34604 - Head of Content and Channels

£52,845 - £63,500
1
12 Months
London
London
102 PETTY FRANCE (MOJ) LONDON, SW1H 9AJ
Grade 7
Grade 7
Permanent
Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share
Communications / Marketing, Digital

We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce and pride ourselves as being an employer of choice. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity

The Ministry of Justice deals with a vast range of issues that have a profound impact on people’s lives. We are at the heart of the justice system, an organisation working to bring the principles of justice to life for everyone in society.

We are expanding our digital team, and are looking to appoint a second Head of Content and Channels to co-lead our busy and high-performing digital communications team. It’s a role that is both challenging and rewarding, requiring someone with exceptional leadership skills, strong creativity and an ability to manage multiple priorities at any one given time to tight deadlines.

Leading a team

The focus of this role will be co-leading a fantastic and growing digital communications team. Our digital team is well-regarded in the department and across government for its high-impact creative content, and this role will be key in ensuring we continue to build on our reputation and engage ever more deeply with our audiences.

The policy issues we deal with can be complex, and we’re looking for someone who can quickly understand and make decisions about how to communicate policy via digital channels, manage multiple priorities, and provide inspiring leadership to our creative and empowered digital team. You will have responsibility for the prison, probation and sentencing portfolio, and work alongside our existing Head of Content and Channels who leads the courts and justice side.

You will be responsible for ensuring the team is a happy, supportive and inclusive place to be; that difference is encouraged and celebrated; and that everyone is supported and empowered to do their very best work.

In return for this hard work, we will offer you an incredibly supportive and creative work environment, where you will be empowered, challenged (in a good way) and able to make a difference every day.

You will report in to the Head of Digital, Insight and Evaluation.

Digital engagement and creative content

Every day, the digital communications team commissions, creates and posts high volumes of creative content for our campaigns and priority areas, ranging from prison reform to support for victims. It’s an extremely fast-paced and ever-changing environment, and you will play a key role in ensuring we are staying ahead of the curve in the way we produce and share our digital content.

You will be constantly pushing and challenging the team and our partners to develop our creative approach, based on audience insight, and learning from leading organisations and influencers in this space.

You will combine your deep and extensive digital communications experience, with strong influencing and persuasion skills. You will build relationships across government (Number 10, special advisors, ministers) and use your negotiation and influencing skills to make things happen.

Responsibilities

  • Co-lead a growing team of digital experts to ensure our work is the best it can be and really making a difference in people’s lives
  • Have responsibility for the prison, probation and sentencing portfolio, as well as helping to upskill colleagues across the directorate (and beyond) and set a transformative culture
  • Create the space for your team to deliver their best work by prioritising, dealing with complex requests and troubleshooting - this is a crucial aspect of this role, so it’s essential the role holder is able to work at pace and manage multiple competing deadlines
  • Act as a senior ambassador for the team across government, and internally with ministers, private offices and special advisers
  • Manage relationships with our in-house agency Design 102, other agencies and private sector providers as needed

Person specification 

  • Proven senior leadership experience in the digital sphere - managing people, teams and complex work streams
  • The ability to work well under pressure and manage multiple priorities to tight deadlines
  • Proven experience in influencing senior leaders in communication strategies
  • A passion for, and detailed knowledge of, digital communications and industry best practice
  • A data-led approach, with the ability to interpret and learn from qualitative and quantitative research and performance data
  • A thorough understanding of the government’s MCOM2 model (including OASIS), as well as experience of working with ministers to deliver material at pace
  • Excellent written and oral communications skills reflecting the need to explain complex policy areas to non-specialist audiences in a clear and engaging way.

 

Application process

We will be using success profiles to assess your communication and leadership abilities.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and provide examples of Civil Service behaviours (PDF) and competences based on the Government Communication Professional Competency Framework (PDF).

Behaviours

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

  • Leadership
  • Seeing the Big Picture
  • Delivering at Pace

And these GCS competences:

  • Comms – Ideas: Digital
  • Comms – Insight: Digital

 

Further information

To discuss the role, please contact amy.khan@justice.gov.uk - I’m happy to talk more about the process and the person we are looking for.

Working Arrangements & Further Information

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

Flexible working hours

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices.

Benefits

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

Annual Leave

Generous allowances for paid holiday starting at 25 days per year, and rising as your service increases. There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Pension

The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Training

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Support

  • A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
  • Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits,retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
  • For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers
  • Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
  • Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Networks

The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

1-      To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com);

2-      To Ministry of Justice Resourcing (resourcing-services@justice.gov.uk);

3-      To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity.

There is a guaranteed interview scheme (GIS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Grading Structure Review

The Ministry of Justice is currently undergoing a review of posts which are currently graded at Band A to realign our grading structure with the majority of the wider Civil Service.

Posts advertised at Band A may be graded at either Grade 6 or Grade 7 once the review has taken place.  

Expected week commencing 15th June.

03/06/2020, 23:55 hours.

If you require any assistance please call 0845 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or email MoJ-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com Please quote the job reference

To discuss the role, please contact amy.khan@justice.gov.uk - I’m happy to talk more about the process and the person we are looking for.

Security Clearance (SC)

To apply for roles in MOJ you will need to confirm your employment history for at least 3 years prior to the date of application so that pre-employment checks (BPSS) can be undertaken. If you have spent significant time abroad (a total of 6 months in the past 3 years) you would be required to give a reasonable account of the reasons why. 

For some roles you will be required to successfully complete National Security Vetting at Counter Terrorism (CTC), Security Clearance (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV) level as a condition of appointment. To meet CTC/SC/DV requirements you will normally need to have been resident in the UK for at least 3/5/10 years prior to the date of application (The level of checks that are required are stated in the advert).

If you do not meet the above requirements, you may still be considered if, for example:

  • You've been serving overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of HM Government
  • You were studying abroad
  • You were living overseas with parents

In such cases you will need to be able to provide referee cover for the period(s) of residence overseas. The duration of overseas residence and the country of abode will also be taken into account.

Success Profiles will enable a fairer and more inclusive method of recruitment by enabling us to assess the range of experiences, abilities, strengths, behaviours and technical/professional skills required for different roles. This flexible approach to recruitment focuses more on finding the right candidate for the specific role. To find out more about Success Profiles to support your application please click here for further guidance.

In the event that we receive a large volume of applications we reserve the right to conduct the sift based on one lead behaviour. The chosen lead behaviour for this campaign is Leadership.
if you feel that your application has not been treated in line with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance

We have provided detail of the assessment stages and areas being assessed to help you prepare for completing your application form, and to advise of what will be assessed following this, if you successfully pass the application stage.


Application form stage assessments

Behaviours
Leadership - 250 word limit
Delivering at Pace - 250 word limit
Seeing the Big Picture - 250 word limit
Experience
CV
Technical Skills
Comms – Ideas: Digital - 250 word limit
Comms – Insight: Digital - 250 word limit
A sift based on the lead behaviour, Leadership, may be held if a large number of applications are received. If a large number of applications remain after the initial sift, your application will be progressed to a full sift, where all behaviours will then be considered.

Interview stage assessments

There is 1 interview stage for this vacancy.
Behaviours
Leadership
Delivering at Pace
Seeing the Big Picture
Technical Skills
Comms – Ideas: Digital
Comms – Insight: Digital
Additional Assessment(s)
Presentation

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit : https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ are committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ are able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidate's will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

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) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families

· 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) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

This Vacancy is closed to applications.