Chief Press Officer

Job summary

No two days are the same at CPS. It is a fast-paced, exciting environment with crime stories regularly dominating the news agenda.

You will be a key player within the CPS’ senior team leading our News desk to deliver impactful, high quality reactive and proactive comms that build public understanding and trust.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) sits at the heart of the criminal justice system, working with partners to help keep the public safe. We perform a vitally important role, prosecuting criminal cases independently and without bias so that justice is served for victims, witnesses, defendants, and the public.

The Communications Directorate makes a vital contribution to this work. The more the public understand our role and trust the decisions we make, the more likely they are to support prosecutions as victims or witnesses.

We operate flexibly within a hybrid-working model and support a strong team culture – working collaboratively and supporting colleagues’ development. Working for the CPS is hugely rewarding, professionally stretching and gives great scope for individuals to make a real impact.

You’ll be able to use the full range of your skills –and we’ll help you learn new ones. We can offer career development, both through our own training and development, and through the Government Communication Service.

The Crown Prosecution Service is based in England and Wales. If you’re applying for this role and live in Scotland or Northern Ireland, you must let us know when accepting this offer as you need permission to work from your home address if hybrid working is part of your role. There’s no guarantee that we will grant this approval.

You must be aged 16 before starting in this role. The start date is expected to be 8-12 weeks after the application deadline.

As part of this role, you are expected to undertake direct line management responsibilities.

Job description

Your roles and responsibilities

• The Chief Press Officer will lead the national Press Office to deliver high quality, proactive and reactive media handling, track our casework and develop effective integrated communications campaigns aligned with our strategic priorities.
• A keen eye for detail is essential as you will help identify and manage emerging issues, stories and media opportunities to build public trust. You will develop and maintain an effective network across the CPS, including at the most senior level, to provide trusted communications advice which helps inform operational strategy.
• An experienced, senior communicator, you will think strategically and motivate your team to deliver an excellent service which helps build the profile of the CPS and drives up public understanding of the work we do. You will work with partners across the criminal justice system to build an effective joined-up approach so we can make progress on shared strategic objectives.
• You will demonstrate a robust knowledge of the media landscape, and draw on this expertise to create innovative, proactive press strategies. You will evaluate the effectiveness of communications against objectives; reviewing lessons learned to identify areas for improvement and inform future campaigns and activity.
• With a strong focus on continuous development, you will lead a working group to drive improved ways of working and make sure teams are using the latest technology to assist them in their work.

A copy of the full job description is attached.

Person specification

To be eligible to apply, you need to have:

• Strong leadership and influencing skills
• A proven track record of leading a team in a fast-paced, complex news environment.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.

It is desirable that you have the below experience but this is not required to apply:

• Working knowledge of media law

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Leadership
• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £62,820, Crown Prosecution Service contributes £18,198 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Join the Crown Prosecution Service and find your purpose.

The Crown Prosecution Service is passionate about ensuring that we're a top performing organisation and a great place to work. We're a committed equal opportunities employer, creating a culture where you can bring your whole self to work, and individuality is truly appreciated.

This culture of inclusion is underpinned by our staff networks covering disability, faith and belief, LGBTQI+, race, social mobility alongside our mental health first aiders programme and wellbeing sessions.

The Crown Prosecution Service commits to offer its employees the following experience.

• You can do impactful, purposeful work that’s making a difference to your local communities.
• You are able to learn and grow, with access to the right opportunities and resources.
• We care about your wellbeing.
• We want you to feel valued, trusted and included.

We also offer the following range of benefits:

• Civil Service contributory pension of up to 28.9%
• 25 days’ leave, increasing to 30 days after 5 years
• £350 each year to spend on personal development
• lawyer training programme for all new prosecutors
• an extra privilege day to mark the King's birthday
• competitive maternity, paternity and parental leave
• flexible working including flexitime, and a family friendly approach to work
• Cycle2Work scheme, employee savings.

Diversity at the Crown Prosecution Service is about inclusion, embracing differences and ensuring our workforce truly reflects the communities we serve. We want you to feel that you belong and can thrive, whatever your background, identity or culture. As a Disability Confident employer, we're happy to support requests for reasonable adjustments and improve your recruitment experience. If you'd like any reasonable adjustments made to our recruitment process, let us know within your application or contact Rachel.Seagraves@cps.gov.uk.

We want to ensure our employees can thrive at work and home and offer a range of support to achieve a balance. This includes flexibility of working hours, flexibility to support caring responsibilities and a flexible approach to deployment. We offer a hybrid working policy. You must spend at least 40% of your contracted hours over a four-week period at court, in an office or another official workplace depending on business need and the kind of work you're doing.

The Crown Prosecution Service also has a range of development programmes to support all aspiring, new and experienced managers with developing the skills, behaviours and knowledge to build their confidence and capability. Our Manager Induction Programme is mandatory for all newly appointed managers. This is a fantastic opportunity to support all our new Crown Prosecution Service managers with the tools required to perform effectively in their roles.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

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. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Recruitment process

The recruitment process consists of an online application, interview and assessment. These are expected to take place on w/c Monday 9th February 2026 at 102 Petty France, London SW1H 9EA.

A member of our recruitment team will be in touch with guidance. If you have any queries about this, contact Rachel.Seagraves@cps.gov.uk.

You should keep this week free or notify us if you're not available. We'll make every effort to accommodate your date preferences but we can't guarantee it.

Assessment

As part of the recruitment process for this role, you will be required to complete an assessment. The assessment comprises two parts: the first is a presentation to be completed in advance of your interview and will test leadership, with instructions included in your invitation, and a second to be completed on the day of the interview which will test making effective decisions, with guidance provided immediately before your interview.

Behaviours

You are also asked to complete a statement of no more than 250 words for each behaviour setting out how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience match the specified behaviours and requirements.

1. Leadership - Lead Behaviour
2. Working Together

You also need to demonstrate the Crown Prosecution Service or Civil Service values.

The panel has the right to assess the lead behaviour ‘Leadership’ first. If the standard on this behaviour isn’t met, the other behaviours won’t be considered and your application won’t progress. The panel also has the right to raise the minimum standard pass mark. The panel may also refer to the lead behaviour at the interview stage to determine merit order.

Interview/Assessment

We use behaviours to help us understand your experience, to see if you're a good fit for the role. You are assessed against Grade 7 level in the Civil Service success profiles behaviours framework. We are assessing four behaviours at interview / assessment stage

1. Leadership – interview and assessment
2. Working together – interview
3. Making effective decisions – interview and assessment
4. Managing a Quality Service – interview

Essential Experience - assessed at interview

• Strong leadership and influencing skills
• A proven track record of leading a team in a fast-paced, complex news environment
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal

The following technical skills are being assessed at interview:

Government Communications Service professional competency framework:

• Insight - Examine priorities of DPP and senior leaders to identify the role for communication and translate those priorities into measurable communication objectives.
• Ideas - Lead the development and implementation of innovative communication strategies that meet objectives.
• Implementation - Demonstrate excellent written communication skills and set standards for communication. Provide overall editorial control to ensure appropriate content, messaging, tone and consistency in all communication.
• Impact - Evaluate the effectiveness of communication against objectives. Review lessons learnt and compare with industry best practice to identify areas for improvement for future communication strategies.

CV

You’re not required to upload your CV. However, when submitting your application there is a ‘CV section’. You are required to provide information about your employment and/or academic history for the past three years.

It’s your responsibility to provide the specified information in the requested format to ensure that you're considered for the post.

If you're unable to cover three years through employment or academic history, you must provide a character reference for clearance purposes.

Strengths

Strengths are tested at interview stage - the strengths tested are not shared before the interview.

Other

This is a full-time post. We do consider requests for flexible, part-time working and job share, always considering the operational needs of the department.

Please note that the CPS is unable to offer visa sponsorship. Therefore, if you require visa sponsorship to work in the UK, you will not meet the eligibility criteria for this role.

Clearance

If successful, you are required to secure a Disclosure and Barring Service check and Security Clearance, for which you must have a current valid UK address.

If successfully appointed, we ask you to complete a character enquiry form, nationality and immigration questionnaire and national security vetting form.

If you're a Crown Prosecution Service member of staff, you won’t need to do a Disclosure and Barring Service check as you already hold this clearance.

The job you’re applying for is covered by Article 3(a) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975, consequently Section 4(2) of that Act doesn’t apply.You’re required to disclose all previous convictions and cautions including spent convictions. Failing to make a full declaration will result in withdrawing your offer of employment if our checks reveal convictions that haven’t been disclosed.

To be cleared to Security Clearance clearance level, you have to be able to meet the residency requirement in the Cabinet Office guidance. For the Crown Prosecution Service they are:

• Security Clearance – three years within the last five years

Reserve list

If you're recommended by the selection panel but not appointed to the current vacancy, you’re put on a reserve list for 12 months. You may be offered another Chief Press Officer post in HQ Communications if a vacancy comes up during this period. We may also approach candidates on the waiting list to fill other roles that require similar knowledge and experience.

Feedback

We only provide feedback if you attend an interview or assessment.

Fraud check

The Crown Prosecution Service provides a Fair Processing Notice to all new applicants after they’ve been successful at interview. These candidates are informed that, as one aspect of pre-employment screening, their personal details – name, National Insurance number and date of birth – are checked against the Internal Fraud Database. We won't employ anyone included on the database unless they can demonstrate exceptional circumstances.

The Strategic Resourcing team in the Crown Prosecution Service will, on behalf of the vacancy holder, inform applicants when they are refused employment because of their inclusion in the Internal Fraud Database.

Civil Service Commission

If you’re dissatisfied with the recruitment process and wish to make a complaint, please contact Strategic.Resourcing@cps.gov.uk with your concerns.

If you remain dissatisfied and wish to make a further complaint, please click on the following link to the Civil Service Commission complaints page Recruitment Complaints - Civil Service Commission

Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles can be found at

https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/

Details of the Civil Service Nationality Rules are located at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

Candidates are subject to UK immigration requirements. For the most up-to-date information on the requirements of working in the UK, please go to the UK Visas and Immigration website at https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

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) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for 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 (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) 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 : Connie Hill
• Email : Connie.Hill@cps.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : strategic.resourcing@cps.gov.uk

Attachments

Chief Press Officer Opens in new window (doc, 120kB)CPS Terms and Conditions 2025 Opens in new window (docx, 258kB)NEW CPS Personal Statement Guidance 2023 Opens in new window (docx, 269kB)