Head of Communications and Engagement

Joining SCTS means that you are joining an organisation that plays a key role in the administration of justice. We fulfil our purpose by providing the people, buildings and services needed to support the judiciary, the courts, devolved tribunals and the office of the public guardian (OPG). Our work focuses on improving access to justice, reducing delay and cost within the justice system, modernising our services in line with reform, and using leading technology to improve our services for everyone.

You will support the Scottish Sentencing Council, an independent statutory body chaired by the Lord Justice Clerk for which SCTS provides staff, services and accommodation.

Established in 2015 under the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010, the Council is an independent, advisory body. Its statutory objectives are to:

The Council’s key responsibilities in relation to sentencing include preparing guidelines for the Scottish courts, publishing information, conducting research, and providing general advice or guidance.

This is a strategic role involving the delivery of a successful and comprehensive communications and engagement service that meets the Council’s objectives and ambitions as outlined in its business plan. You will work proactively to increase the promotion, awareness and understanding of sentencing across Scotland, managing media relations, social media engagement, website development, educational projects, and a wide-range of engagement including the delivery of presentations.

You will lead a small team and work closely with the Director of the Scottish Sentencing Council, and the Principal Policy Officer (Engagement). You will also work with the Scottish Sentencing Council members and secretariat team, and engage with a broad range of justice, government, parliamentary, and third sector stakeholders.

As Head of Communications and Engagement, you will be responsible for drafting, managing, and implementing an annual Communications and Engagement Strategy, setting out the Council’s business objectives in this area.

With the support of a small communications team of HEO colleagues under your leadership, you will:

You will devise metrics to evaluate and measure the success of this work.

You will work proactively and productively to engage positively with the media, justice partners, practitioners, policymakers, other stakeholders, and those with experience of the criminal justice system. This will include preparing and delivering presentations on behalf of the Council, obtaining feedback, and answering challenging questions with discretion.

Line-managed by the Principal Policy Officer (Engagement), you will form part of the Council’s small secretariat team which includes the director, a legal officer, and staff covering policy, research, communications, and business roles. In collaboration with other team members, you will work to identify and progress new opportunities to promote the Council and its work in a variety of ways, and as such, there will be opportunities to develop wider skills, for example in terms of financial management.

This is a rewarding time to join the Council team as we finalise sentencing guidelines on the offences of rape, and continue to develop a range of other high profile guidelines including on domestic abuse, sentencing following a guilty plea, sexual assault, indecent images of children, environment and wildlife offences, and mental health and sentencing. As our delivery of guidelines progresses, the Council will be seeking to increase engagement and awareness-raising activity to build on its public profile, and you will play a vital role in this.

To help direct us towards achieving our purpose successfully, we embrace three key values of respect, service and excellence. These guide our behaviour, decisions and actions - in pursuit of fulfilling our purpose to the highest standard.

SCTS is committed to equality and diversity in employment and service delivery. The work of SCTS covers a broader range of issues than you may think. In providing support to Scotland’s courts, devolved tribunals and the OPG, we touch the lives of many people on a daily basis – be that through formal court or tribunal business, fulfilling your civic duty as a juror, paying fees or fines, seeking help in managing the affairs of an incapable adult or dealing with the estate of a loved one who has passed away. SCTS deals with over a quarter of a million cases and applications each year. Behind each one of these is an individual – looking to the system to help them assert their rights, address wrongs or provide support in a time of need. It is this work – which takes place every day in our courts, tribunals and administrative centres across Scotland – that consumes most of the time, energy and skill of our staff. We take pride in working as one team and providing high levels of service to all those who use the courts, tribunals and OPG.

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 [email protected] in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commissioner.