The Department for Energy Security & Net Zero is seeking a creative and skilled Digital Communications Officer to support its mission of promoting energy sustainability and climate action. This role is available in multiple locations, including Aberdeen, Birmingham, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, London, and Salford, with options for flexible working, full-time, part-time, or job share arrangements.
The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience in developing and delivering engaging content across a range of digital platforms, along with a strong understanding of content management systems and established digital best practices. A background in digital media, communications, or a related field is essential, along with excellent research and storytelling skills.
If you’re passionate about public communication and digital innovation, and want to be part of a department driving the UK’s net zero ambitions, apply now to become a Digital Communications Officer with the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero.
Position: Digital Communications Officer
Salary: £34,815 – £41,355 a year
Job Type: Full Time/Part Time, Flexible working, Job share
Location: Aberdeen, Birmingham, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, London, Salford
Job summary
Do you want a career where you can make a real difference? Do you want to work at the forefront of current policy making decisions? Do you want to have an impact on the UK and beyond? If yes, then a career at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) could be for you.
Here at DESNZ we are delivering our mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower, with clean electricity by 2030 and accelerating the UK’s journey to net zero. Our work is helping ensure clean energy for all, keep bills down and seize the opportunities to lead the world in new green industries, taking back control of our energy with Great British Energy and encouraging greater energy efficiency across the UK. The work of the department has never been more timely or relevant, and by joining us you will be part of making that difference.
Our work is varied, interesting and most importantly it’s impactful. Our DESNZ Values are interwoven into everything we do; we are bold, we are collaborative, we are inclusive, and we learn. As a department we are committed to these values to build a culture where everyone can thrive.
We offer great working benefits including a world-class pension, flexible working options and a career where your learning and development is taken seriously. We are enormously proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We support candidates with adjustments throughout our recruitment process. Information about disability confidence and just some examples of the adjustments that you can request can be found in the reasonable adjustment section below.
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.
Find Out More
We regularly run events where you can find out more about the department and tips for the application and interview process. You can sign up for upcoming events here: https://forms.office.com/e/pqUhdr3L72
You can also follow our LinkedIn Careers Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/desnz-careers/
Job description
The DESNZ Internal Communications team is known across Whitehall for its distinctive and high performing employee engagement results. The team is at the heart of DESNZ’s leadership and decision-making and influences departmental culture and behaviour through a high impact programme of communication and engagement.
This is a creative and dynamic role with diverse responsibilities, providing the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in engaging staff in our mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower.
We are keen to push boundaries with our engaged colleagues, and in the last year held our first staff conference, attracting high profile external speakers to motivate and inspire our people. Innovation in how we do things is a key part of our thinking.
As a Digital Communications Officer, your role will be to co-ordinate, design and create user-centred dynamic digital content across our internal channels, including the intranet, video content and digital newsletters which excite and engage our colleagues, deliver impact and raises the profile of the work we do.
You will keep up to date with changing and innovative technologies that can reach diverse audiences, and ensure we are using the right mix of channels to create maximum impact.
Person specification
Key responsibilities
- Develop exciting digital content stories across a range of formats including video, interactive media, photography and written content that engages our colleagues.
- Collaborate with colleagues across the department, to seek user-centred, engaging and relevant stories.
- Use analytics and feedback to develop an understanding of audience needs and motivations and use this to inform future development.
- Manage the departments SharePoint intranet, ensuring content is accurate, accessible, timely and relevant, and also ensuring the department is making the best use of new technological advances.
- Act as first point of contact for colleagues for the department’s intranet, disseminating training materials, advising on standards in tone, consistency, design and accessibility, and troubleshooting basic technical queries.
- Be an advocate for accessible digital content.
- Maintain high editorial standards by ensuring content is fact-checked and accurate.
- Undertake other such duties that from time to time the department may reasonably require which are agreed with you and consistent with the nature and grading of your post.
- Demonstrate commitment to equality and diversity and an understanding of how this commitment applies to this role.
- Regular travel to DESNZ London office will be required.
Essential Criteria
- Experience in digital media, communications or a related area.
- Experience of SharePoint intranets.
- Experience of researching, developing and creating content for a broad range of digital channels.
- Proficient in using content management systems and following good digital practice guidelines.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to write, edit and present interesting, clear and accurate information for different audiences.
- Videography skills.
- Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to work on several projects simultaneously to coordinated deadlines.
Desirable Criteria
- Working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite or similar video editing software.
- Experience of commissioning graphic designers.
- Experience of working within a fast-paced communications environment.
Technical skills
We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Ideas
- Implementation
We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:
- Ideas
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £34,815, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero contributes £10,085 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero offers a competitive mix of benefits including:
- A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
- Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
- A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
- An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
- Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.
- A hybrid office/home based working model where staff will spend a norm of 40-60% of their time in the office (minimum of 40%) over a month with flex dependent on balancing business and individual need.
Office attendance
The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.
After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Judgement Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.
Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 17/08/2025. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement and any technical skills required. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Please use your personal statement (in no more than 500 words) to tell us why your skills and experience make you suitable for this role.
Please note – the CV incorporated into the application form is for information purposes only and will not be scored.
Applications will be sifted on personal statements and any technical skills required.
In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the personal statement.
Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
The interview will consist of technical skills and strength-based questions.
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Further Information
Reasonable Adjustment
We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.
Information about the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) and some examples of adjustments that we offer to disabled candidates and candidates with long-term health conditions during our recruitment process can be found in our DESNZ Candidate Guidance. A DESNZ Plain Text Version of the guidance is also available.
We encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
A location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.
Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
Any move to the Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.
DESNZ does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).
DESNZ cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DESNZ holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland on your behalf.
However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil S’rvice if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
Required Documents
- CV/Resume
- Cover Letter
Application Process
To apply for this role, kindly visit the OFFICIAL WEBPAGE
Application Deadline
August 17, 2025