Head of Retention Communications and Outreach in City of Westminster

This role provides strategic leadership for retention and outreach communications across HMPPS, moving the current function from delivery‑led activity to a coordinated, enabling model. The postholder will own the development of a coherent cross‑system strategy, addressing fragmentation across communications, HR and operational teams, and lead a specialist team to deliver retention consultancy, outreach coordination and magistrates’ partnerships. The role operates at senior level, working closely with HMPPS senior leaders and governance forums to drive measurable improvements in staff engagement and retention outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and drive a coherent, cross‑HMPPS retention and outreach communications strategy, ensuring alignment across prisons, probation and magistrates and addressing fragmentation across communications, HR and operational activity.
• Lead and develop a high‑performing team, setting clear priorities and direction while empowering team members (SIOs and IOs) to deliver retention consultancy, outreach coordination and partnerships activity at pace.
• Coordinate and enable outreach/events activity, providing strategy, tools, messaging and evaluation frameworks to support national and local delivery.
• Provide strategic oversight of retention communications, ensuring targeted, insight‑led support to prisons and probation areas with the greatest need, in line with operational priorities.
• Oversee the development of high‑value partnerships for magistrates’ recruitment, working with employers, civil service organisations and external partners to open new recruitment routes and increase awareness of the magistracy.
• Provide communications leadership to senior governance forums, including the Retention Delivery Committee, ensuring communications activity is aligned to business priorities and driving measurable impact.
• Build strong, influential relationships with senior stakeholders across HMPPS, MoJ and external organisations, positioning communications as a key partner in delivering workforce priorities.
• Set and embed best practice approaches to communications, developing scalable models, driving innovation and ensuring consistent use of insight and evaluation to improve impact.
• Work collaboratively across MoJ Communications, ensuring alignment with corporate, internal, digital and external communications, and avoiding duplication of activity.
• Lead a flexible and evolving programme of work, adapting priorities based on emerging insight, operational demand and a developing policy landscape.
• Embed a culture of insight and evaluation, contributing as a senior leader within the Recruitment and Retention Communications team, supporting wider team direction, culture, inclusion and continuous improvement.

Key Requirements

• Strong leader with demonstrable experience leading communications professionals in complex environments, with a proven ability to deliver communications programmes and campaigns.
• Experience in internal staff engagement, and in managing external events and campaigns, with a proven ability to integrate communication activities across multiple departments.
• Background in building relationships and partnerships with external organisations, including employers, civil service bodies and other stakeholders.
• Track record of measuring impact and using insight and evaluation to inform future activity.
• Excellent relationship‑building skills and ability to influence senior stakeholders across HMPPS, MoJ and external partners.
• Creative thinking and resilience, with an ability to help the team develop innovative solutions to problems or blockers.
• Capable of leading a high‑performing team, setting priorities and empowering team members to deliver on time.

Working Arrangements

The role is based in the UK and requires a minimum of 60% of working time to be spent in an office, in line with MoJ hybrid working policy. Flexible arrangements may be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate.

Salary and Benefits

National salary range: £58,511 – £65,329. London salary range: £63,343 – £70,725. Salary is dependent on base location. The Ministry of Justice contributes towards a Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Annual leave: 25 days on appointment, increasing to 30 after five years; scheme allows qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days each year, plus public holidays and a privilege day.

Pension: choice of Civil Service pension schemes.

Training: extensive range of development opportunities.

Employee‑run networks: opportunities to join networks for minority ethnic origin, disabilities, caring responsibilities, women, and LGBTI employees.

Additional benefits: family‑friendly policies (reduced hours, job share), voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts, childcare support schemes, paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave, free annual sight tests for employees using computer screens.

Workplace culture: inclusive and supportive environment, opportunities to influence policy and contribute to continuous improvement.