Senior Communications Manager

at  Ministry of Justice

Salary 1
£39,868 - £43,535
Number of jobs available 1
1
Detail of reserve list 1
12 Months
Region 1
Northern Ireland
City/Town 1
Belfast
Building/Site 1
MOJ NIO Erskine House, BT1 4GF
Grade 1

SEO

Post Type 1
Permanent
Working Pattern 1
Full Time
Role Type 1
Communications / Marketing
Job description 1

WHAT WE DO

The Northern Ireland Office represents Northern Ireland interests at a UK Government level and UK Government interests in Northern Ireland.
We have a wide range of responsibilities, including: underpinning political stability in Northern Ireland; overseeing the Northern Ireland devolution settlement; leading on national security policy in Northern Ireland; addressing the legacy of Northern Ireland’s past; delivering elections in Northern Ireland; playing a key role in rebalancing the NI economy and representing NI interests following the exit from the EU.
Our small size and diverse portfolio create a stimulating, fast-paced and challenging working environment, with regular engagement with a range of Ministers and senior officials.
We support flexible working and have a modern, flexible IT system which helps enable this.

EXPERIENCE

In your application, please provide a CV detailing relevant work experience (no more than 2 pages)
and a statement of suitability (750 words maximum).
In your statement of suitability, provide demonstrable examples of your previous work experience outlining how you meet the requirements for the role and a demonstration of how you meet the essential and desirable criteria.

APPLICATIONS

You can apply for this post through the Civil Service website at civilservice.gov.uk. Once logged onto the site go to the civil service jobs page and then search for jobs in the Northern Ireland Office where the application form can be found.
All applications for employment are considered strictly on the basis of merit.
Additional information received after the closing date will not be considered. Failure to provide sufficient information in support of an application prior to the closing date will not be considered as grounds for an appeal if an applicant is not shortlisted for interview.
Home Civil Service applicants who, because of disability, need assistance in completing the application form should contact MoJ Shared Services on 0845 010 3512.
All applications for employment are considered strictly on the basis of merit.
This job description should not be taken as constituting conditions of employment.
Please note that due to the high interest in NIO opportunities, feedback cannot be given if you are unsuccessful at the sift stage. Feedback is available on request if unsuccessful following the interview.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

We are looking to recruit an enthusiastic and highly motivated person to work as a Senior Communications Manager within the NIO’s communications team. This is a hands-on role, and the post-holder will be someone who can think strategically, write brilliantly and come up with innovative and creative concepts for communications approaches.
The successful candidate will work as part of a dynamic team responsible for developing and delivering targeted communications which are aligned with the priorities set by the Department. The post-holder will support both external and internal communications efforts and work as part of a team focused on developing and executing high quality communications strategies and plans which reach a broad range of audiences.
The post-holder will provide guidance and counsel to policy teams and partners across government. They will work closely with teams from across the NIO to help plan, coordinate and implement content and communications strategies and be responsible for project management throughout. They will also be responsible for leading on the measurement and evaluation of communications outputs.
The successful candidate will provide support, when required, to the press office team in responding to media queries and breaking news stories or supporting ministerial visits. In addition, they will be required to work as part of an out-of-hours duty rota, handling media enquiries, coordinating the departmental response and circulating media coverage.
This is an exciting opportunity to work in an important area of the UK Government. This role offers substantial scope for learning and development. It requires leadership skills, flexibility, proactivity, and a willingness and interest to learn new areas of work. and the post holder will work under the supervision of the Deputy Head of Communications.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The main responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to:

• Working as part of a team to develop an annual communications strategy and ensuring that all communications outputs are in support of and aligned to the Department’s wider organisational strategy, ensuring coherence in our external and internal messaging.
• Developing good relationships with internal stakeholders to gain a deep understanding of the various policy areas to advise on messaging, core narratives and the most appropriate communications approaches to meet desired objectives;
• Developing high impact external and internal communications plans for key activities and outputs from the Department, supporting in managing activity pipelines and delivering innovative content across multiple communications channels;
• Drafting communications materials as outlined in communications plans including press releases, opinion pieces, statements and social media / digital content;
• Distributing content to key media stakeholders and on NIO social media / digital channels when required;
• Supporting the Deputy Head of Communications in overseeing and regularly reviewing communications planning processes and tools to ensure effective and efficient planning across the communications team;
• Working closely with the team to ensure the the effective delivery of communications outputs and to regularly evaluate communications activities and generate insights;
• Supporting the press office team, when required, in handling enquiries from journalists and other media contacts via telephone and email. Responding to all media queries in a timely manner, working alongside policy colleagues to produce appropriate responses that shape reporting.
• Supporting the team, when required, to arrange and organise Ministerial events and visits as well as interviews and press conferences.
• Working as part of an out-of-hours duty rota, handling media enquiries, coordinating the departmental response and circulating media coverage.