Job Description

Overview

The Judicial Office press office is looking for a Press Officer (HEO) to add to an enthusiastic and trusted communications team based at the Royal Courts of Justice.

The Judicial Office is independent of the Ministry of Justice and provides a trusted service to judges and magistrates across England and Wales. The candidate will be joining a multi-disciplinary comms team and will be able to access professional support and expertise.

For candidates within the Civil Service this post is available on level transfer or on promotion.

The Judicial Office

The Judicial Office is an arm’s length body of the Ministry of Justice. We are a unique branch of the civil service, dedicated to supporting the judiciary and promoting judicial independence, to maintain confidence in the rule of law.

We help the Lady Chief Justice (LCJ) and the Senior President of Tribunals fulfil their responsibilities to the judiciary, in an ever-evolving justice system. We provide operational support, policy, legal and handling advice through a number of specialist teams.

The Judicial Office was established following the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, to support the Lady Chief Justice as Head of the Judiciary in her statutory and other leadership and administrative functions. It delivers a wide range of functions for the senior judiciary and to more than 20,000 judicial office holders including legal and policy advice, communications, international, training (through the Judicial College), human resources, welfare, library and information services.

Through the independent Judicial Conduct Investigations Office, we deal with complaints about the conduct of judicial office holders.

The Judicial Office also provides support to the Chief Coroner and to the Judge Advocate General and supports the Lord Chancellor on certain judiciary-related functions.

The Job

Reporting to a Senior Press Officer, you will work with four other press officers to assist with media relations and related communications activity. The press team are responsible for providing support to the Lady Chief Justice, heads of division, judges and magistrates.

You will have direct and frequent contact with judges and with the media and take part in the out-of- hours duty press officer rota. (These out of hours duties are much less onerous than for a Government press office and a small allowance is paid). The press team deal with high-profile cases which often make the headlines and the environment can be fast-paced and require a calm approach.

The successful candidate will:

• Manage the incoming enquiries to the press office, triaging to the team, as well as responding themselves.
• Support the team with various admin functions.
• Respond professionally and promptly to breaking stories generated by judges or court cases during office hours and when on duty; alerting and consulting senior press officers, judges and officials as appropriate, and writing accurate, authoritative and concise copy.

• Build relationships with key and relevant national and trade journalists and discover new media opportunities for judicial office holders across all channels.
• Work closely with senior press officers on specific jurisdictions or issues, developing expertise in this area and providing support, advice and drafting communications.

• Manage regular uploads of judgments, media summaries and sentencing remarks to the Judiciary website, to ensure accurate and timely coverage of courts and tribunals judgments and decisions.

• Support the wider communications team on planning functions, including contributing to forward look schedules, termly media plans and projects across different jurisdictions, and ensuring that press handling plans are joined up with wider communications strategies.

Skills & Qualifications

Required

The successful candidate must:

• Have at least one years’ experience as a press officer, working in a media newsroom or a similar communications role
• Have a sharp news sense, excellent judgement, strong political savvy and outstanding media skills gained from working in a communications environment
• Be a confident communicator with strong written and verbal skills
• Be adept at simplifying complex material while retaining the meaning
• Be confident speaking to journalists and be able to develop relationships with senior judicial office holders

Desirable

Experience of working in the field of justice

Behaviours

• Delivering at pace
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing

Applicants will also be required to share a CV and provide 250-word answers at the application stage which demonstrate the ability to meet the above behaviours. Further details on the Civil Service success profiles can be found here – Success Profiles – Civil Service Behaviours (publishing.service.gov.uk)

These behaviours will also be tested at the interview stage, alongside Civil Service Strengths and the below Professional Competencies.

Professional Competencies

You are expected to be proficient in each of the Government Communication Service (GCS) competencies to IO level particularly skills and knowledge under the ‘Press and Media’ discipline.

The brief summary below is not exhaustive – you should examine the full version on the GCS website.

Communications: Insight

• Understand how to optimise audience reach through a mix of media channels, including news aggregators.

Communications: Ideas

• Work up ideas for stories and case studies that support communication and business/policy objectives.

Communications: Implementation

• Develop and nurture excellent relationships with journalists and contacts (e.g. bloggers) in all forms of media, to improve story placement and check progress.

Communications: Impact

• Conduct media monitoring and evaluation to assess reach to target audiences and delivery of key messages

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, 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. 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.

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)

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.

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.

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.

Diversity & Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com

Please quote the job reference – 91144.