Job Description

Job Title: / Media and Communications Officer
Court Location: / Chief Executive’s Office based in Edinburgh / Department/Section: / Communic-
ations
Grade: / HEO / Starting salary: / From £25,863 to £31,258 per annum + out of hours allowance of £3000.
Responsible to: / Head of Corporate Communications / Number of vacancies: / 1
Contract type: / Full time permanent post.
Closing date / The closing date for applications is 8 September 2017
Interviews will be held week commencing 25 September 2017
If invited to interview, candidates may be asked to prepare and deliver a communications presentation, details of which will be given to candidates in advance.
How to apply / Applications must be submitted online via
Overall Purpose
The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service is seeking to recruit an experienced media and communications specialist.
This corporate role is critical to deliver internal and external communications, supporting a dynamic organisational plan. As part of a small team, the postholder has responsibility for media handling, print and online communications, strategic and internal communications and social media engagement.
Key Responsibilities
  • Providestrategic media advice and support to a range of stakeholders including. senior staff and SCTS Board Members
  • Provide a proactive and responsive media office service, including responding to media enquiries. Please note an out of hours rota applies.
  • Contribute to and support the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Corproate Plan through a communications strategy.
  • Undertake forward planning and develop appropriate communitions plans.
  • Proactively monitor news/legal/political/social media developments and initiate required actions.
  • Contribute to and manage DVD and film production.
  • Contribute to and manage the production of a range of publications.
  • Contribute to the content creation, management, continuous improvement and update of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service website, intranet and other associated sites.
  • Support delivery of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals internal communications strategy. Create and maintain collaborative relationships within other justice organisations.
  • Maintain accurate work records.
  • Provide cover for the Head of Corporate Communications when required.

The above list is not exhaustive and the job holder may be required to undertake such duties as may reasonably be requested within the scope of the post.
Working Relationships
The jobholder will be required to have contact with the groups identified below.
Contact will be by e-mail, letter, telephone and face to face.
(Frequency: Daily; Weekly; Monthly; Occasionally).
SCST Executive Team / Daily / SCTS staff / Daily
SCTS Judicial Communications / Daily / Staff at other justice organisations / Daily
Media / Daily / Members of the Judiciary / Occasionally
General Public / Weekly / Scottish Government / Weekly
Local Council / Occasionally / SCTS Board Members / Occasionally
Training and development opportunities
All Scottish Courts and Tribunals Staff will receive:
  • local and corporate induction training
  • on the job training
  • a Personal Development Plan (PDP) as part of regular performance reviews
  • personal online access to training courses and development programmes which are available to Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service staff
  • appropriate professional training
The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service is also an:
  • Institute of Leadership & Management Accredited Centre
  • SQA Approved Centre

Employment Checks
To comply with the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard outlined by the Cabinet Office the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service must verify all four elements below for all new staff:
Identity - For this purpose you will be asked to provide evidence of your identity if invited to interview and potentially again on your first day. A list of acceptable forms of identification will be set out in your invite to interview letter.
Nationality and Immigration Status (including an entitlement to undertake the work in question) - You will be asked to provide proof of your eligibility to work and remain in the UK and the Civil Service. This, along with your identity will be checked at interview. The forms of acceptable documentation will again be noted in your invite to interview letter.
Employment History (Past 3 Years) – If you are successful, at least 2 references will be undertaken to verify your employment history and suitability for appointment. For those that have not been in employment for this period, alternative reference checks will be completed e.g. Educational. Prospective employees are additionally required to give a reasonable account of any significant periods (6 months or more in the past 3 years) of time spent abroad.
Criminal Records Check- For this purpose a ‘standard’ Disclosure Scotland Check will be completed for all new starters. The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, so all convictions whether they are spent or not will be considered.
Additional to the Baseline Security checks detailed above, the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service will also undertake the following:
Occupational Health Checks – To assess if a candidate is fit for employment and if adjustments need to be made for the successful candidate.
Only after all these checks have been completed and the results found to be satisfactory will the successful candidate be able eligible to commence work with the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service. Refusal to provide any of the information stated above will be taken into account when making the employment decision and employment may be refused.
Corporate/Local responsibilities & requirements
The job holder must at all times carry out their responsibilities with due regard to the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service’s:
  • Values & Behaviours
  • Civil Service Code of Conduct
  • Attendance Management Policy
  • Dignity at Work Policy
  • Conduct and Discipline Policy
  • Equal Opportunities Policy
  • Health & Safety Policy
  • Electronic Communications Policy and Data Protection Act
  • Data Security Policy
Job descriptions should be reviewed on a regular basis and at the annual appraisal. Any changes should be made and agreed between post holder and line manager.
The above lists are not exhaustive and the job holder may be required to undertake such duties as may reasonably be requested within the scope of the post.

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