Head of Campaigns

The Electoral Commission; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Flexible working

28+ days holiday

London weighting

Job summary

A government regulatory body in the UK is seeking a Head of Campaigns and Voter Materials to lead major public awareness initiatives. The successful candidate will oversee national campaigns, ensuring that voters receive clear information about elections while managing substantial budgets. The ideal leader will have extensive experience in public communications, campaign management, and a proven track record of achieving engagement goals. This role offers a hybrid working model with excellent benefits, including a Civil Service Pension Scheme and flexible working conditions.

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading large-scale public awareness or marketing campaigns.
• Strong understanding of applying behavioural science to improve campaign effectiveness.
• Proven experience managing agency contracts and complex supplier relationships.
• Confidence managing substantial budgets within statutory or regulatory constraints.
• Track record of inclusive leadership, developing high-performing teams through change.
• Ability to interpret legislative or policy change and translate it into clear public communications.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and delivery of high-profile public awareness campaigns.
• Set strategic direction for public awareness campaigns.
• Manage substantial budgets and ensure campaigns remain within statutory limits.
• Oversee development and maintenance of accurate, accessible voter forms.
• Manage budgets, forecasting spend, ensuring activity remains within statutory limits.
• Provide inclusive leadership to a multidisciplinary team and foster collaboration.
• Support voters' participation and resilience of the democratic process.

Skills

Leadership

Campaign management

Public communications

Behavioural science application

Budget management

Policy change to comms translation

Regulated/public sector experience

Job description

Basis: Permanent, full time, 36 hours per week

London-based employees receive an additional £3,217 London weighting.

A £312 tax-free working from home allowance is also payable annually.

Location: Cardiff, Belfast or Edinburgh (Hybrid – minimum 2 days in office) or Remote (UK)

Benefits: Outstanding benefits including Civil Service Pension Scheme, flexible working, 28+ days holiday, and more.

About the Electoral Commission

The Electoral Commission is the UK’s independent body overseeing elections and regulating political finance. Everything we do is about ensuring trust, participation, and integrity in the democratic process.

As we enter a bold new chapter under our five-year Corporate Plan, we are increasing our workforce and transforming how we plan and deliver core services.

About the role

This is a senior leadership role with national impact.

As Head of Campaigns and Voter Materials, you will lead the design and delivery of the Commission’s high‑profile public awareness campaigns, ensuring voters across the UK have clear, accurate and timely information about elections and how to take part.

You will also oversee the Commission’s voter forms function, ensuring all materials meet legislative requirements, are accessible, and support both voters and electoral administrators.

Key aspects of the role include:

• Setting the strategic direction for UK‑wide public awareness campaigns, adapting content in response to legislative change, so that voters have accurate, up‑to‑date information.
• Leading the delivery of high‑profile, multi‑million‑pound campaigns that drive voter registration, participation and engagement.
• Acting as the senior client for creative and media buying agencies, ensuring strong performance, evaluation and value for money.
• Overseeing the development and maintenance of accurate, accessible voter forms.
• Managing significant budgets, forecasting spend, and ensuring campaign activity remains within statutory limits.
• Providing inclusive, visible leadership to a multidisciplinary team, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement.
• This role plays a critical part in helping voters confidently participate in elections and in supporting the resilience of the UK’s democratic system.

About the team

You will lead the Campaigns and Voter Materials Team, a specialist team combining expertise in public communications, marketing, and accessibility.

The team works collaboratively across the Commission and with external partners to deliver campaigns and materials that are evidence‑based, inclusive and trusted by voters and stakeholders.

The culture is professional, supportive and outward‑looking, with a strong focus on learning, innovation and continuous improvement.

Who we’re looking for

This role would suit an experienced senior communications or campaigns leader who is motivated by public impact and complex national delivery.

You are likely to bring:

• Significant experience leading large‑scale public awareness or marketing campaigns, including paid‑for advertising.
• Strong understanding of applying behavioural science and insight to improve campaign effectiveness.
• Proven experience managing agency contracts and complex supplier relationships.
• Confidence managing substantial budgets and operating within statutory or regulatory constraints.
• A track record of inclusive leadership, developing high‑performing teams through change.
• The ability to interpret legislative or policy change and translate it into clear, effective public communications.
• Experience working in a regulated, public sector or politically sensitive environment would be advantageous, but is not essential.

Why work for us?

This is a rare opportunity to shape national media campaigns seen by millions of people across the UK and to make a direct contribution to democratic participation.

We offer a strong total reward package, including:

• Flexible working and hybrid model (40% office minimum)
• 28 rising to 30 days annual leave + bank holidays
• Study support for professional qualifications
• Ongoing learning and development opportunities
• Ride2Work, eye care vouchers and more

How to apply

We are committed to fair and inclusive recruitment. To help reduce unconscious bias and ensure all applicants are assessed solely on their skills, knowledge and experience, we use an anonymous recruitment process.

When applying, please provide an anonymised CV which omits your protected characteristics and any personally identifiable information:

Do not include

• Your name, address, phone number, email or other contact details
• Your date of birth or age
• Gender, ethnicity, nationality or other personal identifiers
• A photo of yourself
• Educational dates (as these indicate age)
• Primary education details
• Your employment history including employers and dates of employment
• Explanation for gaps in your history
• Your duties, responsibilities and achievements
• If your CV contains personal details (such as your name or contact information), we will be unable to consider your application. Please double‑check your documents before submitting, including the file name you use to save and upload your CV.

The Electoral Commission is proud to be a Level 2 Disability Confident Employer. As part of this commitment, we aim to prioritise interviews for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria listed in the job description.

There may, however, be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria. For example, during periods of exceptionally high application volumes or seasonal recruitment activity, the Commission may need to limit the overall number of interviews offered to both disabled and non‑disabled applicants.

If you have a disability and would like to be considered under this commitment, please indicate this when you apply. We also welcome requests for reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process or within the workplace.

Key dates

• Application deadline: 24th February 2026 (23:59)
• Interviews (1st stage): 19th & 20th March 2026
• Interviews (2nd stage): End March 2026 TBC

Applicants applying for a London‑based role should expect to attend interviews in person. For applicants in devolved nations, interviews may be conducted virtually via Microsoft Teams.