35258 - Head of External Communication and Engagement

£52,119 - £76,000
1
12 Months
National
National
NATIONAL
Grade 6
Grade 6
Permanent
Full Time
Communications / Marketing, Customer Insight, Senior Leadership, 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

Background:

This is an exciting opportunity for an exceptional communications professional to join the Communications Directorate in HMCTS to promote and support its vital work. You will lead a team to shape and deliver quality communications and engagement activity aligned to business areas and the organisation’s strategic and operational priorities.

Reporting to the Director of Communications, you will help ensure that a complex landscape of stakeholders, including public and professional court users, is engaged with quality content that informs and promotes HMCTS services and priorities. You will bring creativity, rigour and coherence to HMCTS’s proactive external communications and engagement campaigns, stakeholder engagement and digital output. You will also play an important role connecting HMCTS, the MoJ, Judicial Office and the Government Communications Service, representing the HMCTS and enhancing agency activity and plans.

As a fast-paced operational delivery agency undertaking a £1bn reform programme, HMCTS attracts a great deal of media, stakeholder and parliamentary scrutiny which requires high level of proactive and reactive communications management. This underlines the need for a strategic and planned approach to communications and engagement in order to set the agenda as well as respond to it. You will need to operate flexibly and often at pace, ensuring that our messages are consistent across all our reactive and proactive output.

This is a specialist Communications role, that is required to demonstrate capability across the four competency areas – Insight, Ideas, Implementation, Impact - identified in the Government Communications Service competency framework.

Person Specification:

You must be an experienced communications professional, and a strong and visible leader. You will need the confidence and experience to engage with a diverse range of stakeholders

You should be able to demonstrate evidence of:

  • A strong track record delivering successful communication plans and managing teams to deliver.
  • Becoming a trusted advisor and giving clear, evidence based advice to senior individuals such as judges, ministers or others at board level.
  • Being confident and authoritative when speaking on behalf of your organisation, and being able to work productively and effectively outside of it.
  • Good relationship management skills.
  • Understanding the unique challenges of HMCTS in delivering communications.
  • Keeping your professional expertise up-to-date, keeping up to date with industry developments in communication through GCS and other professional networks.
  • Being able to work under pressure for sustained periods – while also maintaining sound judgement
  • Being able to “spot a story” and to develop impactful content for use across audiences and channels

Key Responsibilities:

  • Lead, develop and manage the external communications and engagement team for HMCTS
  • Create and deliver effective integrated communications and engagement plans and ensure key activities are properly resourced and the team is fully integrated within the wider directorate, and aligned with MoJ and Judicial Office communications teams.
  • Develop and refine HMCTS jurisdictional and operational messaging, so that it is part of a cohesive strategic narrative.
  • Drive a robust planning and prioritisation approach to HMCTS communications and engagement. Collaborate and support jurisdictional leads in HMCTS and work closely with MoJ press office to prioritise and align activities to maximise impact. Prioritise and co-ordinate multiple work streams and competing demands.
  • Champion an audience-led approach to all HMCTS communications and engagement, aligned to the HMCTS strategic priorities.
  • Scan and interpret the communications landscape to identify risks to HMCTS reputation and work closely with other senior managers to manage and mitigate these risks.
  • Oversee the delivery of integrated and evidence-based campaigns for HMCTS around key agency issues.
  • Ensure the external communications and engagement team is plugged into sources of insight embedded across the organisation.
  • Oversee the development of HMCTS’s creative content approach, so it contributes to the wider communications strategy.
  • Represent HMCTS in cross-agency and departmental meetings, including with the MoJ and Judicial Office, to influence where necessary, to suggest joint initiatives where appropriate and to contribute to the existing or proposed initiatives of others.
  • Develop and hold the relationship with an external network of communications and engagement leads at key stakeholder organisations. Chair external engagement forums.
  • Ensure the team works with and serves the wider directorate, acting as effective account managers for key HMCTS service areas and strategic themes.
  • Build effective working relationships with relevant Directors to increase the visibility and account management role of the external communications team in supporting the delivery of priority initiatives and to manage expectations effectively.
  • Build effective working relationships with private office and special advisers and take steps to ensure that expert strategic communications advice and support is provided to ministers and to increase the team’s visibility.
  • Deputise for the Director when called upon.
  • You will also take part in an out-of-hours duty rota.

Essential Criteria:

To be successful in this role you should possess the following:

  • Experience in delivering high profile external-facing integrated communications and engagement strategies
  • Experience of leading teams in a multi-disciplinary corporate communications team
  • Experience of using stakeholder insight to develop and deliver communications and engagement activity, which give clear direction across a range of communications disciplines and which drive proven results.
  • Exceptional writing and editorial skills, with experience of creating content for multi-media channels (social media, blogs, events, presentations)

Desirable Criteria:

  • Experience in a communications agency, press office or news room or similar Experience in leading change, matrix working and a knowledge of wider communications disciplines, including internal communications, is also desirable.
  • Understanding of the complex processes and relationships at play inside a government department or agency

Other duties:

The post holder is required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post.

Application Process:

To apply for this position please complete the online application form, ensuring you submit the following two application documents:

  1. An up-to-date copy of your CV which details your experience and achievements
  2. A 750-word statement of suitability which demonstrates your suitability against the Key Responsibilities and Essential Criteria outlined above

Should you be successful at the application stage, please also note that interviews may be required to be conducted via video conference.

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: End of July 2020

08/07/2020, 23:55 hours.

If you require any assistance please call 0845 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com Please quote the job reference - 35258.

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.

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

Experience
CV
Statement of Suitability - 750 word limit

Interview stage assessments

There is 1 interview stage for this vacancy.

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.