About the role

We currently have one role available in our office. The team works across a wide range of areas, from proactive announcements on specific policies such as prisons and probation to reactive work, fielding calls from journalists on our busy news desk.

While responsibilities will depend on the desk you join, all media officers are expected to:
• Create proactive announcements and media strategies, using everything from traditional broadcast and print media to consumer websites and social media.
• Provide regular media handling advice to Ministers, officials and colleagues on sensitive, complex and high-profile issues.
• Anticipate and spot news stories so you can swiftly prepare and issue robust responses to potentially negative stories.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with Ministers, officials, journalists, stakeholders and colleagues in other departments.
• Work effectively with the Communications team and wider Government so media plans are joined-up with digital, internal and strategic communications.
• Understand departmental and Ministerial priorities so you can communicate key messages clearly, accurately and creatively to media.

If joining our planning team you will also be expected to:
• Coordinate the department’s day-to-day and long-term announcements and play a key part in developing and maintaining the strong Press Office relationship with Number 10.
• Help in horizon scanning work, identifying risks and opportunities for proactive communications
• Represent the department at the weekly Number 10 planning meeting.

You would also contribute to the Press Office out-of-hours service, for which generous overtime is paid.

We are looking for candidates who have worked in journalism or communications roles previously.

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working hours system. Like most government press offices, we are busy and you may on occasion need to work different hours to usual, but you will not be expected to work overtime regularly and ensuring everyone has a healthy work-life balance is a priority for us. There is flexibility for those with caring or parental responsibilities and staff with a disability or long-term illness can access support or workplace adjustments to help them work and progress to the best of their abilities.