Senior Internal Communications Manager, Leeds

Job summary

This role provides an exciting opportunity to be part of a dynamic, outcome focused and innovative team of internal communications professionals. Our internal communications team is recognised across government as setting the standard for best practice and supporting our Permanent Secretary and senior team to engage leaders and colleagues in the departments vision, priorities and values as it delivers massive reform and a huge transformation agenda.

Working in the Department for Work and Pensions internal communications team is an exciting, inspiring opportunity that will challenge and develop you as a communications leader. You will be working on high profile initiatives, helping to shape communications on issues that directly influence tens of thousands of colleagues, communities and everyday lives across the country.

This is a fantastic opportunity to work in a department that touches the lives of citizens the length and breadth of the UK and is at the forefront of government policy reform and delivery. The Department for Work and Pensions is at the heart of the Governments growth and opportunity agenda and employees over 85,000 colleagues. The departments Strategic Communications Directorate plays a critical role in managing the reputation of this department that serves over 22 million customers every year.

We welcome applications from outstanding candidates across government, the private sector and the third sector who want to apply their expertise in delivering impactful internal communications at scale to support understanding, drive engagement and deliver quality business outcomes. This role offers the opportunity to shape thinking that affects tens of thousands of colleagues up and down the country, with direct access to the most senior leaders in the UKs biggest government department.

Were looking for a dynamic and creative internal communications leader to join us and support our mission to deliver outstanding internal communications and have the confidence to innovate and adapt in a fast-changing environment.

If this sounds like the right fit for you, we would love to hear from you!

Location: Leeds or Sheffield with regular travel to London and other DWP offices across the country

Regular time in the office is essential with the Senior Internal Communications role because of business need, with the need to work closely with key stakeholders that include the Permanent Secretary and other senior leaders; colleagues and internal stakeholders as well as other Communications colleagues to drive collaborative communication outcomes.

Job description

As Senior Internal Communications Manager, youll head up one of our pivotal internal communications teams, promoting and enabling effective two-way communications and leadership and colleague engagement across the department and into the Civil Service.

Youll lead the development of strategies, tools, channels and messaging. As well has having a strategic mindset and political awareness, you will also need to deliver against tight deadlines and with competing priorities.

Youll act a trusted adviser to the most senior leaders in the organisation, using insight and your professional credibility to influence and engage. You will see the bigger picture and help your stakeholders join the dots on the most important communications and engagement challenges.

Youll be responsible for leading the strategic planning for a variety of internal audiences, ensuring effective fit with DWPs external communications, the Executive Teams vision and being mindful of broader government priorities and the external climate.

Youll be a strong internal communications business partner for DWP Groups and represent internal communications on departmental change programmes.

Youll:

• Act as a trusted advisor, providing strategic advice, constructive challenge and coaching to the Permanent Secretary and Executive Team and other key senior decision makers to make sure our communications resonate with colleagues, using creative approaches to drive engagement.
• Provide exceptional leadership and line management to your team and lead collaboratively across the wider internal communications function and communications directorate.
• Lead your team to gather intelligence and insight and analyse the effectiveness of internal engagement to help inform current and future engagement strategies.
• Lead your team to develop strategic, planned and focused internal communications which are fully aligned with DWPs wider communications strategy.
• Be the creative driving force behind design, delivery and measurement of effective two-way campaigns that engage our people.
• Be flexible and have an innovation-orientated outlook.
• Develop internal communications talent and build robust succession plans across the department and in the wider cross-Civil Service communications community.

Person specification

Experience Criteria for the Role

Candidates for this role must be able to demonstrate that they can meet the following experience criteria:

Strategic stakeholder influence and advice: you have proven experience of confidently building trusted relationships with the most senior stakeholders across complex organisations to deliver positive communications and engagement outcomes.

People leadership and building capability: you can demonstrate experience of leading, developing and line managing internal communications teams across different locations and specialisms.

Complex internal communication and engagement campaign delivery: you can demonstrate how you bring together the right people and manage competing demands to design and deliver internal communications campaigns that tackle complex engagement challenges effectively.

Reputational awareness: you understand the political and organisational context internal communications in government operates in and can confidently demonstrate how you use good judgement to handle sensitive issues.

Personal communications skills: you have exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with proven ability to craft clear, compelling messages from complex or ambiguous information to tailor content to diverse audiences, and to engage with colleagues and stakeholders with clarity and impact.

Evaluation, insight and continuous improvement leadership: you can confidently demonstrate times when you have driven an insight-led culture in a team that has resulted in the translation of research, data and measurement into clear recommendations for senior leaders.

Sift and Interview Dates:

Our anticipated timetable - which may be subject to change - is as follows:

• Shortlisting will take place commencing08th June 2026
• Interviews will commenceW/C 22nd June 2026
• Interviews will be held in person. Further details will be provided if you are successful and shortlisted.
• To apply for this post please follow the instructions in this candidate pack or the job advert on Civil Service Jobs.
• Please submit your application no later than23:55 08th June 2026

If youre an existing Civil Servant and want to know more about transferring to another Department, refer to your current departments guidance on transfers within the Civil Service.

Candidates should not resign from their current job until all appropriate checks have been successfully completed.

If you have questions about the role, DWP or the application process, please contact

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Strategic stakeholder influence and advice - describe your strategy when influencing a senior stakeholder to change their approach when they are resistant (lead question)
• People leadership and building capability explain the critical steps you have taken to lead an internal communications team through a period of significant organisational change
• Complex internal communication and engagement campaign delivery what are your key considerations when designing and delivering an internal communications campaign to address a complex engagement challenge?
• Reputational awareness describe how you have applied your skills and experience to handle a sensitive internal communications issue that carried significant reputational risk for your organisation.
• Insight
• Ideas
• Implementation
• Impact

We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:

• Strategic stakeholder influence and advice - describe your strategy when influencing a senior stakeholder to change their approach when they are resistant (lead question)
• People leadership and building capability explain the critical steps you have taken to lead an internal communications team through a period of significant organisational change
• Complex internal communication and engagement campaign delivery what are your key considerations when designing and delivering an internal communications campaign to address a complex engagement challenge?
• Reputational awareness describe how you have applied your skills and experience to handle a sensitive internal communications issue that carried significant reputational risk for your organisation.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of 60,272, …