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Regional Senior Prison Resourcing Internal Communications Manager

Band B/SEO

2 Years FTA

• This role is being offered on a FTA interim basis for 24 months or on loan. 
• If applying on loan, there is an expectation that you will return to your substantive post on completion of this role, although it is possible longer-term or more permanent roles in the MOJ communications team will become available. Applicants should discuss this with their line manager before applying. 

Number of roles – 4 regional roles including 1 x East Midlands/East Anglia, 1 x Buckinghamshire, 1 x South East and 1 x West Midlands (this area includes prisons in the South West).

Salary

National - £37,683 - £41,506

Job description

Are you looking for an opportunity to work in an exciting new team on issues that really matter and have a big social impact?

We are looking for several highly skilled and passionate internal communications professionals to join the award-winning HM Prison and Probations Service (HMPPS) communications team, within the Ministry of Justice. You will help us to deliver an impactful, local communications strategy, to achieve our ambition of improving our local prison communications channels, drive up staff engagement and strengthen the links between people working across HMPPS. 

The successful candidate will join us at an exciting time and will  help us to revolutionise the way we communicate to the prison community.

We have several new roles, which are available regionally in four areas. East Midlands/East Anglia, Buckinghamshire, South East and West Midlands (includes prisons in the South West). You will need to be based in one of these areas to cover prisons in that region and your own car and a full driving license are essential.

For too long prisons have been overlooked, there is not enough recognition of the amazing work that goes on every day, incredible stories of compassion, progress against extraordinary odds, and rehabilitation. We employ 43,000 people, including 22,000 prison officers, but we are the hidden service.

You will work as part of an ambitious and exciting new project team who will be responsible for increasing understanding of the work prison officers, and others working in prisons, deliver day to day and will also support existing staff retention.

The role has a strong focus on internal communications and staff engagement but also encompasses campaigns, digital and operational communications. You will be helping to develop and deliver an impactful insight based local prisons communications strategy that will improve our local channels and drive-up staff engagement.

Working as part of a team of central and regional communications experts,  the successful applicant will be a natural relationship builder and will be able to work collaboratively and with impact across a range of teams including those inside prisons, senior leaders in HMPPS and other communication functions. In addition, you will be a creative thinker, able to come up with new innovative solutions to old problems and remain positive in the face of adversity.

You will be working closely alongside an external Press and Communications colleague, who will be supporting the same regional prisons in your area, you will support your colleague to gather great local prison stories and case studies for positive media coverage to be used externally to raise awareness of the prison officer role, but will be vital to help increase staff pride within the prisons, showing them their excellent work reflected in the local media.  You would also work closely with the central HMPPS team.

You will ensure all of your work is executed to brilliant standards, within an existing culture of continuous improvement and innovation, and evaluating performance on an ongoing basis. You will also be expected to develop strong networks.  

Your interpersonal skills will be first rate and you will be at ease engaging with senior internal and external stakeholders for example policy teams and prison governors.

You will report into the Prison Resourcing Internal Communications Lead.

Person specification

The role has several key requirements including: 

• Expertise in delivering creative internal communications and campaigns.

You will lead support the development and lead on the delivery of an insight based and impactful local internal prison communications strategy, looking for ways to evolve and develop our local communications channels. You will be experienced in developing and delivering effective, relevant and timely communications that help to support staff engagement.

• Solution focussed and innovative

You are solution focussed and are able to come up with new innovative and creative ideas to extend the reach of our corporate communications and improve communications locally.

• Using insight and evaluating the impact of your work.

You will work to ensure that your work aligns with the MOJ annual communications strategy and to Departmental and cross-government priorities. Your work should be based on relevant audience insight, set outcomes, have an implementation plan, and include evaluation metrics to measure the impact of communications.  

• Effective collaboration and relationship management skills

You are expected to build effective working and collaborative relationships internally and externally. You will be able to use these relationships to unblock issues, manage risks, and deliver more effective communications. You will be working closely alongside an external SEO PR communications colleague and are expected to work closely to ensure you join up seamlessly and share best practice in your region. You will also build strong, constructive relationships with leaders and colleagues across HMPPS, MOJ and inside the prison community.

These regional roles will involve extensive travel to visit prisons in the region, anticipated to be on average at least two or three days per week. A driving license and own car is essential. Mileage will be paid as expenses. The other days of the week when not in prisons will be home working based.

Application process

We will be using success profiles to assess your communication and delivery abilities.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and provide examples of Civil Service behaviours (PDF) outlined and technical behaviours based on the Government Communication Professional Competency Framework (PDF).

Civil Service Behaviours

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

Communicating and Influencing

Communicate purpose and direction with clarity, integrity and enthusiasm. Respect the needs, responses and opinions of others.

Changing and improving

Seeks out opportunities to create effective change and suggest innovative ideas for improvement. Review ways of working, including seeking and providing feedback.

Working together

Form effective partnerships and relationships with people both internally and externally, from a range of diverse backgrounds, sharing information, resources and support.

Government communication service technical behaviours

Insight - Consider any relevant audience research/insight when developing communications plans and campaigns.

Ideas - Initiate and lead the development of proactive communications. Work constructively with other communications, policy colleagues and partners to gain expert advice and opinions.

Implementation – Deliver communications plans in an efficient and timely manner to deadlines.

Impact - Analyse and evaluate communications to assess the effectiveness and inform future activity.

Selection process details

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement.

Your personal statement should demonstrate your suitability in no more than 1000 words that highlights the reason you are interested in the role and how your experience makes you the best candidate for the role requirements. In your statement you should also make particular reference to the Civil Service behaviours and Government Communication Service technical skills set out above.

Please not that that feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Security clearance and residency

If you are successful at interview, we will work with you to acquire SC security clearance. This is a straightforward process for most people but does, generally, require you to have been resident in the UK for at least the last five years.