Digital Content Manager (Content Creation - Photography/Videography) - Croydon - Ruskin Square

Digital Content Manager (Content Creation - Photography/Videography) - Croydon - Ruskin Square About the job

Job summary

Discover a career in your hands at HMRC. Whether you're seeking purpose, growth, or a workplace that gives you a true sense of belonging, hear from some of our employees as they share their story about what it's really like to work at HMRC.

Visit our YouTube channel to watch the full series and come and discover your potential.

Join one of the government's most creative and impactful digital communications teams. HMRC's Press, Digital and External Affairs (P, D&EA) team is responsible for shaping how the public, stakeholders, and employees see and understand the department's work.

Our Digital Communications team leads on visual storytelling, producing a variety of professional content to support major campaigns, press activity, ministerial visits and internal engagement. We deliver content that reaches millions of people every year, from helping individuals get their taxes right to showcasing the department's transformation and leadership.

We're looking for a talented and proactive Digital Content Manager specialising in photography to join us at an exciting time. You'll be part of a close-knit, collaborative content team that values high standards, inclusivity, innovation and continuous learning.

Based in London, you'll work directly with senior leaders, capturing compelling photography that supports strategic communications. You'll have the opportunity to cover high-profile events, announcements, and internal initiatives, producing content that is seen across national media, social platforms, and HMRC's internal channels.
This is a hands-on, creative role for someone with a strong professional portfolio, excellent technical ability and a passion for telling powerful stories through imagery. You'll also support video production when needed and play an active role in building the department's in-house capability.

If you're an experienced photographer who thrives in a fast-paced, purpose-driven environment and you want your work to make a difference, we'd love to hear from you.

To give you a sense of what the team has done here is our showreel: HMRC Digital Communications - Showreel (opens in a new Window)

Job description

We're looking for a creative and technically skilled Digital Content Manager (Content Creation: Photography/Videography) to join HMRC's Digital Communications team.

This is a hands-on role with a primary focus on photography. As the department's lead photographer, you'll be responsible for producing high-quality imagery that supports HMRC's internal and external communications. Based in London, you'll work closely with senior leaders and be able to respond quickly to urgent or high-profile requests.

You'll plan, capture and edit photography for a wide range of content needs, including leadership communications, ministerial visits, campaign launches and internal events. Your work will be featured across HMRC's social media, press materials, intranet and publications, helping shape how we connect with our audiences.

While photography is the core of the role, you'll also support video production when required, particularly on shoots involving senior stakeholders. This may include filming, assisting on set, and ensuring that all content meets brand, accessibility and technical standards.

You'll manage your own workload and equipment, collaborate with colleagues across the Communications directorate, and represent the team on location.

You'll also be responsible for maintaining our photography kit and digital assets, contributing to a high-performing, efficient and forward-thinking team.

Key responsibilities include:

• Acting as HMRC's lead photographer for internal and external communications.
• Capturing high-quality imagery that supports campaigns, press activity, leadership visibility and staff engagement.
• Editing and retouching photographs using industry-standard software.
• Supporting video production when needed.
• Planning and delivering shoots in collaboration with colleagues and senior stakeholders.
• Maintaining and managing professional photography and video equipment.
• Ensuring all content meets HMRC's brand, accessibility and quality standards.
• Responding to short-notice requests in a fast-paced environment.
• Sharing expertise and helping build in-house photography capability.

This is a varied, high-profile role for someone with technical excellence, creative vision, and the confidence to work directly with senior leaders on content that informs, engages and inspires. Staff working in the Press, Digital and External Affairs team at Higher Officer grade and above may be required to join the out of hours on-call rota, full training will be provided.

Person specification

The successful candidate will:

• Act as department's lead photographer, capturing high-quality images for use across internal and external communications.
• Plan, scope, and deliver photography shoots in collaboration with colleagues and senior stakeholders.
• Edit and retouch images to a professional standard using tools such as Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom.
• Manage and maintain photography and video equipment, ensuring the kit is stored securely and ready for use.
• Support video production as needed, including filming, setting up lighting and sound, or assisting on location.
• Respond quickly and professionally to urgent or short-notice content requests, including those involving senior leaders.
• Ensure all visual content is consistent with HMRC's brand guidelines and meets accessibility standards.
• Work closely with colleagues across the Communications directorate to deliver content.
• Represent the Digital Communications team at events and filming days, often in high-profile or sensitive environments.
• Maintain organised archives of photography and video assets, following structured file naming and metadata tagging conventions.
• Share your expertise with colleagues to help develop in-house photography capability and encourage best practice.
• Contribute to the wider creative planning and visual strategy of the Digital Communications team.
• You may be required to participate in the out of hours on-call rota, full training will be provided.

Essential Criteria

• Professional photography experience in a corporate, editorial, or communications setting.
• A strong portfolio demonstrating technical excellence and creative judgement, with examples of people-focused and event photography.
• Proven ability to independently plan, capture and deliver high-quality photography to support strategic communications.
• Advanced proficiency in using professional camera equipment, lenses and lighting setups, including experience shooting in RAW.
• Strong editing and retouching skills using Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom.
• Experience working with senior stakeholders or in high-profile environments, with the confidence to direct subjects during shoots.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and respond to urgent requests.
• A good understanding of accessibility standards in digital content and how they apply to visual media.
• Familiarity with structured digital asset management, including file naming conventions and metadata tagging.
• Willingness to support video production where needed, including filming, audio capture and basic editing, and contribute to wider team objectives.

Behaviours

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing
• Developing Self and Others

Technical skills

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

• Portfolio - Only include a URL to a curated portfolio (maximum 20 photos) title it: 'Link to Portfolio'.
  Showreel (if appropriate) - Only include URL to a short video showreel (maximum 2 minutes) title it: 'Link to Showreel'.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £41,289, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £11,961 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

HMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments. We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs.

We offer a generous leave allowance, starting at 25 days and increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days.

• Pension - We make contributions to our colleagues' Alpha pension equal to at least 28.97% of their salary.
• Family friendly policies.
• Personal support.
• Coaching and development.

To find out more about HMRC benefits and find out what it's really like to work for HMRC hear from our insiders or visit Thinking of joining the Civil Service

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

How to Apply

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide the following:

• A name-blind CV including your job history and previous experiences.
• A 500-word Personal Statement. Your Personal Statement should be used to describe how your skills and experience would be suitable for the advertised role, making reference to the Essential Criteria and Person Specification outlined in the advert.
• A Technical Portfolio. You must only include the URL to a curated portfolio (maximum 20 photos) in the 'Technical Skills' box and title it: 'Link to Portfolio'.
  You may also include a URL to a short video showreel (maximum 2 minutes) in the 'Technical Skills' box and title it: 'Link to Showreel'.
  Your portfolio must consist of work you have personally captured and edited, and should demonstrate:
• Technical ability - for example, your control of lighting, exposure, focus, framing, and post production
• Creativity and storytelling - how well your images convey a narrative or message
• Diversity of subject matter - we expect to see a variety of content, ideally focused on people, events, editorial or campaign-based work. Please do not include links that require a password or login to access. All materials must be fully anonymised and publicly accessible at the time of your application. Applications that do not meet these requirements will not be progressed.

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.

Sift

In the event of a large number of applications being received, an initial sift may be held onyour Portfolio.

At full sift your CV, Personal Statement and technical Portfolio will be assessed, with the successful candidates being invited to interview.

We may also raise the score required at any stage of the process if we receive a high number of applications.

Interview

During the panel interview you will be asked behaviour-based questions to explore in detail what you are capable of, based on the following Behaviours - Managing a Quality Service, Communicating and Influencing and Developing Self and others.

You will also be asked technical questions based on your submitted portfolio. The panel may refer to specific examples you've included, so please ensure you are familiar with the work you've provided and can discuss your creative and technical approach.

Interviews will take place in person in London. Interview details to be confirmed.

Eligibility

Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. We understand mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days(Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we will not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake with your eligibility form, please contact us via: [email protected] - Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example - 'Please re-open my application - [insert vacancy ref] & vacancy closing date [insert date]'.

To check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles - if this applies to you, we'll let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.

Merit List

After interview, a single merit list will be created, and you will only be considered for posts in locations you have expressed a preference for. Appointments will be made in strict merit order in line with the set number of roles in each location.

Criminal Record Check

Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.

Reasonable Adjustments

We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact the UBS Recruitment team via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the "Assistance required" section in the "Additional requirements" page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Additional Security Information

Please note in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for SC is 5 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.

Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers

This role may be suitable for existing HMRC employees who are contractual homeworkers. Occasional attendance to the office will be required where there is a business need. Please consider the advertised office locations for this role when applying and only select locations from the 'location preferences' section that you can travel to.

Terms and Conditions

Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. Where this is an essential requirement, this will be tested as part of the selection process.

HMRC has a presence in every region of the UK. For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences.

Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application(s) will be withdrawn from the process.

Recording of interviews is prohibited unless explicit agreement is sought in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulations.

Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.

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 Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

New entrants will join on the minimum of the pay band.

Please note that, if you are applying for roles on a part-time basis, the salary agreed will be pro-rata, reflective of the working hours agreed within your contract.

If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

For more Information for people applying for, or thinking of applying for, roles at HM Revenue and Customs, please see link: Working for HMRC: information for applicants - GOV.UK.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).