Head of External Communications (Ref: 23817)

Head of External Communications

Office of the Public Guardian

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) helps people in England and Wales to stay in control of decisions about their health and finance and make important decisions for others who cannot decide for themselves. Our communications must make complex services and legal processes clear and accessible, build public understanding and confidence, and support OPG priorities.
We are looking for an experienced and inspiring communications leader to head OPG’s external communications function. This senior role is responsible for setting the strategic direction for OPG’s public-facing communications, including campaigns media and and ensuring activity is insight-led, audience-focused and delivers measurable outcomes.
The Head of External Communications will oversee integrated strategies that improve public understanding of OPG services, reach audiences who may face barriers to accessing them, protect and enhance OPG’s reputation, and support organisational and service transformation. The postholder will provide expert advice to OPG’s Executive Team and senior leaders on communications opportunities, risks and priorities, ensuring communications considerations are embedded in organisational decision-making.
Working closely with the Head of Communications, Head of Channels and Creative, Head of Internal Communications, customer and operational teams, policy colleagues and partners across the Ministry of Justice, the postholder will join up communications across disciplines and channels. They will also build effective relationships with external stakeholders, government departments, agencies and suppliers.
This is a significant leadership role requiring strong strategic judgement, the confidence to advise and constructively challenge senior decision-makers, and the ability to lead teams through complex delivery, organisational change and periods of heightened scrutiny.

Key responsibilities

1. Strategic communications leadership

• Lead the development, implementation and evaluation of OPG’s external communications, translating organisational and service priorities into clear, measurable communications objectives and plans.
• Provide authoritative, evidence-led advice to the Executive Team and senior leaders on external communications, corporate reputation, customer communications, service changes, emerging risks and opportunities.
• Ensure external communications are aligned with OPG’s organisational narrative, business planning and customer needs, and support public understanding of complex services and legal processes.
• Deputise[DS1.1] for the Head of Communications when required alongside other team leads and contribute actively to the leadership, governance, prioritisation and resourcing of the wider communications function.

2. Integrated campaigns and external communications

• Lead insight-led, integrated and accessible public communications and behaviour-change campaigns, from initial strategy and audience research through creative development, delivery, optimisation and evaluation.
• Oversee OPG’s strategic approach to proactive storytelling and reputation management, ensuring effective media handling of sensitive, high-profile or rapidly developing issues.
• Work with the Head of Channels and Creative and other communications specialists to bring together campaigns, media, digital, content, and stakeholder activity around shared objectives.
• Ensure activity is coordinated with colleagues across OPG, the Ministry of Justice, other government organisations and external partners, making effective use of paid, owned, earned, shared and partnership channels.

3. Audience insight, partnerships and reputation

• Champion an audience-first approach, ensuring strategy, messages, content and channel choices are informed by customer needs, research, data, behavioural insight and accessibility considerations.
• Horizon-scan for changes in the external environment and public attitudes, identifying communications opportunities and reputational risks and recommending appropriate action.
• Ensure OPG communicates inclusively with diverse audiences, particularly people who may face practical, informational or confidence barriers when accessing its services.

4. Delivery, evaluation and team leadership

• Provide visible, inclusive and supportive leadership to the external communications team, setting clear priorities, managing performance, building capability and enabling colleagues to deliver high-quality work.
• Oversee budgets, agencies, suppliers and other resources, ensuring work is appropriately commissioned, governed and assured, delivered on time and within budget, and meets government accessibility and professional standards.
• Ensure meaningful evaluation is built into communications activity from the outset, using evidence and performance data to improve delivery, demonstrate impact and inform future priorities.
• Champion innovation, collaboration and continuous improvement, strengthening planning, evaluation and professional capability while supporting colleagues’ development and wellbeing.

Skills, experience and attributes

Essential criteria

• Significant senior-level experience of developing and leading complex, insight-led external communications strategies and integrated, multi-channel activity.
• Strong strategic judgement and political awareness, with the confidence to advise and constructively challenge executive-level leaders on communications, reputation, risk and organisational priorities.
• A strong track record of translating complex policy, legal, regulatory or operational subjects into clear, accessible and audience-focused communications.
• Experience of leading campaigns or public communications designed to improve understanding, change behaviour or increase the take-up of services.
• Strong media and reputation-management experience, including handling sensitive issues, emerging risks or communications activity under significant scrutiny.
• Excellent leadership and line-management capability, with experience of setting direction, developing people and creating an inclusive, collaborative and high-performing culture.
• Experience of managing budgets, agencies or suppliers and ensuring activity is delivered to agreed standards, timescales and outcomes.
• Confidence in using research, audience insight, data and evaluation to shape communications decisions, optimise delivery and demonstrate impact.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly and persuasively with senior, professional and public audiences.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of communications within government, an arm’s-length body, regulatory organisation or another complex public-service environment.
• Experience of leading communications for organisational transformation or service change. A relevant communications, journalism, marketing or public-relations qualification, or equivalent professional experience.

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

• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture

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

• GCS - Insight
• GCS - Implementation

• Access to learning and development
• A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Annual Leave
• Public Holidays
• Season Ticket Advance

For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.

Link:

Job contact :

• Name : SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team
• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
• Telephone : 0345 241 5359

Recruitment team

• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

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