What’s it like to be a Senior Communications Manager in the Government Communication Service?

Having spent eight years in the private sector working across PR, marketing and strategy, I made the jump across to the Civil Service in November 2018 and joined the GCS Flex Team as a Senior Communications Manager.

Joining the Civil Service was something I had always wanted to do, and in this new role working across departments on short-term placements, I was to be at the heart of government campaigns. When I told people where I was moving to for work, it was always ‘that’s a perfect job for you’.

Already in my time in the GCS Flex Team, I have worked on key high profile campaigns: the GREAT Trade Campaign at the Department for International Trade; EU Exit; CyberAware at the Home Office; Take Five at the Home Office; and Britain Helps at the Home Office to name but a few. These campaigns have tested my skills and I have been privileged to work with dedicated people who are willing to share their knowledge but also learn from my skillset and experience.

Taking responsibility for your own learning and development

Being in a department for 3-6 months at a time can be quite overwhelming at first, but is massively rewarding. You have to pick up your brief quickly and start making an impact from day one. You’re there to deliver results and looked to for expert advice that we bring from working across Whitehall and beyond.

Of course, not everyone in government will be switching departments as regularly as the Flex team. However, with the new GCS career framework, all of us in government communications are being tasked to think about how our career could develop in the future, and what skills and knowledge we might need to be able to go further.

One of the most important things for anyone looking to develop a career in the civil service is to keep adding new skills – and building on those we already have.

If you want to learn about something, go learn about it. Be curious and jump at any opportunities that arise.