Digital Communications Manager

HMRC; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

HMRC is seeking an analytical communicator to interpret online conversations across social platforms, search behavior and news coverage. You will translate these insights to shape what and how HMRC communicates to audiences.

You will monitor real-time data, build dashboards, and advise colleagues on how to respond to trends, including addressing mis- and disinformation with the RESIST framework.

Qualifications

• Strong news sense with communications/journalism/PR experience.
• Ability to identify and present data trends to influence decisions.
• Solid grasp of social media platforms, Reddit and forums.
• Strong data-analysis skills to improve campaigns and communications.
• Understanding of digital platforms and audience usage.
• Experience with analytics tools (Brandwatch, Pulsar, GA) or similar.
• Interest and understanding of generative AI and AI-powered search.
• Experience using social listening tools for real-time reputation management.
• Experience contributing to or leading mis/disinformation rebuttals.
• Experience applying accessibility and inclusion to digital content and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Deliver multiple strands of digital communication analysis to inform planning and evaluation.
• Conduct real-time monitoring and reporting of social and media data for senior stakeholders.
• Track how AI tools and generative search are changing audience information-seeking behavior.
• Build dashboards translating complex data into clear insights for non-specialists.

Skills

News sense

Data analysis

Communications

Tools

Brandwatch

Pulsar

Google Analytics

Job description

This role sits at the centre of that shift. You will be the person who makes sense of what people are actually saying about HMRC online, across social platforms, search behaviour, news coverage and emerging community spaces such as Reddit, and turns that into insight that shapes what we say, how we say it and when.

As search itself changes, with AI-generated answers, chat interfaces and zero-click results reshaping how people find information, you will help HMRC understand and adapt to how audiences discover and engage with our content in this new environment.

This is a genuinely exciting time to join us. If you are passionate about spotting patterns before anyone else does, thrive at pace, and want your analysis to genuinely shape decisions that matter to people's lives, we want to hear from you.

You will use your news sense to spot and evaluate emerging online trends and conversations and help colleagues understand what they mean for HMRC and its customers.

You will identify opportunities to promote and defend HMRC's work in the digital space, making sense of the multiple digital conversations and trends that affect our work, and advising colleagues on how and where best to respond.

You will lead on the identification and rebuttal of mis- and disinformation on social media, working in collaboration with Press Office and External Affairs colleagues and drawing on the RESIST 3 Counter Disinformation Toolkit.

You will deliver multiple strands of digital communication analysis, including website and social data analytics, to inform campaign planning, daily reporting products, evaluation and future content decisions.

You will conduct real-time monitoring and reporting of social and media data, providing fast-paced insight to colleagues across Press Office, Social Media and External Affairs to protect and enhance HMRC's reputation.

You will track how AI tools, chatbots and generative search are changing the way people find tax and customs information, helping HMRC stay ahead of shifts in search and discovery behaviour rather than simply reacting to them.

You will build and maintain dashboards and reporting products that translate complex data into clear, actionable insight for non-specialist audiences, including senior stakeholders.

You will contribute to the evaluation of campaigns and communications activity in line with the GCS Evaluation Cycle, helping teams move from output metrics towards genuine outcome and impact measurement.

Anyone joining the Press, Digital and External Affairs team at Higher Executive Officer grade and above may be required to join the out of hours on call rota.

You will occasionally be required to travel to other offices for team meetings etc.

Please note that due to the nature of our work, the successful candidate may be required to obtain a higher security clearance level in the future.

Person specification

We are looking for someone with a naturally curious, analytical mind who can move fluently between spotting a story breaking online and explaining, in plain English, what it means and what HMRC should do about it. You will be comfortable working at pace under pressure, but equally rigorous when it comes to evidence, data quality and getting the detail right.You will enjoy working across a wide network of colleagues, from press officers needing insight on an urgent line or issue, to campaign teams needing a six-month insight picture, to senior leaders needing the big-picture context. You will be someone who takes genuine pride in using data and insight to make communications better, not just to report on what has already happened.

Essential criteria

• Strong news sense, with experience gained in communications, journalism, PR or campaigns.
• Ability to identify, articulate and present data trends clearly, in ways that influence decision-making at all levels, including with non-specialist audiences.
• Solid grasp of key social media platforms and social media good practice, including community spaces such as Reddit and other forums.
• Strong grasp of data analysis, with the ability to draw out insight that leads to tangible improvements in campaigns and communications.
• Understanding of different digital communications platforms and how audiences use them differently.
• Understanding of analytics platforms and tools (for example Brandwatch, Pulsar, Google Analytics or similar).
• An interest in, and working understanding of, how generative AI and AI-powered search are changing audience information-seeking behaviour, and a willingness to build expertise in this area.
• Experience using social listening or media monitoring tools to inform real-time reputation management.
• Experience contributing to or leading the identification and rebuttal of mis- and disinformation.
• Experience applying accessibility and inclusion principles to digital content and reporting.