Head of Communications OPG

The national salary range is £71,381 - £80,419, London salary range is £75,674 - £85,257. Your salary will be dependent on your base location

Working Pattern

Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working

Vacancy Approach

External

Location

Birmingham, London, Nottingham

Region

East Midlands, London, West Midlands

Closing Date

03-Sep-2026

Post Type

Permanent

Grade 6

Number of jobs available

1

Reserve List

12 Months

Job ID

21184

Descriptions & requirements

Head of Communications

Office of the Public Guardian | Grade 6

Location: Birmingham or Nottingham, with some travel to London; or London, with some travel to Birmingham/Nottingham

Grade: Grade 6

Contract: Permanent

Role overview

This is a high-profile leadership role for a strategic, creative and audience-focused communications professional. You will lead OPG's multidisciplinary communications team and ensure its internal and external communications work as one coherent, insight-led offer.

Working at the heart of OPG, you will be a trusted adviser to the Chief Executive, senior leaders and non-executive directors. You will set the strategic direction for communications, translate organisational priorities into clear plans and make the day-to-day judgements needed to deliver the greatest impact.

You will lead through others, creating the conditions for a talented team to perform at its best. The remit spans internal and change communications, campaigns, digital content and customer communications.

The role has oversight of OPG's internal and external communications teams, leading 14 individuals across a range of communications specialisms. The role will be embedded in OPG governance, working closely to deliver the priorities of the OPG Executive Team.

The role reports to the Deputy Director, Corporate Communications in MOJ, and you will also work closely with colleagues across the Ministry of Justice and the wider Government Communication Service.

Responsibilities

• Set the strategic direction for OPG communications, developing and delivering a joined-up internal and external communications approach aligned to OPG's purpose, priorities and the wider MoJ narrative.
• Act as the principal communications adviser to the Chief Executive and senior leadership team, providing clear, evidence-based advice on opportunities, reputation, risk and organisational issues.
• Own prioritisation, sequencing and resource allocation across the communications portfolio, making transparent trade-offs and flexing the team towards the areas of greatest organisational need and impact.
• Lead and develop the multidisciplinary communications team through its senior leads, setting clear expectations, building capability and fostering an inclusive, collaborative and high-performing culture.
• Ensure OPG communicates with one coherent voice across audiences and channels, overseeing high-quality content.
• Lead internal and change communications that help colleagues understand OPG's direction, make sense of change and connect their work to organisational outcomes, using staff insight to shape the approach.
• Responsible for leading and delivering effective communications to support staff through transformation and change.
• Oversee creative, accessible and audience-led campaigns that build understanding, reach underserved audiences and support behaviour change, using the right mix of channels and partnerships.
• Embed insight, planning and evaluation throughout the team's work, to set measurable objectives, learn and improve, and demonstrate impact.
• Build strong relationships across OPG, MoJ, GCS and relevant external networks; uphold professional standards and contribute as an influential senior leader across the wider Communications Directorate.
• You will become a member of the MOJ Corporate Communications SMT, and MOJ Communications Senior Leadership Team.

Person specification

We are looking for an experienced senior communications leader who combines excellent strategic judgment, with creativity and practical delivery. You will be comfortable operating with autonomy in a complex organisation, advising at the most senior levels and leading through others. You will be collaborative, inclusive and committed to continuous improvement, with the confidence to challenge constructively and make clear decisions at pace.

Communications judgement

• A strong track record of providing trusted strategic communications advice to senior leaders and boards, using sound judgement on sensitive, complex or high-risk issues.
• Broad communications expertise and the ability to integrate internal and external disciplines into a coherent strategy, narrative and delivery plan.
• A strong understanding of audience insight, planning and evaluation, with evidence of using data and learning to improve communications outcomes.
• Proven ability to lead a substantial portfolio in a fast-paced environment, prioritising competing demands and making effective decisions about sequencing, resources and trade-offs.
• Experience of leading through senior team members, setting direction and standards while enabling others to take ownership and deliver.
• Excellent relationship management and influencing skills, with evidence of building productive partnerships across organisational and professional boundaries.

Creativity and integrated communications

• A strong record of developing audience-focused communications and campaigns that make complex issues clear and influence understanding, confidence or behaviour.
• The ability to spot opportunities, test new approaches and use digital channels and content creatively while maintaining accessibility and professional standards.
• Evidence of creating the conditions for creative excellence across a multidisciplinary team, from ideas and commissioning through to delivery and evaluation.

About the Office of the Public Guardian

The Office of the Public Guardian is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. OPG helps people in England and Wales stay in control of decisions about their health and finance, and supports people to make important decisions for others who cannot decide for themselves.

OPG helps people plan for someone to make decisions for them if they lose mental capacity. It registers lasting and enduring powers of attorney, maintains registers of attorneys, deputies and guardians, supervises deputies and guardians appointed by the courts, and investigates concerns about how attorneys, deputies or guardians are carrying out their duties. OPG carries out legal functions under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Guardianship (Missing Persons) Act 2017.

This role leads communications for OPG, helping colleagues, partners and the public understand its work and supporting the organisation to protect people's best interests now and in the future.

Working in MoJ Communications

You will be part of the Ministry of Justice Communications Directorate and the Government Communication Service. You will work across organisational boundaries, contribute to the leadership and development of the communications profession, and help build a modern, flexible and effective communications function.

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.

Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised role: all successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale. This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) – See Map . All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.

For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location’s respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they

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