Communications and Engagement Manager (Ref: 21508)

Job summary

This position is based nationally.

Job description

• Job Title
• Communications and Engagement Manager
• Job Grade

SEO

• Job Location
• National
• Contract Type
• Permanent
• Business Area
• Ministry of Justice Commercial
• Working pattern
• Full-time
• Number of Posts
• 1
• Commercial

The Ministry of Justice has one of the largest and most complex spending profiles in central government. Each year we spend more than £5 billion with our suppliers and it’s our job to help coordinate the sourcing of what we need. We support the management of our contracts across the department, its agencies and non departmental public bodies.

Commercial is responsible for coordinating procurement and contract management across the MoJ, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies. Commercial is organised into category teams, each with an interesting portfolio of contracts and diverse customers and suppliers to manage. We also have systems, programme management office, supplier relationship and risk management teams who work across all areas.

Commercial Operating Centre

Commercial Operating Centre, which exists to support teams across the Commercial directorate by streamlining operations, providing expert guidance, and enabling commercial and contract managers to focus on their core responsibilities. The Centre offers help with commercial standards, policy, systems (like Jaggaer and Purchase-to-Pay), budgeting, recruitment, and development opportunities.

Role Summary

The communications and engagement team is responsible for leading and delivering effective internal communications and engagement activities across the directorate. Key duties include developing communication plans, managing a range of communication channels, producing regular briefings and SharePoint content, and ensuring timely, clear and accessible messaging. The role also involves planning and hosting quarterly Town Hall events, leading the annual awards programme, supporting content publishers, and identifying opportunities to improve communication through technology. Regular analysis of feedback and performance data is required to measure effectiveness, while promoting collaboration, continuous improvement, knowledge sharing, and compliance with government accessibility standards.

Key Responsibilities

Typically, the key responsibilities in this role will include

• Develop, maintain and facilitate directorate-wide communications which are inclusive and informative. This will include a range of communication channels. Maintain a forward communications plan for the directorate, horizon scanning for upcoming announcements, organisational changes, key dates and events that will require communications activity, and ensuring the directorate is prepared to communicate proactively and in good time.
• Work with the team to review existing communication themes, methods and channels, to support in the development and implementation of the communications plan for the directorate.
• Plan and deliver quarterly all-staff virtual Townhall events, taking ownership of the programme, identifying and briefing speakers, supporting speakers in preparing their contributions, and hosting the event.
• Produce the monthly Team Briefing, co-ordinating content from a range of providers, writing additional corporate content and providing line managers with the key information they need to communicate effectively with their teams.
• Produce communications published on the Commercial SharePoint Hub on behalf of the Chief Commercial Officer and the leadership team, ensuring content is clear, accurate and consistent in tone and style.
• Act as a point of contact for content publishers across the directorate who manage their own team areas on the Commercial Hub (SharePoint), providing technical guidance and support
• Review the use of technology to increase impactful communications and reduce unnecessary and inefficient ways of working.
• Lead the planning and delivery of the annual directorate Awards programme, coordinating all aspects of the event to recognise and celebrate employee achievement across MoJ Commercial.
• Contribute to a strong team ethos, as well as a commitment to continuous improvement, collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• Regularly review data and feedback from across communications channels and events to evaluate effectiveness of channels and messages, taking appropriate action where needed.
• Ensure all communications content meets government accessibility standards, including the use of plain language, appropriate formatting and accessible document and digital content practices.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alternations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.

Essential Criteria

• Strong copywriting and proofreading skills, with the ability to produce clear, engaging content across multiple platforms and formats.
• Experience of developing high-quality communications products, such as event management, newsletters, articles, presentations, briefing papers and other engagement materials.
• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders at all levels, and to influence effectively at a senior level to support delivery.
• Ability to turn complex programmes, projects and strategies into simple, clear messaging that is meaningful to its audience, engages employees to drive forward behavioural change.
• Ability to prioritise and deliver effectively in a fast-paced, environment, working calmly and efficiently under pressure to tight deadlines.
• Ability to work with ambiguity and maintain a professional approach.
• Experience of SharePoint.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of working in a communications role.
• Experience of video production and editing.

Application Stage

An initial sift will be performed against the following elements and will be assessed against the Civil Service success profiles framework:

Experience

• CV
• Statement of Suitability (750 words): This should be based around the key responsibilities and essential criteria

Behaviours

We will assess your application on the following behaviours. Please use the STAR method in your examples.

• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving
• Managing a Quality Service

Please note in the event of a large number of applications being received we may run the initial sift against CV, Statement of Suitability and lead behaviour of communicating and influencing.

If shortlisted, you will be invited to an interview and will be assessed on the selected success profile elements at the interview stage.

Interview stage

There is one interview stage for this vacancy which will be held remotely and as part of the interview process you will be required to provide evidence on the following, and will be assessed against the Civil Service success profiles framework:

Behaviours

• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving
• Managing a Quality Service

Experience

1 x experience question - Ability to prioritise and deliver effectively in a fast-paced, environment

Strengths maybe assessed at the interview, and these are not shared in advance.

To learn more about the Civil Service success profiles framework and how they are assessed please click here.

Use the STAR method to structure your examples:

• Situation: Briefly describe the context.
• Task: Explain what you needed to achieve.
• Action: Focus on what you did, how you did it, and why (use “I”).
• Result: Share the outcome, including impact, results, and any lessons learned.

Keep Situation and Task concise and focus on Actions and Results.

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving
• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,914, Ministry of Justice contributes

£12,432 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Access to learning and development
• A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Annual Leave
• Public Holidays
• Season Ticket Advance

For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.

• Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ
• Things you need to know
• Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a standard (or equivalent) criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

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)
• 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)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window) .

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and 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 (opens in a new window)

and the

Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window) .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available.

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