16048 - Senior Internal Communications Manager, Office of the Public Guardian
Overview
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is a major government department, at the heart of the justice system. The organisation works together to bring the principles of justice to life for everyone in society. Our four strategic priorities to deliver our vision are:
- A prison and probation service that reforms offenders
- A modern courts and justice system
- A Global Britain that promotes the rule of law
- A transformed department
The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) is an executive agency of MoJ. Our role is to support people who may lack the mental capacity to make certain decisions for themselves, such as about their health and wellbeing or financial affairs.
We enable people to plan ahead so that someone they trust can support them, or make certain decisions for them, if they lose capacity in the future. We also supervise people appointed by the court to help manage someone’s affairs where they’ve lost mental capacity. This could be due to age-related conditions such as dementia, mental illness, ill health or an accident.
We are looking for someone with communications experience who’s interested in developing inspiring internal communications for the Office of the Public Guardian. Someone who is a talented, motivated, collaborative and creative communications professional who is keen to lead the team in developing internal communications.
The team advises the agency on all areas of work – from providing communications strategy for major change programmes and our People Plan, to tactical support of staff initiatives. We also maintain the OPG intranet, design and arrange events, produce updates for various internal audiences, storyboard and manage filming of corporate videos and advise all levels of staff on internal communications. The role is varied and challenging, so a capacity for adaptable working and producing high quality work to tight deadlines is vital.
You’ll have a flexible approach, a can-do attitude and excellent relationship management skills. You’ll be a proactive, talented and motivated communications professional who has a passion for producing quality communications materials.
This role includes management of 1 Information Officer and 1 or 2 Assistant Information Officers. It reports to the Head of Communications.
Job description
The post holder will:
- Play a key leadership role in ensuring the internal communications team is effective, innovative and fully supportive of OPG’s business objectives.
- Develop excellent relationships with OPG’s executive team and senior leaders, becoming a trusted adviser.
- Build effective, collaborative relationships with colleagues in MoJ internal communications and across the wider department.
- Ensure effective management of OPG’s programme of internal communications, including overseeing a review of internal channels.
- Oversee the staff intranet and email newsletters, acting as a point of contact for advice and queries from all levels of staff.
- Provide guidance to internal clients on the way in which messages and key themes are communicated, ensuring consistency, clarity and impact.
- Advise major change programme leads on internal communications strategy and work with stakeholder communications colleagues on announcements, articles and briefs.
- Support embedding the ‘engage for success’ enablers in all communications activity.
- Have excellent written and verbal communications skills.
- Have basic design and layout skills.
- Keep abreast of wider government communications initiatives such as the OASIS model, Government Communication Service and Modern Communications Operating Model best practice and personal development.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of communication processes and deliver ongoing improvement.
- Act as an effective ambassador for the communications team in all interactions.
Personal qualities and skills required:
- Strong planning, organisational and people skills, including delivering communication products to deadlines.
- Experience in developing and delivering effective communications strategies and plans.
- Experience of evaluating communications campaigns.
- Good written and verbal communications skills.
- Ability to work under pressure, manage competing priorities and changing deadlines.
- Strong relationship management skills, effective at negotiating and influencing at a senior level.
- Good knowledge of the communications landscape, and the role of digital communication in internal communication.
- Understand and be an advocate for the principles of staff engagement, or wish to develop experience in this area.
Civil Service competencies and behaviours
Setting direction
Seeing the big picture including: Be alert to emerging issues and trends which might impact or benefit own team’s work
Delivering results
Delivering at pace including: Successfully manage, support and stretch self and team to deliver agreed goals and objectives
Details of the Civil Service competencies can be found online: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-competency-framework
Government Communication Service specialist competencies and behaviours
Insight
Core including: Develop measurable communication objectives to support the delivery of priorities
Ideas
Core including: Design integrated communication plans. Determine evaluation criteria and consider how to assess the impact of communication
Implementation
Core including: Establish relationships with a range of stakeholders to support delivery of business outcomes
Impact
Core including: Analyse evidence to assess effectiveness of communication and identify lessons learned
Details of these competencies can be found online: https://gcs.civilservice.gov.uk/professional-development/competency-framework/
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 salary sacrifice arrangements for childcare vouchers, and voluntary benefits such as retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
- 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.
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.
19/02/2018, 23:55 hours.
Closing date: 19th February 2018 at 23;55 hours
If you require any assistance please call 0845 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or email moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@sscl.gse.gov.uk Please quote job reference.
If you require any assistance please email suzi.carberry@publicguardian.gsi.gov.uk. Please quote the job reference.
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.
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
Interview stage assessments
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.