8928 - Judicial Appointments Commission - Senior Strategic Communications Manager
| Posting date: | 13 August 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £49,325 to £53,081 per year |
| Additional salary information: | Fixed Term for a period of up to 12 months |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 29 August 2025 |
| Location: | London, UK |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 3 days per week |
| Company: | Ministry of Justice |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Job reference: | 8928 |
Summary
Judicial Appointments Commission – Senior Strategic Communications Manager (SEO) – 12-month fixed term contract (maternity cover)
Are you a skilled communicator with a flair for creating engaging content? Experienced in devising and implementing effective communications strategies? A leader with a passion for connecting with diverse audiences and developing your team? If the answer is yes, you could be exactly who we’re looking for.
The Role
We’re looking for a fixed term Senior Strategic Communications Manager to help us communicate our activities and connect with our audiences. As an independent public body, the Judicial Appointments Commission is responsible for designing, planning, and running recruitment campaigns to select judges in the courts and tribunals, up to and including the High Court, as well as non-legal tribunal members. You can read more about our work on our website.
With a new recruitment campaign launched every couple of weeks, and statutory responsibilities to make sure we select candidates on merit and through fair and open competition, it’s essential that our processes are robust, inclusive, and attractive to candidates from the widest possible backgrounds. It’s also essential that our audiences and stakeholders understand our work and our commitment to support a diverse judiciary that represents the society it serves.
Our Senior Strategic Communications Manager role is essential for us achieving that ambition. They lead on all aspects of our strategic communication activity for both internal and external audiences, creating content, managing campaigns, and engaging our varied audiences.
They also play a lead role in providing communications advice to the JAC Chair, Chief Executive and Commissioners, as well as working with stakeholders to promote the work of the JAC, highlighting our commitment to diversity and maintaining our reputation as a centre for recruitment excellence. They are also pivotal in helping us to deliver our strategic objectives.
The Senior Strategic Communications Manager will work closely with colleagues across the JAC, and beyond, and will have opportunities to be involved in different cross-JAC projects and initiatives during this 12-month maternity cover opportunity.
Main Responsibilities
Reporting to the Head of Diversity, Engagement and Communications, your main responsibilities will include:
• Lead on the implementation of our communication and engagement strategy and evaluating the impact of various priorities within the strategy.
• Provide strategic communications advice to the JAC Chair, Commissioners and Senior Leadership team on both internal and external communication issues.
• Lead on the delivery of key strategic JAC projects such as the Annual Report and the adoption of the judicial skills and abilities framework.
• Manage the relationships and expectations of a range of key external stakeholders, tailoring messages appropriately and paying close attention to detail.
• Working closely with stakeholder engagement colleagues to develop communications and engagement plans and with policy and operational teams to implement these plans, including advising on audience targeting, messaging, channels, and evaluation.
• Working with the JAC external communications adviser to devise, deliver and oversee all media handling.
• Creating digital content such as news items, press releases, social media posts (including X and LinkedIn) and candidate guidance.
• Overseeing the strategic direction and delivery of internal communications, in line with our values.
• Line managing 2 strategic communication managers (HEO)
The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.
Essential Criteria
• Experience of providing communications advice within an organisation, ideally to senior leadership teams and stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of the communications landscape, including an understanding of, and experience in using a range of communication tools, channels, and evaluation techniques,
• Experience of influencing and engaging a wide range of internal and external audiences.
• The ability to manage the complex needs of a range of high-profile and influential internal and external stakeholders within a specialist area.
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills to deliver high quality briefings for the JAC Chair, Commissions and Chief Executive.
• Experience of managing a team to deliver effective communications plans and activities.
• Experience of the design and delivery of digital communications, including use of social media and web-editing platforms.
Desirable criteria
• Understanding of legal sector
What we can offer you
We offer a range of benefits including an attractive annual leave allowance, flexible and hybrid working opportunities, and choice of pension schemes. We actively encourage all staff to undertake learning and development as part of their personal objectives and have a range of networks to support and promote inclusivity, wellbeing, and dignity at work among other things.
Recruitment process details
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the recruitment process:
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
Application process
• Your CV
• A statement of suitability outlining how your skills and experience make you suitable for the post (500 words max).
• Written evidence of the 3 core behaviours for this role: Communicating and influencing, Seeing the Big Picture, and Making Effective Decisions (250 words each)
Are you a skilled communicator with a flair for creating engaging content? Experienced in devising and implementing effective communications strategies? A leader with a passion for connecting with diverse audiences and developing your team? If the answer is yes, you could be exactly who we’re looking for.
The Role
We’re looking for a fixed term Senior Strategic Communications Manager to help us communicate our activities and connect with our audiences. As an independent public body, the Judicial Appointments Commission is responsible for designing, planning, and running recruitment campaigns to select judges in the courts and tribunals, up to and including the High Court, as well as non-legal tribunal members. You can read more about our work on our website.
With a new recruitment campaign launched every couple of weeks, and statutory responsibilities to make sure we select candidates on merit and through fair and open competition, it’s essential that our processes are robust, inclusive, and attractive to candidates from the widest possible backgrounds. It’s also essential that our audiences and stakeholders understand our work and our commitment to support a diverse judiciary that represents the society it serves.
Our Senior Strategic Communications Manager role is essential for us achieving that ambition. They lead on all aspects of our strategic communication activity for both internal and external audiences, creating content, managing campaigns, and engaging our varied audiences.
They also play a lead role in providing communications advice to the JAC Chair, Chief Executive and Commissioners, as well as working with stakeholders to promote the work of the JAC, highlighting our commitment to diversity and maintaining our reputation as a centre for recruitment excellence. They are also pivotal in helping us to deliver our strategic objectives.
The Senior Strategic Communications Manager will work closely with colleagues across the JAC, and beyond, and will have opportunities to be involved in different cross-JAC projects and initiatives during this 12-month maternity cover opportunity.
Main Responsibilities
Reporting to the Head of Diversity, Engagement and Communications, your main responsibilities will include:
• Lead on the implementation of our communication and engagement strategy and evaluating the impact of various priorities within the strategy.
• Provide strategic communications advice to the JAC Chair, Commissioners and Senior Leadership team on both internal and external communication issues.
• Lead on the delivery of key strategic JAC projects such as the Annual Report and the adoption of the judicial skills and abilities framework.
• Manage the relationships and expectations of a range of key external stakeholders, tailoring messages appropriately and paying close attention to detail.
• Working closely with stakeholder engagement colleagues to develop communications and engagement plans and with policy and operational teams to implement these plans, including advising on audience targeting, messaging, channels, and evaluation.
• Working with the JAC external communications adviser to devise, deliver and oversee all media handling.
• Creating digital content such as news items, press releases, social media posts (including X and LinkedIn) and candidate guidance.
• Overseeing the strategic direction and delivery of internal communications, in line with our values.
• Line managing 2 strategic communication managers (HEO)
The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.
Essential Criteria
• Experience of providing communications advice within an organisation, ideally to senior leadership teams and stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of the communications landscape, including an understanding of, and experience in using a range of communication tools, channels, and evaluation techniques,
• Experience of influencing and engaging a wide range of internal and external audiences.
• The ability to manage the complex needs of a range of high-profile and influential internal and external stakeholders within a specialist area.
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills to deliver high quality briefings for the JAC Chair, Commissions and Chief Executive.
• Experience of managing a team to deliver effective communications plans and activities.
• Experience of the design and delivery of digital communications, including use of social media and web-editing platforms.
Desirable criteria
• Understanding of legal sector
What we can offer you
We offer a range of benefits including an attractive annual leave allowance, flexible and hybrid working opportunities, and choice of pension schemes. We actively encourage all staff to undertake learning and development as part of their personal objectives and have a range of networks to support and promote inclusivity, wellbeing, and dignity at work among other things.
Recruitment process details
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the recruitment process:
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
Application process
• Your CV
• A statement of suitability outlining how your skills and experience make you suitable for the post (500 words max).
• Written evidence of the 3 core behaviours for this role: Communicating and influencing, Seeing the Big Picture, and Making Effective Decisions (250 words each)