Internal Communications ManagerJobsGoPublic
Job summary
Do you want to work on one or the most exciting transformation projects in the public sector?
The Defence Housing Service (DHS) is being created through the Armed Forces Bill to deliver a step-change in housing for the UK’s Armed Forces and their families following the publication of the Defence Housing Strategy on 3 November 2025, which marked the most significant change to Armed Forces housing in over 50 years. DHS will bring a dedicated focus to improving the homes, communities and lived experience of Service personnel, placing families firmly at the heart of everything it does.
This is one of the most ambitious housing transformation programmes in the UK today. Backed by a £9.2 billion investment, DHS will modernise tens of thousands of homes, introduce a more proactive and customer-focused approach to maintenance, and unlock new opportunities to develop housing on Defence land. DHS will have the focus and agility to deliver change at pace, combining public service values with greater flexibility to build the skills, systems and partnerships needed for the future.
This is a rare opportunity to be part of shaping its culture, influencing how it works, and helping deliver lasting improvements for Service families across the UK.
The Defence Housing team is currently part of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), who respond to the evolving needs of our military personnel, and the ways in which they live, work, train and deploy. We are proud to be the expert partner Defence needs for all their infrastructure requirements. From large scale infrastructure projects such as runways for the F35 fighter jets to net carbon-zero accommodation for our Service families, our activities focus relentlessly on our customers, and our outputs are unique in the UK and across the globe!
DIO , What we deliver every day.
The future delivery model for this team is currently under review and may change as part of potential organisational developments. This could include the team or function transferring to a different employer or organisational structure in the future. Should activities transfer out of the Ministry of Defence existing employees transferring with those activities will maintain the same, or substantially the same, terms and conditions of employment.
Job description
Are you an experienced communications leader who can establish and develop an effective internal communications function in a dynamic and evolving organisation?
We are looking for a Head of Internal Communications to lead a small team and shape how we communicate, engage and connect with colleagues across DHS. As part of a newly forming organisation, you will play a pivotal role in establishing channels, building engagement, and creating a culture where staff feel informed, valued and connected to our mission and values.
Working closely with senior leaders, you will develop and deliver an internal communications strategy that supports organisational priorities and major transformation activity. You will lead communications for the DHS transition programme, ensuring colleagues receive clear, consistent and timely information throughout a period of significant change.
You will establish and manage effective communication channels for a geographically dispersed workforce, using audience insight and feedback to shape engaging content and improve the employee experience. From compelling stories and leadership communications to organisation-wide campaigns, you will ensure communications are inclusive, impactful and aligned to DHS's voice and values.
As a trusted adviser to senior leaders, you will provide expert guidance on staff engagement, change communications and organisational listening. You will also use data, insight and evaluation to measure success, identify opportunities for improvement and demonstrate the impact of communications activity.
This is an exciting opportunity to create and lead an internal communications function from the outset, helping to shape the culture, identity and future of DHS.
What you’ll be doing
Leadership and Team Management
Lead, manage and develop a small internal communications team, setting clear objectives, maintaining high standards, and supporting professional development.
Foster a collaborative and inclusive team culture aligned with DHS values.
Manage team workload and priorities across competing demands.
Drive innovation by identifying and implementing new approaches to internal communications.
Internal Communications Strategy and Planning
Develop and deliver a comprehensive internal communications strategy aligned with organisational objectives and change programme milestones.
Establish and maintain internal communications channels, governance arrangements and planning frameworks for the new organisation.
Identify and capitalise on emerging communications opportunities, channels and trends.
Develop and oversee an annual internal communications plan with clear objectives and evaluation measures.
Provide strategic communications advice to senior leaders on staff engagement, organisational listening and change communications.
Champion staff engagement, maximising dialogue between DIO’s leaders and staff and improving DIO’s organisational listening
Channel Development and Management
Research, establish and manage effective internal communications channels for a geographically dispersed workforce.
Use audience insight to shape channel selection, content and messaging.
Ensure channels are accessible and inclusive for both desk-based and operational staff.
Monitor and evaluate channel effectiveness, adapting approaches based on evidence and feedback.
Change Communications
Lead internal communications for the DHS transition programme, delivering clear and consistent messaging throughout organisational change.
Work closely with HR, programme and leadership teams to align communications with key decisions and programme milestones.
Develop and maintain a compelling change narrative that helps staff understand the purpose and impact of DHS.
Identify and manage communications risks, including information gaps and inconsistent messaging.
Content and Storytelling
Commission and produce high-quality content across a range of formats, including written, video, digital and face-to-face communications.
Work with corporate and delivery teams to identify and share stories that inform, engage and celebrate achievement across the organisation.
Develop and maintain a consistent organisational voice and tone.
Act as a trusted communications adviser to senior leaders, providing support on proactive and reactive issues, including briefings, scripts and all-staff messages.
Insight and Evaluation
Establish mechanisms to gather staff insight and feedback on communications effectiveness, engagement and sentiment.
Use data, evaluation and feedback to continuously improve internal communications activity.
Report on communications performance and staff engagement to senior leaders.
Apply the GCS Evaluation Cycle to measure the outputs, outtakes and outcomes of communications activity.
Person specification
This is a unique opportunity for someone who will bring a strong vision for setting up the internal communications function for the DHS, ensuring new and emerging channels become part of the communications mix. You’ll have a proven ability to do deliver and embed change within teams and bring an innovative approach to the development of both channels and content.
The successful candidate will have excellent stakeholder management skills and will work collaboratively with other communications functions across Defence and a range of business areas and project teams. This role requires a strong leader, who is committed to the development of their team, empowers colleagues to deliver and champions creativity.
Essential criteria
Experience in the internal communications profession, ideally within a complex or large organisation with a dispersed workforce.
Experience in planning, delivering, and evaluating internal communications campaigns using evidence-based approaches.
Proven experience leading and developing a team.
Excellent written and verbal communications skills with ability to adapt tone and style for different audiences, including delivering change communications during organisational transformation.
Strong stakeholder management skills with ability to build relationships across all levels of an organisation.
Ability to work at pace in a complex, ambiguous environment with multiple competing priorities.
Desirable Criteria
An understanding of the housing sector or Defence.
Whilst this role is advertised as a full-time position of 37 hours per week, we recognise the benefits of flexible working and are open to discussing part-time hours, job share arrangements, or other flexible working patterns with suitable candidates. Regular in-person attendance is required (this is expected to be approximately 60% of your working week) to promote the benefits of face-to-face collaboration alongside flexibility of hours to support work-life balance and business need. Initially, you may be expected to attend more frequently to familiarise yourselves with the site, the team, and your role.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
Communicating and Influencing
Leadership
Developing self and others
Making Effective Decisions
Experience
You will be asked questions related to your technical knowledge and/or experience for this role.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
Communicating and Influencing
Leadership
Developing Self and Others
Making Effective Decisions
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £61,630, Ministry of Defence contributes £17,854 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).
25 days’ annual leave plus one day a year up to 30 days after five years, and eight bank holidays
An extra day off to honour the sovereign’s birthday
Flexible and hybrid working wherever possible to support your work-life balance - attending site a few days each week will be required and encouraged, depending on your role and team.
Market-leading employer pension contribution of around 28.97%
Enhanced parental leave schemes
Recognition awards
Access to specialist training and funded professional qualifications
Support for progression
Huge range of discounts – plus more!
The post does not offer relocation expenses (move of home, excess fares or temporary transfer). Non Standard move applicants will be eligible for the full package, subject to eligibility.
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.
Your application will go through the following stages of assessment:
At sift stage, applicants will be required to provide:
A CV in the Job History section, ensuring it clearly demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria outlined in the person specification. We encourage you to use specific evidence from your experience to illustrate your suitability for the role.
A personal statement (no more than 500 words) providing specific examples of how you meet the two most critical criteria for the role. Further guidance is given within the Personal Statement section of the application.
Applications will be assessed against the essential criteria, with each criterion scored on a scale of 1 to 7. An overall score will then be calculated using the average of all criterion scores. To progress beyond the sift stage, applicants must achieve a minimum score of 4 on every essential criterion. This means that even if your overall average score is 4 or higher, you will not progress if you score below 4 on any individual essential criterion.
Please note that, in the event of a high volume of applications, the selection panel reserves the right to increase the overall pass mark.
At interview, you will be assessed against the following Behaviours:
Behaviour 1: Communicating and Influencing
Behaviour 2: Leadership
Behaviour 3: Developing self and others
Behaviour 4: Making Effective Decisions
You will be asked questions related to your technical knowledge and/or experience for this role.
In the event of a tied score at interview, the order of merit will be distinguished based on the ranking of the assessed Behaviours in the order listed above.
Interviews will be held via MS Teams.
We will try and offer as much flexibility as we can, but it may not be possible to offer alternative dates for interviews or assessments.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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 theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Name : NAD Talent Acquisition Team
Email : [email protected]
Recruitment team
Email : [email protected]
Further information
If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance you should contact department via email: [email protected]. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission.
Attachments
Candidate Information Pack Opens in new window (docx, 32kB)DIO Candidate Information Guide Opens in new window (pdf, 1963kB)MOD Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)Defence Internal Brief notice Opens in new window (docx, 25kB)