedding best practice, promoting a positive and collaborative culture, and ensuring the smooth running of the team.
- Providing out of hours duty press cover overnight and at weekends on a duty rota basis.
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