Job Description

Details

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Reference number

412528
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Salary

43,003 - 46,395
+ 4000 Press Rota Allowance
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP
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Job grade

Senior Executive Officer###

Contract type

Fixed term

Loan###

Length of employment

2 Years + 1 Year Possible Extension###

Business area

AGO - Communications###

Type of role

Communications / Marketing###

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time###

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

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Location About the job Benefits Things you need to know Apply and further information

Location

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London

About the job

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Job summary

The AGO is a ministerial department serving the Attorney General and the Solicitor General (the Law Officers). The Law Officers are the Government's chief legal advisers.


The Law Officers make important decisions that affect public life. Among other things, they decide whether to send criminal sentences that may be too low to the Court of Appeal; whether to open inquests into deaths (for example, the Attorney General made the decision to open new inquests into the deaths at Hillsborough); are the Government's chief legal advisors, providing advice to both the Prime Minister and Secretaries of State on a range of pressing issues touching on every aspect of daily life in the UK; and they represent the Crown Prosecution Service and Serious Fraud Office in Parliament.


The Office comprises around 67 multidisciplinary, engaged and high performing team members advising and supporting the Law Officers in all aspects of their work. We pride ourselves on our problem-solving creativity, sophisticated political and handling awareness, and smart ways of working.


The Law Officers also work alongside the Justice Secretary and Home Secretary to provide a more efficient, effective, and accountable criminal justice system for victims and the public.



The AGO comprises a high-performing, multi-disciplinary, engaged, and resilient team that prides itself on our:



o legal professional excellence and creativity;

o role and reputation;

o team spirit, ethos, and values; and

o individual development and wellbeing.



While the workload can be demanding and there may be times of pressure, the AGO is committed to staff wellbeing and ensuring colleagues have all the support and resources they need to succeed and ensuring our staff maintain a healthy work-life balance. AGO operates a hybrid working policy where there is a requirement of 60% office attendance.



AGO supports the Civil Service vision of being recognised as the UK's most inclusive employer, by setting stretching diversity and equality objectives for our organisation.



AGO is an employer which promotes equality and aims to reflect the diversity of the society in which we live. It is committed to maximising the skills and potential of all its staff. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons irrespective of disability, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital status or religion/belief.


Further information about the work of the Law Officers and the Office can be found at www.gov.uk/ago

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Job description

As a Senior Press Officer for the Attorney General's Office, you will be part of a dynamic and collaborative team at the forefront of shaping public understanding of the Law Officers and the Law Officers' Departments.


You will play a central role in the AGO's press office responding to breaking news, managing crisis communications and proactively shaping news stories across traditional and digital media channels.


You will be responsible for taking the lead in strategically planning media activity and ensuring that is integrated with social media and other external events.


This role requires someone who can build strong relationships with journalists, collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, work effectively with ministers, special advisers and senior officials, and lead communications through challenging situations.


You will be a creative thinker, with the ability to spot an opportunity or design a communications campaign to help deliver the Law Officers' priorities.


You will likely have at least one HEO Press Officer reporting directly to you. As a result, you will need to be able to be able to manage both your own and others' workloads, juggling competing priorities to tight deadlines.


Responsibilities will include:

Working with the G7 Deputy Head of Communications to oversee all media activities across the AGO. Write, edit and produce engaging, persuasive and accurate copy for key audiences and channels. This includes but isn't limited to press releases, reactive statements, news stories for GOV.UK, video scripts, and social media. Working with the HEO press officer, act as a first point of contact for journalists, ensuring requests are handled quickly and effectively. Lead the AGO's planning function, managing the communications pipeline, engaging with No.10 planners and attending weekly cross-government planning meetings. Support the Attorney General's Rule of Law taskforce with communications planning and delivering proactive campaigns. Building and maintaining constructive working relationships with key media contacts, including print, broadcast, and trade media. Regular engagement with key internal AGO stakeholders, as well as communications officers working for the Law Officers' Departments. Perform as a communications specialist, writing succinct tactical briefings for senior officials and the Law Officers on media opportunities and sensitive issues Ability to monitor traditional and social media landscape, ensuring the right people in AGO have sight of emerging stories and identifying those which AGO should seek to rebut or respond Deputise for the Deputy Head of Communications when necessary.

You will be required to join the Press Office duty rota, providing cover over evenings and weekends.

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Person specification

We are looking for the below skills, experience and behaviours and we will ask you to demonstrate these in your application form.

You will be a skilled communicator, with strong news judgement who can land compelling messages with journalists, key stakeholders and the public. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a strong ability to turn complex information into clear and compelling media coverage and content. A strong news sense with a good understanding of the media and political landscape. Be able to strategically plan activity, with due regard to potential sensitive issues, and risks, through effective horizon planning. Experience of evaluating traditional media Strong organisation and time-management skills with the ability to manage competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

You will be required to join the Press Office duty rota, providing cover over evenings and weekends. You will be provided training if you have not done this before

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Behaviours

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


Communicating and Influencing Delivering at Pace Seeing the Big Picture ###

Technical skills

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


Impact Ideas

Benefits

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Alongside your salary of 43,003, Attorney General's Office contributes 12,457 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.Learning and development tailored to your role An environment with flexible working options A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Contract Terms

The successful candidate will need to hold or be in the process of gaining security clearance before being in post. Exceptional circumstances where SC may not be confirmed at time of starting will be dealt with on a case by case basis, but the continuation of post will rely on successful clearance being given.


The vacancy will be filled on loan for an initial period of two years, with the possibility of an extension by mutual agreement. It is envisaged that the successful candidate will take up post within six - eight weeks of a job offer being made. If the incumbent is applying on temporary promotion, they will revert to their previous substantive grade and salary after the loan. There is the potential for permanent inward transfer, although this is by exception. Several criteria must be met concerning individual performance, business need and individual career development. A copy of AGO's policy on secondment extensions and inward transfers can be made available upon request.


The transfer would be considered voluntary and so would not attract excess fares, travel costs or relocation costs.


Please note, due to the nature of loan agreements and the necessary release of staff into a new role, candidates will be required to discuss the loan and transfer with management at their home department prior to application. We will require confirmation that you have discussed this with management and they are content to release you into a new role, upon acceptance of any role.


Please note that any move across the Civil Service on or after October 2018 may have implications on an employee's ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible to claim tax free childcare.

Salary

Existing civil servants on level transfer will retain their current basic salary if it is within the AGO pay range, plus press rota allowance of 4,000 per annum. If your salary is higher than AGO maxima you will be placed on the maxima of the pay range and receive the difference as a mark-time allowance, if agreed by HR.


Where your salary is below AGO's minima you will be raised to the minima of the pay range 43,003, plus press rota allowance of 4,000. Any reserved rights to London Weighting or associated London allowances, will be consolidated into basic salary before the uplift to AGO's minima. Any other allowances will not be retained on moving to AGO. If this results in your salary exceeding the pay range maxima, you will retain the difference on a mark-time basis.


On promotion there will be an increase of 10% to your current basic salary, or move to the pay range minima, whichever is the highest. If you are in receipt of any reserved rights to London Weighting or associated London allowances, these will be consolidated after applying the 10% promotion calculation. After this calculation if your salary is below the minima of the pay range, you will be moved to the minima of the pay range. Any other allowances will not be retained on promotion.

Hours and Holiday

You will be expected to work a 5-day week of 37 hours (excluding lunch breaks).


AGO is committed to flexible working, but business needs for some roles may limit the scope for particular working patterns. You are encouraged to contact the relevant manager to discuss the position for specific roles

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The annual leave allowance for those who joined the Civil Service before 1st July 2013 is 26.5 days per annum, and then 31.5 days after 5 years' service, plus 9 public and privilege days.


For those who joined the Civil Service on or after 1st July 2013, or those on modernised terms and conditions, the annual leave allowance is 25 days rising to 30 days, plus 9 public and privilege days.

Things you need to know

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Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Required Skills, Experience and Behaviours

Applicants must be able to demonstrate the following Success Profiles behaviours in your application and at the interview at SEO level:

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during your application and at the interview:

Communicating and Influencing

(Lead behaviour)

Delivering at Pace Seeing the big picture

Technical

Working for the AGO means you will be a part of the Government Communications Service (GCS). We'll assess you during the interview against these technical skills outlined in the GCS Competency Framework:

Impact Ideas

Your application will be sifted by an AGO panel. If we receive a high number of applications, an initial sift will be carried out on the lead

behaviour: 'Communicating and Influencing'.

Interviews will take place in person at 102 Petty France, London week commencing Monday 21st July 2025.

Candidates will be asked to talk through a communications scenario and will be contacted before the interview with the topic.



Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.###

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check .



See our vetting charter .
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.###

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:


UK nationals nationals of the Republic of Ireland nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020 Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements
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Working for the Civil Service

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.###

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

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Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.###

Contact point for applicants

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Job contact :

Name : Asif Siddiquee Email : Asif.Siddiquee@attorneygeneral.gov.uk Telephone : Asif Siddiquee
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Recruitment team

* Email : Recruitment@attorneygeneral.gov.uk