Head of External Affairs (Ref: 21096) in Sheffield

Location: Staffordshire, UK; City of Westminster; Scotland; Wales, UK

Salary: 58,511 - 70,725 per year

Employment: Flexible

Category: Communications

Posted: 2026-08-18

Valid to: 2026-09-05

Apply: here

Employer: Ministry of Justice

This position is based nationally.

We’re looking for an outstanding strategic communicator to join our award-winning Communications Directorate at the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) as Head of External Affairs. The MoJ sits at the heart of the justice system and is driving the Government’s work to cut crime, improve support for victims and ensure justice is timely and fair. Our work has a huge impact on people’s lives and communication is an integral part of how the department operates.

You will lead a team responsible for identifying, building and managing relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including policing, victim charities and legal sector bodies, to build public support for the government’s complex reforms. The team’s place alongside colleagues working on strategic communications and planning helps to ensure stakeholder engagement is forward-thinking and aligned to the MoJ’s priorities.

The successful candidate will be a strong, empathetic leader with experience writing and delivering communications strategies. You will be used to overseeing large-scale engagement strategies and have an excellent working understanding of stakeholder management. Your ability to think strategically and creatively while leading your team to deliver the highest quality work, at pace, will help you be a success in what is an important role. You must have the confidence to advise the Justice Secretary, Ministers and senior colleagues and manage relationships with stakeholders.

You will have the ability to influence at all levels, within the department and outside it, and have a great understanding of the political and business context we work in, and our role within it. You will be flexible in your approach and quick to respond to new priorities. As a first-class strategist, you will be able to see the bigger picture, think long-term, and achieve results quickly. This is a unique opportunity to work on a varied portfolio, communicating top government priorities to a wide range of audiences.

The Directorate is currently undertaking an operating model review to ensure we are optimally structured to deliver modern communications. As part of this review, we are considering how we are organised and how we work. As the new operating model develops, this role may be subject to changes in responsibilities, reporting arrangements and/or team structure.

The successful applicant will:

• Provide leadership and specialist advice across the Directorate and the department so stakeholder considerations are embedded in policy development and implementation from an early stage.
• Provide strategic counsel to ministers and senior officials on external affairs risks and opportunities, including horizon scanning for emerging issues that may affect the department's reputation.
• Plan, coordinate, implement and evaluate the department’s stakeholder communications activity, with particular focus on encouraging and supporting stakeholders to become visible, third-party advocates for the Government’s action in the media, on social media and other communications channels.
• Work with stakeholders to identify case studies to illustrate the impact of the Government’s reforms in the media, on social media and other communication channels.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with priority stakeholders across the MoJ’s portfolios.
• Be an active member of Government Communications – sharing MoJ successes across government and external audiences.
• Manage and develop two direct reports in a total team of four, providing clear direction, coaching and support.
• Play an active leadership role in the wider Communications Strategy and Ministerial Engagement team, driving positive team development and culture.

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

• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working Together

Benefits: Alongside your salary of 58,511, Ministry of Justice contributes 16,950 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. 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.

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

Selection process details: This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security: Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.

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)
• 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 can be found on the relevant government websites.

Working for the Civil Service: The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities.

Apply and further information: This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative. 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: 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

Further information: Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles and would like to raise this, please contact SSCL in the first instance.