Communications and Engagement Manager – Artificial Intelligence Programme

We are looking for an experienced communicator to promote the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory’s work in the area of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to our key stakeholders.

Part of Dstl’s role is to help the Ministry of Defence understand how it can responsibly and ethically adopt AI in order to deter and de-escalate conflict, save lives and reduce harm. From putting AI on-board Royal Navy ships, to using machine learning for bio-imaging, Dstl is at the heart of innovations in AI, data science and machine learning for the defence and security of the UK.

We work in partnership with specialists from academia, industry and allied nations to understand and develop a broad spectrum of techniques for performing tasks and discovering insights from data using automatic processes.

We are looking for someone to communicate the impact of our work and enhance our engagement and interaction with key customers and suppliers externally, and communicate news and opportunities across the internal AI community.

You will be experienced in developing key messages to support our purpose and motivate and inspire others to act as ambassadors for Dstl. You will have experience planning and delivering engagement events for a range of stakeholders.

You will work with the AI Programme and the Dstl Communications Team, identifying how to engage diverse audiences, and bring the programme to life through creative content, campaigns, and events.

Dstl recognises the importance of diversity and inclusion as people from diverse backgrounds bring fresh ideas. We are committed to building an inclusive working environment in which each employee fulfils their potential and maximises their contribution.

We particularly welcome female and ethnic minority applicants and those from the LGBTQI community, as they are under-represented within Dstl at these levels.

In this role you will:

• Own and lead Dstl’s AI Programme comms strategy – and drive effective strategies and plans that inform, engage and develop our key messaging.
• Lead on all communications projects and requirements concerning the AI programme - reporting directly to the AI Programme through the Research Integration project, and working within the External Communication Unit in the wider Communications Team.
• Work closely with the AI Programme and wider AI community across defence and in industry and academia to provide, support and implement high level copywriting and key message support and delivery.
• Lead the delivery of a range of engagement events targeting both internal and external audiences, from learning and development AI hackathons, to 1*+ senior stakeholder showcases.
• Analyse and understand our different audiences – who they are, what information is key for them, how they would best receive and respond to it and where there are opportunities for involvement, engagement and interaction.
• Assure continual development of great communications outcomes by developing, reporting against and hitting a set of stretching but achievable metrics.

We are looking for someone who has:

• The ability to develop, implement and deploy successful communications strategies, campaigns, projects and collateral for different audiences and has a track record of doing so.
• Experience of influencing and partnering senior people to help them to define, buy into and collaborate to deliver key message-led communications plans and campaigns.
• Ability to network and bring together colleagues across partners and agencies operating collaboratively, transparently and productively.
• Experience at developing and delivering digital content and creative solutions (such as use of social media), collaboration and other techniques to improve the effectiveness of communications.
• Experience delivering engagement events which bring people together to interact, network and learn.

For more information on the role, please see the Job Profile attached below.

Important Information:

Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners.

This role will require full UK security clearance and you should have resided in the UK for the past 5 years. For some roles Developed Vetting will also be required, in this case you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years.

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing

Dstl’s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes:

• Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution (find out more here). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme.
• Flexible working: Working options include alternative working patterns, compressed hours, job shares and annualised hours
• Flexible working hours: Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month.
• Annual leave: A generous annual leave allowance starting at 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum.
• Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid
• Learning and Development: Encouragement and support on charterships, accreditations and access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Paid memberships with 2 relevant bodies/institutions. Employees have access to Civil Service Learning.
• Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.

The information pack can be found attached to the job specification on Civil Service Jobs.

Diversity 

We have a number of support networks to ensure all employees feel supported at work. These include the following:

• Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Network
• Race, Faith and Culture Network
• Parents and Carer Support Network
• Alternative Working Network
• Gender Equality Network
• New Starters Network
• Enabled Network, for people with visible and non-visible disabilities.

We are proud supporters of Women in Data®.  Connect, engage and belong to the largest free female data community in the UK – visit: www.womenindata.co.uk to join our community.