20045 Staff Engagement and Communications Officer

Overview of the job

Responsible for leading the region to deliver high quality effective and consistent staff engagement and communications both internally and externally with stakeholders.

Managing staff engagement and communications plans for the region through a wide range of methods as well as providing staff engagement support to the regional senior leadership team. Responsibility for regional communication with external stakeholders to promote the work of the Probation Service and manage some media/press handling activities.

The role will involve contributing towards strategy policy and practice development in the key areas of communication and staff engagement ensuring continuity with National strategy and implementation and review of those policies and practices.

This is a regional role line managed by the Head of Corporate Services.

Summary

This is a critical component in helping to deliver key aims of protecting the public supporting victims and reducing reoffending.

By embedding effective employee engagement throughout the NPS the aim is to ensure staff are valued committed satisfied motivated and able to do the best job they can in an environment and culture that unlocks potential energy and innovation and promotes wellbeing.

Internal communication ensures a consistency of messaging across the region whilst external facing communication with stakeholders promotes the work of the service within communities.

Responsibilities Activities & Duties

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities activities and duties:

Overarching responsibilities:

• Develop and lead on delivering the regions staff engagement and communication strategies and practice.
• Compile reports of communication and staff engagement activity and outcomes for the Head of Corporate Service and wider SLT and present information to a wide range of staff including senior leaders.
• Ensure communication is inclusive and takes account of diversity needs.

Staff Engagement responsibilities:

• Ensure the region has the right structures and practices in place to promote staff engagement including chairing the Staff Engagement Committee.
• Identify and implement continuous improvements to deliver new and innovative ways to engage and empower staff and evaluate activity making suggestions for improvements.
• Design implement and analyse results of staff surveys using outcomes to help drive organisational improvement.
• Liaise with National Communications Team and relevant stakeholders to ensure; strategic alignment with the national position; consistent NPS staff engagement approaches; regional delivery supports national staff engagement and service design initiatives.
• Organise promote and deliver events and workshops including planning the schedule/ programme and facilitating/ running on the day.
• Lead on or support and promote staff wellbeing initiatives and regional staff recognition schemes across the region.

Internal communication responsibilities:

• Lead on developing and reviewing effective internal communication tools and materials.
• Manage a mix of regional engagement channels keeping them up-to-date relevant and fresh complying with information assurance requirements and ensuring they are a reliable source of information.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of communication tools.
• Write and distribute effective internal communications messages to convey corporate operational and policy messages using a variety of interactive methods to appeal to all learning styles.
• Proactively liaise regularly with other internal functions to ensure communication messages from all parts of the business are kept up to date and disseminated across the whole staffing group.

External communication responsibilities:

• Develop communication tools for external stakeholders to promote and showcase the work of the region.
• Ensure messages to inform stakeholders about the services work are visible and disseminated out to all relevant stakeholders.
• Organise provide material for and help deliver events and other liaison activity with external stakeholders to support local staff in promoting their work.
• Supporting media and press handling activity in line with National guidelines.

Behaviours

• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving
• Managing a quality service
• Delivering at pace

Essential Experience

• Experience of liaising and working with a diverse set of stakeholders including senior members of staff.
• Good interpersonal written and oral communication skills.
• Confident presentation style and ability to present to a wide range of staff including senior management team and external stakeholders.
• Effective leadership interpersonal and communication skills.
• Good IT skills and an interest in innovation and new technology.
• Writing and editing experience including using plain English to produce accessible and engaging copy for multiple channels and audiences.
• Experience in using design software.
• Events management experience.
• Press and media handling experience.
• Experience and/or knowledge of the Criminal Justice System.

Technical requirements

NVQ Level 5 or equivalent in a relevant subject (qualification in communications such as CIPR Specialist Certificate - Internal Communications or equivalent)

Proven proficiency in MS Office and confident in using IT packages used for communications such CMS (digital Content Management Systems) and Adobe Suite (including InDesign and Photoshop).

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 Hybrid Working will not suit everyones 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 aMoJoffice 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 MoJs 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 withthe HMPPS 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 plus public for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis

Pension

The National Probation Service is covered by the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) run through the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF).Please visit for further information.

Please note: Any current Civil Servant who is a member of the PCSPS by accepting an offer of employment to the National Probation Services will be opted out of the PCSPS and auto enrolled into the Local Government Pension Scheme.

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.

Eligibility

Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.

All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post.

Vacancies advertised cross-government are only open to all Civil Service employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who were appointed on merit following a fair and open competition; or were appointed to a permanent post through an exception in the Civil Service Commissioners rules.

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 onorChildcare Choices.You can determine your eligibility at
• Paid paternity adoption and maternity leave.
• Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Working for the Civil Service

TheCivil Service Codesets 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 Commissionsrecruitment 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 Transformative Business Services (0(Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail);
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team();
• To the Civil Service Commission (details availablehere)

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 TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.

For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition please watch our animated videos.

Diversity & Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Planand theCivil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

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)
• 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) 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.