Job Description

The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included.
As part of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service commitment to equality and diversity, our recruitment system will automatically anonymise your personal information once your application is submitted and a generic application number is generated. The selection panel will only see the evidence you have provided on how you meet the key capabilities required for the job. Please check your details carefully and answer all required questions as this may affect any potential employment with us.

Salary

From 37,471 per annum (pay award pending) with 3,000 on call allowance per annum

Contractual hours

35

Basis

Full time

Region

Chief Executives Office

Package

Full SCTS package plus benefits

Date posted

17/11/2025

Job reference

REQ01036



SCTS are recruiting for a Communications Manager (Media) to join their team. The role sits within a Communications Team which manages the SCTS internal, digital and media communications work and similarly supports Judicial communications.

We work with teams across the organisation to deliver public and professional communications which support the effective running of the civil and criminal courts, tribunals and OPG, supports the judiciary and promotes an open and transparent justice system.

We're looking for someone who has experience of working with the media and/or has had direct journalistic experience. You should be an excellent copywriter and team player; you'll help us tell our story and play a key role in supporting open justice in a digital age. You will manage daily media engagement, enhance both SCTS and judicial reputations and contribute to a greater understanding of the work we do

The post also involves travel to courts and tribunals across Scotland on occasions to support staff with media handling during high profile cases or when hearings are being filmed for broadcast.

Responsibilities include:

Provide a proactive and responsive media service, including planning and delivery of appropriate media handling plans, responding to media enquiries including requests for comment and summaries of cases. Creating and distributing media releases, undertaking routine media engagement and media handling around official statistics Prepare consistently clear, high-quality content for a wide range of communication channels and audiences Proactively monitor news/legal/political/social media developments and initiate required actions; Support and contribute to communications about wider organisation initiatives such as the Change Programme, Livestreaming and Open Justice.



Applications will be accepted until 11:59pm on Monday 1 December 2025. We may complete an initial sift on the Experience Criteria if we receive a high volume of applicants.

Your application must provide evidence of how you meet the criteria set out in the knowledge, skills and experience listed in the Person Specification in the Job Information Pack.

If successful at the application stage you will be invited to an initial online interview.

If you are successful at the first stage interview you will be invited to attend an in person interview and complete an assessment on the day.

Initial interviews are expected to be held virtually on 15 December 2025 with second stage interviews in January 2026.

The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service is exempt from the protections of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974). This permits us to ask applicants details of both spent and unspent convictions, along with details of any formal cautions that you may have. Individuals without existing security clearance will always be considered as all successful applicants will require a standard level Disclosure check completed before employment can commence.

Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service recruitment processes are underpinned by the recruitment principles of the Civil Service Commissioner, which outline that selection for appointment be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition - Recruitment - Civil Service Commission (independent.gov.uk)

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the values in the Civil Service Code and/or if you feel the recruitment has been conducted in such a way that conflicts with the Civil Service Commissioner's Recruitment Principles, you can make a complaint, by contacting us at recruitment@scotcourts.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commissioner.