85308 - Internal Communications Assistant
Salary range (depending on location):
Please note that unless you are currently employed by the Civil Service and are earning more than the minimum above, if successful you will be offered the minimum for the grade depending on your location.
Location:
National Occasional travel to London will be required
Directorate:
MoJ Communications directorate
Team:
LAA Internal Communications Team
Working Pattern:
The post is supported by the MoJ flexible working policy and includes colleagues who work flexibly, remotely (as part of hybrid working), part time or as part of a job share etc.
If you are applying for a part time role, please note that in order to meet business demands we need cover for a minimum of 22 hours and to cover 3 days of the week.
To meet legal requirements, if you are between the ages 16-18 and you are a successful candidate, you will be required to complete an apprenticeship after your initial on-the-job training.
Reporting to:
Head of LAA internal communications
About us
Are you interested in joining the Government communications profession?
This is a great opportunity to join one of the most creative, proactive, successful (and happy) teams in government.
You will play a crucial role in developing and delivering outstanding communications to inform and inspire staff, working to the high standards set out by the Government Communication Service.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is one of the largest government organisations with more than 80,000 staff in offices, courts, and prisons across the country. The organisation works together to bring the principles of justice to life for everyone in society, through a focus on delivery swift access to justice; protecting the public; and reducing reoffending.
The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is an executive agency of MoJ with offices across England and Wales. Our role is to provide civil and criminal legal aid and advice to help people deal with their legal problems.
The LAA internal communications team leads on communication to LAA staff, working closely with colleagues in MoJ HQ communications.
We advise our senior leaders and other colleagues on communications plans for the LAA’s priorities and work on everything from crisis communications to staff engagement campaigns.
We were shortlisted for the Institute of Internal Communication best public sector team award in 2021 and received an ‘Award of Excellence’ for our work keeping colleagues connected during the pandemic.
The role is varied and challenging, so candidates should be adaptable, creative, and collaborative, with an ability to produce high-quality work to tight deadlines when necessary.
Across MoJ we are guided by our shared values - purpose, humanity, openness, and togetherness. We believe in our purpose, providing justice for our society; we care about each other and those we work with, we show them humanity; we are open to learning and innovating,
both in ourselves and the things we do; and we want to work together, collaborating with colleagues throughout MoJ and far beyond.
We provide a flexible culture including hybrid working, job-sharing, and part-time work to support our people be the best they can be.
In this role you will be part of the Government Communication Service (GCS), the professional body for government communicators - https://gcs.civilservice.gov.uk/.
Job Summary
We are looking for an internal communications assistant to be part of a high-performing team, working in an exciting environment, developing new skills to build a career at the heart of government.
The successful candidate will receive support from a talented, brilliant team who have led creative award-winning internal communications campaigns.
You will have an interest in and flair for innovative communications which will engage the LAA’s 1,200 staff in delivering priorities and supporting organisational and culture change. You’ll have a flexible approach, a can-do attitude and excellent relationship management skills. You will help to drive forward the delivery of the LAA internal communication strategy which has an ambitious programme of work including leadership engagement events, staff awards and planning, designing and implementing campaigns.
You will play your part in ensuring that LAA’s staff understand and buy in to our organisation’s vision and mission, our shared values, and our current priorities.
Learning, development, and wellbeing are integral parts of the offer as you’ll be supported to develop your career and grow your knowledge of communications in the Civil Service, exploring what skills you want to develop by working with other comms colleagues on cross-cutting projects.
You will also have access to the Government Communication Service training curriculum where you can take part in on-demand webinars, live courses, podcasts and have access to guidance and reading lists to help build your personal development plan.
As part of the MoJ corporate communications team you will be able to identify opportunities relevant to the LAA and work collaboratively with colleagues to ensure MoJ priorities and messages are reflected throughout LAA channels.
Key responsibilities:
• Develop creative ideas, design and layout skills and ability to support the delivery of internal staff campaigns highlighting the impact of their work administering legal aid.
• Manage the LAA staff intranet including ensuring all pages and guidance are up to date, building a network of content editors and have oversight of all page content.
• Write and edit creative content for corporate channels including blogs, intranet news stories and staff newsletters.
• Filming and editing of staff video messages.
• Team administration including monitoring of the communications inbox and support with events such as the annual LAA staff awards ceremony.
• Build strong relationships with all parts of the agency and wider MoJ communications directorate to understand priorities and provide communications advice.
• Gain experience of using insight to inform communications and ensure all activity is evaluated in line with the GCS evaluation framework.
Essential Knowledge, Experience and skills
• Effective planning, organisational and people skills, including delivering outcomes to tight deadlines.
• Experience in delivering projects from planning through to delivery.
• Experience of evaluating the success of projects and tracking data.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills.
• Creativity and the ability to spot opportunities for dynamic, exciting content for different audiences.
• An eye for design and experience in producing products in services like Word, PowerPoint and Canva
Desirable Knowledge, Experience, and skills
• Video editing skills and experience of using Adobe premiere pro.
• Experience of working on communications projects and campaigns
Person Specification
• Ability to work under pressure, manage competing priorities and changing deadlines.
• Able to build and maintain effective relationships, effective at negotiating and influencing.
• Have an interest in the communications profession, and the role of digital communication.
• Enjoys working collaboratively with the team, key stakeholders, and other government departments.
• Approaches new challenges with enthusiasm and drive.
Assessment approach
Application Process
To apply please submit a CV and statement of suitability showing how you meet the essential criteria in no more than 700 words.
Your statement should demonstrate your ability to do all of the essential criteria listed, using examples can help strengthen your application.
If a large number of applications are received these will be sifted against the lead criteria of Effective planning, organisational and people skills, including delivering outcomes to tight deadlines.
Interview / assessment Process
If you are successful through the application stage, you will be invited to an interview / assessment centre in person or via Microsoft Teams where you will be assessed against the following:
• Strengths relevant to the role
• All or some of the following behaviours:
▪ Managing a Quality Service - Work with customers to understand their needs and expectations. Create clear plans and set priorities which meet the needs of both the customer and the business. Clearly explain to customers what can be done. Keep colleagues and stakeholders fully informed of plans, possibilities and progress. Identify common problems that affect service, report them and find
possible solutions. Deliver good customer service which balances quality and cost effectiveness.
▪ Delivering at Pace - Regularly review the success of activities in the team to identify barriers to progress or challenging objectives. Identify who and what is required to ensure success, set clear goals and areas of responsibility and continually assess workloads considering individual needs. Follow relevant policies, procedures and legislation to complete your work. Ensure colleagues have the correct tools and resources available to them to do their jobs. Have a positive and focused attitude to achieving outcomes, despite any setbacks. Regularly check performance against objectives, making suggestions for improvement or taking corrective action where necessary. Ensure that colleagues are supported where tasks are challenging.
▪ Government Communication Competences at IO level
▪ Ideas - AIOs/IOs (Civil Service Levels 1 & 2) Are delivering communication activity and developing their career and key skills.
• Engaging People
▪ Leading and Communicating
▪ Express ideas effectively, both orally and in writing, and with sensitivity and respect for others.
• Delivering Results
▪ Achieving Commercial Outcomes
▪ Be aware of and comply with Departmental procurement processes and know when to access commercial expertise.
▪ Insight - AIOs/IOs (Civil Service Levels 1 & 2) Are delivering communication activity and developing their career and key skills.
• Setting Direction:
▪ Seeing the Big Picture
▪ Keep up to date with a broad set of issues relating to the work of the Department.
▪ Gather information from a range of relevant sources inside and outside the Department to inform own work.
▪ Making Effective Decisions
▪ Undertake appropriate analysis to support decisions or recommendations.
• Engaging People
▪ Collaborating and Partnering
▪ Demonstrate an interest in others and develop a range of contacts outside own team to help get the job done.
• Your Experience of implementing, promoting, or understanding diversity and inclusion policy
• A presentation exercise assessing you against the Government Communication competences -
▪ Implementation –
• Engaging People
• Leading and Communicating
▪ Write clearly in plain, simple language and check work for spelling and grammar, learning from previous inaccuracies.
▪ Express ideas effectively, both orally and in writing, and with sensitivity and respect for others.
• Delivering Results
• Achieving Commercial Outcomes
▪ Check suppliers and partners are providing relevant and timely data to monitor contracts.
▪ Delivering Value for Money Monitor resources against plans and budget, identify and flag up variances.
• Delivering Results
• Managing a Quality Service
▪ Promote adherence to relevant policies, procedures, regulations and legislation, including equality and diversity and health and safety.
▪ Impact –
• Delivering Results
▪ Managing a Quality Service
▪ Identify common problems or weaknesses in policy or procedures that affect service and escalate these.
Details of the Government Communication Service technical skills can be found online:
https://gcs.civilservice.gov.uk/professional-development/competency-framework/
If you would like more information on this opportunity, please contact – Louise Fulton
louise.fulton@justice.gov.uk
Working Arrangements & Further Information
The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.
For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.
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.
MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer.
All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.
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
Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.
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.
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.
Eligibility
Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.
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 moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
- Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
- Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.
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
- To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com);
- To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management-office@justice.gov.uk);
- To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.
You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team.
For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please see our Disability Confident Scheme Frequently Asked Questions webpage.
We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.
28/03/2024, 23:55 hours.
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.
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.