From keeping drugs out of prisons and cutting crime, to overhauling sentencing laws and delivering justice for victims - the Ministry of Justice is one of only a handful of Government departments that can truly dominate the news agenda.
And our press office, bursting with talent, is widely recognised as the gold standard within government for shaping stories and influencing news across print, broadcast, and online. With a diverse remit including prisons and probation, family justice, legal aid and modernising the courts system, our office is always busy and no two days are ever the same.
We want insightful, highly-motivated people with excellent news judgement to throw themselves into our busy, friendly team.
As a senior media officer, you will help manage a team and be expected to provide leadership for the wider office. Your experience in a busy communications role will have given you regular contact with ministers and you should be able to confidently provide them with proactive media-handling advice on announcements, visits and speeches. You will set up and manage media facilities, organise interviews, draft sharp reactive statements and brief journalists in order to generate and influence our coverage.
About the role
We currently have one senior press officer vacancy available.
Some of our team work on announcements on specific policy areas, for example our Prisons Desk and Courts Desk, and others work on our Newsdesk, reacting to most incoming calls from journalists across everything the MoJ does.
While the exact balance of responsibilities will depend on the desk you join, all senior press officers are expected to:
- Develop proactive longer-term handling strategies and provide regular media handling advice on policy briefs to the Lord Chancellor, ministers, senior officials and colleagues on sensitive, complex and high-profile issues.
- Anticipate and spot breaking news stories and issue swift, robust and appropriate responses at short notice and under pressure.
- Use the full range of channels to promote our priorities, maximising digital tools and using relevant insight to get the best possible results.
- Develop and maintain strong working relationships with ministers, private offices, special advisers, senior officials, journalists, stakeholders and other government departments.
- Work effectively with the wider press office team and with communications colleagues in all disciplines across the department, so that press handling plans are joined up with wider communications strategies.
- Understand the departmental and ministerial priorities so you can communicate key messages clearly, accurately and creatively to media.
- Manage a team, providing strong leadership, support and guidance to team members.
You would also contribute to the press office's out-of-hours service to the department and to the media, for which overtime is paid.
Application process
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement of suitability. Your statement of suitability should be between 500 and 750 words, explaining why you are interested in the role and how your experience makes you the best candidate. Civil service experience is preferable but not required.
Please illustrate using examples how you meet the behaviours and technical skills below. For the two behaviours, these can include relevant activities outside of the workplace.
Behaviours
Communicating and Influencing
Communicate in a straightforward, honest and engaging manner, choosing appropriate styles to maximise understanding and impact. Encourage the use of different communication methods, including digital resources and highlight the benefits, including ensuring cost effectiveness. Ensure communication has a clear purpose and takes into account people's individual needs. Share information as appropriate and check understanding. Show positivity and enthusiasm towards work, encouraging others to do the same. Ensure that important messages are communicated with colleagues and stakeholders respectfully, taking into consideration the diversity of interests.
Seeing the Bigger Picture
Understand the strategic drivers for your area of work. Align activities to contribute to wider organisational priorities. Remain alert to emerging issues and trends which might impact your work area. Seek out and share experiences to develop knowledge of the team's business area. Understand how the strategies and activities of the team create value and meet the diverse needs of all stakeholders. More details on these can be found in the Civil Service behaviours (PDF).
Technical skills
Insight - Review communication and media plans to ensure activities reflect policy developments and the emerging news agenda
Ideas - Initiate and lead the development of both reactive and proactive, integrated media campaigns that build on insight and tracking data. Work constructively with policy colleagues and partners to gain expert opinions.
Implementation - Handle high-profile and sensitive media issues. Adhere to confidentiality and provide a clear, trusted brief to media and other partners. Demonstrate strong editing skills to ensure quality and timely press releases, rebuttals and lines to take in response to developing stories.
Impact - Analyse media monitoring results to assess the effectiveness of media strategies and inform future proactive and reactive media campaigns.
More details on these can be found in the Government Communication Professional Competency (Technical Skills) Framework (PDF).
Salary
The salary range for this post is £47,657-£52,040 plus generous overtime payments for participation in the out of hours rota. Existing civil servants on level transfer will retain their level of pay unless this is lower than the starting salary as per MoJ T&Cs.
Flexible working hours
The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working hours system. Like most government press offices, our jobs mean working hours can be unpredictable at times, but you will not be expected to work overtime regularly and ensuring everyone has a healthy work-life balance is a priority for us.
We are a family-friendly organisation, with a number of parents on the existing Senior Management Team, and welcome applications from parents and caregivers.
Security clearance and residency
If you are successful at interview, we will work with you to acquire security clearance. This is a straightforward process for most people but does, generally, require you to have been resident in the UK for at least the last five years.
If you require any assistance please call 0845 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or email [email protected]
If you want to speak to someone about what the role entails or what we are looking for from applicants, please email Anna Rutter, Deputy Head of News, [email protected].
Technical 3
Implementation - Handle high-profile and sensitive media issues. Adhere to confidentiality and provide a clear, trusted brief to media and other partners. Demonstrate strong editing skills to ensure quality and timely press releases, rebuttals and lines to take in response to developing stories.
