RN Spokesperson, Ministry of Defence

Unit Role: To provide communications advice to Minsters and Special Advisers, Chiefs and their policy staff, ensuring consistency of messaging across Defence.

Position Role: RN Spokesman and Senior RN Press Officer within the MOD / RN, responsible for protection and promotion of RN reputation.

Responsibilities:

1.   Enhance and influence RN profile, especially defence of reputation, across national and specialist media outlets..

2.   Develop effective relationships with national, specialist and regional journalists, and MOD, Joint and RN media staff

3.   Act as RN spokesman and lead SME for major Ministerial announcements on RN matters.

4.   Identify, develop, coordinate, and if required, execute RN media opportunities.

5.   Consolidate and exploit positive coverage from RN’s contribution to Operations. Consolidate and exploit positive coverage from RN’s contribution to Operations.

6.   Provide news media advice to 1SL, ACNS and senior Navy staff on immediate news matters, running and potential stories relating to Navy business and reputation.

7.   Coordination of strategic media ops input to CDS directives for Operations and presentational aspects of Min Subs.

8.   As a Service SME planning advisor in Defence media, contribute to effective audience focused long-term communications plans for Defence.

Pre Appt/Deployment Trg: Defence Communicators Course, Introduction to Government Communications

Domestic Considerations: On call 24/7. Routinely required to provide advice out of normal hours

Must be a serving Regular or Maritime Reserve OF4 or Ex-Regular OF4 of ANY specialisation, MEDIA specialist preferred.

Communicates clearly both orally and in writing. Must be personable, credible and optimistic. Diplomacy skills essential and must build relationships quickly based on trust.

Intuitive understanding of wider defence, political and media contexts required. Integrity both internally and externally must be upheld.

Quick witted and alive to the wider implications of seemingly innocuous events or comments.   Incisive and able to react independently and appropriately on limited guidance.

Often operates independently and provides spokesperson comments out of hours without direction.   Anticipating media angles a key requirement.

Requires a strategic outlook and broad knowledge of defence context.

Credibility with media vital to job.

Credibility with Journalists

Applicants will undergo an initial eligibility sift. Successful applicants will have their details forwarded to the Post Sponsor to arrange interviews. Unsuccessful applicants will be advised accordingly.

Following interviews; the successful applicant will be informed that they are the Preferred Candidate with details being sent to the CM RES FTRS Cell who will continue the recruitment process. Unsuccessful applicants will be advised accordingly.

Once the recruitment process is complete then the Preferred Candidate will be invited to take up FTRS.

INITIAL COMMITMENT LENGTH WILL BE UNTIL 3 SEP 21 WITH POTENTIAL TO EXTEND

NB: Where the Anticipated Start date has already passed, the start date will be ASAP

Eligibility for FTRS/ADC

Any member of the Maritime Volunteer Reserves (RNR, RMR) or the Royal Fleet Reserves (RFR) (Ex-Regular Reserve) may volunteer to undertake a period of FTRS/ADC. Ex-Regular personnel whose RFR liability has run out may be re-instated to take up FTRS/ADC.

Applicants undertaking a period of FTRS/ADC must be suitably qualified by rank, specialisation, qualifications and experience to fill the posts for which they apply. Applications will be accepted from reservists who hold one rank or more above or one rank only below the advertised rank. Applicants one rank below may be employed in the acting higher rank if they are suitable, qualified and meet current promotion regulations in all respects. Applicants prepared to serve in a position at a lower rank then the rank worn will be appropriate to that of the position. Exceptions will not normally be considered.

Applicants must also be medically fit to fulfil the duties which their Commitment will require them to undertake. Personnel who have been discharged P8 permanently unsuitable Naval Service through the MBOS and Employability Board will not be considered.

Applications for this job are to be submitted on the FTRS Job Application Form which should be emailed to:

NAVYPCAP-CMRESFTRS-MAILBOX@mod.gov.uk

Please use the phrase “Job Application for (followed by job title and reference number)” in the Subject line.

Suitable candidates will be informed about the next stage of the process approximately 2 weeks after the closing date.