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General Information

Salary
£40,014 - £42,859
Working Pattern
Full Time
Vacancy Approach
External
Location
London
Region
London
Closing Date
07-Apr-2026
Post Type
Fixed Term, Detached Duty, Loan, Secondment
Civil Service Grade
HEO
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
15994

Descriptions & requirements

Job description
Role title:    

Press Officer

Team/Directorate:    

Press office/Communications 

Overview of the Judicial Office

This is standardised wording and cannot be amended.    

The Judicial Office (JO) reports to, and is accountable, to the Lady Chief Justice (LCJ). It was established in 2006 to provide support to the LCJ and to the wider judiciary in upholding the rule of law and in delivering justice impartially, speedily and efficiently, following the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. 

In addition, we support, and are accountable to, the Senior President of Tribunals, whose responsibilities extend to Scotland and Northern Ireland. 

The JO is an interesting and unique place to work. Everything we do is in support of upholding the independence and impartiality of the judiciary. We work closely with HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS), the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and others across Government as well as with the legal professions. 

We are an Arm’s Length Body sponsored by the Ministry of Justice. This creates an interesting and complex environment in which to work where we agree our priorities with the senior judiciary and receive our funding to deliver them from the Ministry of Justice. The Judicial Office has been through a period of significant growth resulting from an expansion of our remit and responsibilities.

See JO staff talk about working here: https://design102.wistia.com/medias/uhgtmbtnlv

Overview of the team    

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.

Hybrid Working Requirement

This is standardised wording and cannot be amended.    

This position is eligible for hybrid working (current minimum requirement for time spent at base location is 60%, which is subject to business requirements).

Summary of the role    

Overview

Reporting to a Senior Press Officer, you will work with two other press officers to assist with media
relations and related communications activity. The press team is 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.

Responsibilities,Activities & Duties:    

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

Essential Knowledge, Experience and Skills    

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 (for Recruitment/Success Profiles):    

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

Assessment process at application    

Written exercise 

Assessment process at interview    

Question-based interviews
Presentation 

Security clearance required:
Select one of the below. 
(this will be determined by the location)
-    DBS
-    CTC
-    SC
-    DV
Please note: 
Central Government policy dictates that applicants for National Security Clearance must be a resident in the UK for these minimum periods:
-    CTC - 3 years
-    SC - 5 years
-    DV - 10 years    CTC
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 role: 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.

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.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

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 watch our animated videos.

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 TBS 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.

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

Civil Service Nationality Rules

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) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
  • 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) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

Reserve list

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

Contact Information

MoJ:

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference 15994

HMPPS

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference 15994

Application form stage assessments

Behaviours
A sift based on the lead behaviour, Delivering at Pace, may be held if a large number of applications are received. If a large number of applications remain after the initial sift, your application will be progressed to a full sift, where all behaviours will then be considered.
Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit
250
Seeing the Big Picture
Communicating and Influencing
Delivering at Pace
Experience
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability
Evidence of Experience
CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
Expected w/c 20 April
Behaviours
Seeing the Big Picture
Communicating and Influencing
Delivering at Pace
Strengths
Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here.
Technical
Insight
Evaluation

Other Assessments

Which assessment methods will be used?
Presentation
Level of security checks required
Counter Terrorism Check (CTC)

Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)

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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.