Descriptions & requirements
Overview of the job
We are looking for brilliant communications and stakeholder engagement professionals to join our HMPPS Change Communications and Engagement team.
The HMPPS Change Communications and Engagement Team is embedded within HMPPS HQ to support directorate priorities.
Your role will be to lead on communications and engagement delivery for a range of change programmes and projects, acting as the strategic communications and engagement business partner for one of our major HQ directorates.
As Head of Communications and Stakeholder Engagement, you will play a crucial role in ensuring our HMPPS staff and stakeholders are engaged and aware of our change programmes and initiatives and their key deliverables.
Summary
The Head of Communications and Stakeholder Engagement role is a critical component to the successful implementation of change activity across HMPPS.
We are looking for strong leaders with demonstrable experience of leading communications and stakeholder engagement for large and/or complex projects or programmes.
The Head of Communications and Engagement will provide strategic communications and engagement support and guidance to the Executive Director and HQ directorate,
The post holder is responsible for setting direction and vision for communications and stakeholder engagement for the directorate and their programmes and initiatives, ensuring the planning and delivery of strategically coordinated communications campaigns and stakeholder engagement strategies within the Government Communications Service framework.
We are looking for someone with experience of using insight to plan and deliver creative and impactful communications campaigns which engage our frontline staff and stakeholders, helping drive the implementation of change.
The job holder will ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of current, planned and future communication and engagement activity, working across functional and organisational boundaries.
You will have a proven track record of leadership and be responsible for a small team, setting direction and ensuring the quality and effectiveness of their work.
You will collaborate closely with colleagues within the team, across the agency and with functional communications colleagues highlighting your excellent relationship management and team working skills
The role holder is required to maintain up-to-date knowledge of the directorate they support and will harness the channels we have in HMPPS to measurably support changes with comprehensive, accurate, current and audience appropriate content that reflects the vision, voice and values of HMPPS.
Responsibilities, Activities and Duties
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:
- You will lead on the design and delivery of communication and engagement strategies for a HQ directorate, based on the Government Communication Service (GCS) OASIS framework and featuring inbuilt evaluation mechanisms.
- You will act as business partner for a HQ directorate, providing strategic communications and engagement support, setting the vision and articulating their voice through developing campaigns and products that deliver in line with the programme strategy.
- Work with leads in the MoJ Communication team to deliver products on channels both internal and external.
- Through clear and precise planning, you will ensure the delivery of priority work to agreed time, budget and quality requirements.
- Ensuring delivery of the full communications and engagement plan including liaising with press office on media handling issues of policy or programme impact.
- Responsible for drafting and developing content and overseeing the work of others, ensuring it is suitably tailored to a range of audiences; with consideration to tone, messaging and political sensitivities/media interest
- Oversee the quality assurance of communications and engagement activity within your area of responsibility to maintain professional standards, ensuring all communications comply with HMPPS style, branding and accessibility standards; ultimately embedding an environment of continuous learning and improvement across the team.
- Respond to feedback and learning from internal evaluation mechanisms by addressing issues in content and guidelines as necessary.
Experience
- Have significant communications and engagement experience at a senior level, in a large organisation
- Experience in leading major change communications and large-scale internal communication, using insight to shape the communications approaches, effectively evaluate results and inform future activity is essential.
- A proven track record of leading on the design and delivery of large communication and engagement campaigns in line with Government Communication Service (GCS) principles.
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.
Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid. HMPPS 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 HMPPS’ Flexible Working policy.
If you are a current NPS employee, this vacancy may be available on a Loan basis for up to 2 years. Applications are invited from suitable qualified staff.
The Loan/Secondment is subject to the approval of the selected candidate's Business Unit, which should be obtained before confirmation of appointment.
Benefits
Annual Leave
-The holiday year runs from 1 March. If you work a non standard work pattern your leave entitlement may be expressed in either hours or days as appropriate. Leave entitlement is calculated on a pro-rata basis and you will be advised of your actual entitlement on appointment. If you were appointed internally and your leave was previously calculated in days, this will continue to be the case.
Bank, Public and Privilege Holidays
-You are entitled to 9 days (66 hours 36 minutes) in recognition of bank, public and privilege holidays.
Pension
-The Civil Service offers a choice of two pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
Work Life Balance
HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) is keen to encourage alternative working arrangements. Work life balance provides greater opportunities for staff to work more flexibly wherever managers and establishments can accommodate requests to do so. HMPPS offers flexible working subject to completion of a satisfactory probationary period and NVQ
Season Ticket Advance
-After two months’ service, you’ll be eligible to apply for a season ticket advance to purchase a quarterly or longer-period season ticket for travel between home and your place of work
Childcare Vouchers
For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers
Training
HMPPS is committed to staff development and offers a range of training and development opportunities, including areas such as Equality and Diversity, Dealing with Challenging Behaviour, Suicide Prevention and Anti Bullying Programmes
-There are opportunities to access promotion programmes and HMPPS provides a variety of training appropriate to individual posts
-All staff receive security and diversity training and an individual induction programme into their new roles
Eligibility
-All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post
-All external candidates are subject to 6 months probation. Internal candidates are subject to probation if they have not already served a probationary period within HMPPS
-All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or organisation which the HMPPS considers to be racist
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.
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.
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.
Job Description Attachment
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0041-Head-of-Communicaitons-and-Stakeholder-Engagement-JD-v2.0.pdf (Job Description Attachment)