Job Title

External Affairs Manager

Grade

Executive Officer / IO

Department

Ministry of Justice

Reports to:

Senior Executive Officer / SIO

Job Outline

About the Ministry of Justice

From keeping drugs out of prisons and cutting crime, to overhauling sentencing laws and delivering justice for victims - the Ministry of Justice is doing important work to make our streets safer as part of the Government’s Plan for Change. It’s a large department, often at the forefront of the news agenda and our relationships with stakeholders across the justice system are crucial.

Our small External Affairs team plays a key role helping to build and maintain those relationships to enhance policy development and improve the delivery of our services. The team supports colleagues across the department navigate the complex landscape of agencies, charities and advocates which it interacts with.

The team provides regular updates to our stakeholders and a route into policymakers. It also has a renewed focus on collaborating with our stakeholders to communicate government policy and initiatives. This involves working with other communications colleagues in the press office, digital, visits and internal communications.

And with a diverse remit including prisons and probation, family justice, victim support and the courts system, no day is ever the same in this busy office. 

About the role

You will shape the way the Ministry of Justice communicates with external stakeholders on high profile issues. The role is ideally suited to someone who likes working across multiple communications disciplines, with excellent judgment, an understanding of how our stakeholders impact, and are impacted, by the news and an interest in how our policies are understood and talked about outside of the MoJ.

You will work on issues that change people’s lives, using your initiative and natural people skills to build relationships with the organisations and individuals who reach the public.

For this role, an ability to build credibility with people outside of the department is a must and you will frequently be asked to represent the department. You will be eager to get stuck in, proactive, confident in a fast-paced environment pace and willing to learn and adapt to changing situations. You will also have an opportunity to help shape our future external affairs strategy and to work on exciting and high-profile announcements.

About the GCS

By joining a communications team, you will become a member of the Government Communications Service, a profession of around 6000 communicators working in government departments, agencies and arm’s length bodies. You’ll benefit from continuous professional development from our new learning and development curriculum, a network of skilled communicators sharing best practice, mentoring opportunities, and more!

For more information on how becoming a part of the Communications Profession can support your career and development please visit our careers page.

For our top tips on how to write your application, please take a look at our recruitment top tips for candidates guide.

Key Responsibilities

Your key responsibilities will be:

• Advise on approaches to stakeholder engagement, including establishing trusted relationships with key professional bodies, business groups, pressure groups and commentators

• Provide timely and well-considered advice regarding our stakeholder communications approach, including possible announcements and media appearances

• Horizon scan for communications opportunities and risks for our relationships with key external stakeholders

• Quickly establish trusted relationships with the department’s key external stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of external affairs that supports our wider communications objectives

• Help to deliver an external affairs strategy that is delivered at pace, intelligence-led and meets agreed communications objectives

• Deliver high profile events and support visits for ministers with a strong external stakeholder focus

• Build peer and senior relationships with civil service colleagues

With the support of an experienced network of peers and a strong focus on professional development, you will continue to develop skills in these areas. Your work with colleagues across different communications disciplines places you in a good position to build a wide-range of communications expertise.

Person Specification

Government Communications is determined to ensure that the profession is representative of the audiences we are communicating with and welcomes applications from the widest range of people of different backgrounds, cultures and experiences. You can find out more by visiting https://gcs.civilservice.gov.uk/

Essential Criteria:

• Proven ability to build and maintain strategic relationships with stakeholders 

• Understanding of the political landscape and experience in navigating complex stakeholder environments  

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to write clear briefings for a diverse range of stakeholders and audiences 

• Experience of managing multiple projects, prioritising competing demands and managing sensitive information 

• Good understanding of strategic communications and stakeholder management principles 

• Collaborative working, a proactive team player with sound problem solving abilities, an ability to interpret complex information and deliver clear and engaging content 

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience of using stakeholder management systems and tools 

• Understanding of the media landscape, from traditional print and broadcast to social media and influencer-based communications. 

Behaviours

We will be assessing you on the following behaviours which link to the Civil Service Success Profile:

• Communicating and Influencing

Communicate in a straightforward, honest and engaging manner, choosing appropriate styles to maximise understanding and impact.  

Ensure communication has a clear purpose, is respectful and takes into account people’s individual needs.  

Share information as appropriate and check understanding. Show positivity and enthusiasm towards work, encouraging others to do the same.  

• Working together

Encourage joined up teamwork within your own team and across other groups 

Establish professional relationships with a range of stakeholders 

Collaborate with stakeholders to share information, resources and support 

Invest time to develop a common focus and genuine positive team spirit where colleagues feel valued and respect one another 

• Delivering at pace  

Show a positive approach to keeping the whole team’s efforts focused on the top priorities 

regularly monitor your own and team’s work against milestones ensuring individual needs are considered when setting tasks 

act promptly to reassess workloads and priorities when there are conflicting demands to maintain performance 

Technical Skills

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

Insight  

• Gather information from a range of relevant sources inside and outside the Department to inform own work. 

Ideas 

• Express ideas effectively, both orally and in writing, and with sensitivity and respect for others. 

Implementation 

• Make effective use of project management skills and techniques to deliver outcomes, including identifying risks and mitigating actions. 

Impact 

• Identify common problems or weaknesses in policy or procedures that affect service and escalate these.