Job Description
86835 - Judicial Appointments Commission - Communications Officer
Number of jobs available 1
Detail of reserve list 12 Months
Region London
City/Town London
Building/Site CLIVE HOUSE LONDON, SW1H 9EX
Grade EO
EO
Post Type Permanent
Working Pattern Full Time, Flexible Working
Role Type Communications / Marketing
Judicial Appointments Commission – Communications Officer – Executive Officer (EO)
The role
We are looking for a Communications Officer to join the Diversity & Engagement Team. The Communications Officer will support our Communications Managers and Senior Strategic Communications Manager with the delivery of our day-to-day communications work. As an independent public body, the Judicial Appointments Commission is responsible for designing, planning, and running recruitment campaigns to select judges in the courts and tribunals, up to and including the High Court, as well as non-legal tribunal members. You can read more about our work on our website: http://judicialappointments.gov.uk
With a new recruitment campaign launched every couple of weeks, and statutory responsibilities to make sure we select candidates on merit and through fair and open competition, it’s essential that our processes are robust, inclusive, and attractive to candidates from the widest possible backgrounds. It’s also essential that our audiences and stakeholders understand our work and our commitment to support a diverse judiciary that represents the society it serves.
As a Communications Officer you will play a vital role in helping us to achieve that ambition. The role works closely with our Communications Managers and operational teams to support the development of communications campaigns that explain and promote our busy programme of selection activity. From helping candidates access the support they need to consider a judicial career, to sharing relevant and timely information across the organisation, you will play an essential part in the delivery of our core functions.
Working across a range of channels, you will prepare newsletters, monitor our media coverage and ensure our website, social media channels and internal communications products meet the needs of our audiences.
You should relish the challenge of working in a small but dynamic team, collaborating with colleagues who are passionate about the JAC’s mission.
Main Responsibilities
Reporting to a Communications Manager, your main responsibilities will be:
- Daily monitoring of the team mailbox, escalating queries to the relevant Communications Manager
- Support for JAC colleagues including website, intranet updates and social media content
- Media and social media monitoring, escalating queries to the Senior Strategic Communications Manager
- Compiling regular newsletters for internal and external audiences
- Management and maintenance of JAC stakeholder lists, including building relationships with stakeholders through email updates
- Monitoring the ‘life cycle’ of exercises across all JAC teams to support swift retrieval of statistics
- Support the drafting of the Annual Report alongside the Communications Manager and Senior Strategic Communications Manager
- Lead on information storage
We are a small team who work collaboratively, and the Communications Officer may need to get involved in other projects and work beyond what is listed above to support the wider D&E team (and wider organisation).
- excellent written and verbal communication skills
- excellent interpersonal skills and ability to build good working relationships with internal and external stakeholders
- strong IT and digital skills, including the ability to quickly learn to use unfamiliar software to a good standard, with appropriate training
- strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects with varied deadlines
- strong team working skills and ability to work flexibly to support a small team
- Knowledge of MailChimp and WordPress
What we can offer you
We offer a range of benefits including an attractive annual leave allowance, flexible and hybrid working opportunities, and choice of pension schemes. We actively encourage all staff to undertake learning and development as part of their personal objectives.
While the JAC is an independent executive non-departmental public body, we are considered an arms-length body of the Ministry of Justice and share many of the same policies, processes and terms and conditions as Civil Servants employed directly by the MoJ. This includes being part of the MoJ pay remit, enabling transferees from other government departments to retain their continuity of service and Civil Service Pension arrangements.
JAC staff are currently working in a hybrid way with a minimum of 2 days per week in the office in line with Government policy. The JAC offices are located at Clive House, Petty France, London, SW1H 9AJ.
Recruitment Process
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the recruitment process:
- Communicating and influencing
- Working Together
- Managing a Quality Service
Application process
- Your CV
- A statement of suitability detailing the relevant experience and skills you have that would make you suitable for the post (250 words max).
- Written evidence of 2 behaviours: Communicating and influencing and Working Together (250 words max per behaviour)
Sift
Applications will be sifted based on the CV, Statement of Suitability and the 2 behaviours: Communicating and Influencing and Working Together.
If a large number of applications are received, we will sift on the CV, statement of suitability and lead behaviour which is Communicating and Influencing.
Interview
At interview you we will assess you against 3 behaviours: Communicating and influencing, Working Together, and Managing a Quality Service. You will also be asked about your experience. You can find out more about the Civil Service success profiles here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles
Applicants invited for interview may be required to undertake a brief work exercise on the day as part of the selection process. More details will be provided if you are invited to interview.
Interviews are expected to take place in late June 2024.
Interviews may be conducted remotely via Microsoft Teams. More details on the arrangements will be provided to candidates invited to interview.
Reserve List
As well as appointing to the vacancy listed above, we may place other candidates on a 12-month reserve list for future vacancies.
Further Information
If after reading this job description you require any further information, please contact Sarah Campbell, JAC Communications Manager, at Sarah.Campbell2@judicialappointments.gov.uk.
If you have any questions about the recruitment campaign, or any terms and conditions relating to the role, please contact the JAC Recruitment Team:
Recruitment@judicialappointments.gov.uk
The job holder must be able to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English or (when specified in Wales) Welsh.
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, 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
A nnual 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 )
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. 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.
We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity
Interviews are expected to take place in late June 2024.
Interviews may be conducted remotely via Microsoft Teams. More details on the arrangements will be provided to candidates invited to interview.
If you have any questions about the recruitment campaign, or any terms and conditions relating to the role, please contact the JAC Recruitment Team:
To apply for roles in MOJ you will need to confirm your employment history for at least 3 years prior to the date of application so that pre-employment checks (BPSS) can be undertaken. If you have spent significant time abroad (a total of 6 months in the past 3 years) you would be required to give a reasonable account of the reasons why.
For some roles you will be required to successfully complete National Security Vetting at Counter Terrorism (CTC), Security Clearance (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV) level as a condition of appointment. To meet CTC/SC/DV requirements you will normally need to have been resident in the UK for at least 3/5/10 years prior to the date of application (The level of checks that are required are stated in the advert).
If you do not meet the above requirements, you may still be considered if, for example:
- You've been serving overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of HM Government
- You were studying abroad
- You were living overseas with parents
In such cases you will need to be able to provide referee cover for the period(s) of residence overseas. The duration of overseas residence and the country of abode will also be taken into account.
Success Profiles
Success Profiles will enable a fairer and more inclusive method of recruitment by enabling us to assess the range of experiences, abilities, strengths, behaviours and technical/professional skills required for different roles. This flexible approach to recruitment focuses more on finding the right candidate for the specific role. To find out more about Success Profiles to support your application please click here for further guidance .
We have provided detail of the assessment stages and areas being assessed to help you prepare for completing your application form, and to advise of what will be assessed following this, if you successfully pass the application stage.
Application form stage assessments
Behaviours
Communicating and Influencing - 250 word limit
Working Together - 250 word limit
Experience
CV
Statement of Suitability - 250 word limit
A sift based on the lead behaviour, Communicating and Influencing, 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.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application, including your CV, statement of suitability and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.
Interview stage assessments
There is 1 interview stage for this vacancy.
Behaviours
Communicating and Influencing
Working Together
Managing a Quality Service
Experience
Additional Assessment(s)
JAC Communications work-based task
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 are committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.
MoJ are able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidate's will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
· 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
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