23020 - Head of Internal Communications

This includes:

• Providing confident, high-quality advice to senior leaders on internal communications, including handling sensitive and high-profile issues
• Making sound decisions on prioritisation, sequencing and trade-offs in a complex and fast-moving environment
• Operating with confidence in ambiguity, identifying where communications can best support business delivery
• Building strong, credible relationships with senior stakeholders
• Setting and maintaining high standards for quality and consistency across all outputs

Managing competing demands

You'll need the capability to handle multiple priorities under pressure, balancing strategic intent with operational delivery across a large and complex organisation.

This includes:

• Owning and managing competing priorities, deadlines and resource constraints across the team
• Making clear decisions on focus and sequencing to maximise impact
• Leading delivery across multiple high-profile projects and day-to-day activity simultaneously
• Ensuring effective coordination across teams, portfolios and agency partners
• Maintaining pace and quality in both planned and reactive communications

Creativity

You'll bring strong creative capability, ensuring communications are engaging, effective and support organisational outcomes.

This includes:

• Driving high-quality, creative campaigns and content that deliver behaviour change and engagement
• Ensuring all communications are clear, accessible, timely and impactful
• Continuously improving the team’s offer, identifying opportunities to innovate and enhance delivery
• Supporting and challenging your team to deliver creative excellence
• Applying a strong understanding of channels, audiences and the evolving internal communications landscape

How to apply

To apply, you will be asked to provide a CV and a statement of suitability of no more than 750 words, setting out why you are the right fit for the role and paying particular attention to the responsibilities and person specification.

Additional Information

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). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.

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: All successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale. This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) – See Map. All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity).

For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location’s respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).

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. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ’s Flexible Working policy.

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.

Vacancies advertised “cross-government” are only open to all Civil Service employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who were appointed on merit following a fair and open competition; or were appointed to a permanent post through an exception in the Civil Service Commissioners' rules.

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 www.www.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