Press Officer

Job summary

The AGO is a ministerial department serving the Attorney General and the Solicitor General (the Law Officers). The Law Officers are the Government’s chief legal advisers.

The Law Officers make important decisions that affect public life. Among other things, they decide whether to send criminal sentences that may be too low to the Court of Appeal; whether to open inquests into deaths (for example, the Attorney General made the decision to open new inquests into the deaths at Hillsborough); are the Government’s chief legal advisors, providing advice to both the Prime Minister and Secretaries of State on a range of pressing issues touching on every aspect of daily life in the UK; and they represent the Crown Prosecution Service and Serious Fraud Office in Parliament.

The Office comprises around 70 multidisciplinary, engaged and high performing team members advising and supporting the Law Officers in all aspects of their work. We pride ourselves on our problem-solving creativity, sophisticated political and handling awareness, and smart ways of working.

The Law Officers also work alongside the Justice Secretary and Home Secretary to provide a more efficient, effective, and accountable criminal justice system for victims and the public.

The AGO comprises a high-performing, multi-disciplinary, engaged, and resilient team that prides itself on our:

• legal professional excellence and creativity;
• role and reputation;
• team spirit, ethos, and values; and
• individual development and wellbeing.

While the workload can be demanding and there may be times of pressure, the AGO is committed to staff wellbeing and ensuring colleagues have all the support and resources they need to succeed and ensuring our staff maintain a healthy work-life balance. AGO operates a hybrid working policy where there is a requirement of 60% office attendance.

AGO supports the Civil Service vision of being recognised as the UK’s most inclusive employer, by setting stretching diversity and equality objectives for our organisation.

AGO is an employer which promotes equality and aims to reflect the diversity of the society in which we live. It is committed to maximising the skills and potential of all its staff. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons irrespective of disability, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital status or religion/belief.

Further information about the work of the Law Officers and the Office can be found at www.gov.uk/ago

Job description

As a Press Officer for the Attorney General’s Office, you will be part of a dynamic and collaborative team at the forefront of shaping public understanding of the Law Officers and the Law Officers’ Departments.

You will play a central role in the AGO’s press office responding to breaking news, managing crisis communications and proactively shaping news stories across traditional and digital media channels.

This role requires someone who can build strong relationships with journalists, collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, work effectively with ministers, special advisers and senior officials, and lead communications through challenging situations.

You will be a creative thinker, with the ability to spot an opportunity or design a communications campaign to help deliver the Law Officers’ priorities.

Responsibilities will include:

• Working with the press team to oversee all media activities across the AGO.
• Write, edit and produce engaging, persuasive and accurate copy for key audiences and channels. This includes but isn’t limited to press releases, reactive statements, news stories for GOV.UK, video scripts, and social media.
• Working with the SEO press officer, act as a first point of contact for journalists, ensuring requests are handled quickly and effectively.
• Building and maintaining constructive working relationships with key media contacts, including print, broadcast, and trade media.
• Regular engagement with key internal AGO stakeholders, as well as communications officers working for the Law Officers’ Departments.
• Perform as a communications specialist, writing succinct tactical briefings for senior officials and the Law Officers on media opportunities and sensitive issues.
• Ability to monitor and evaluate traditional and social media landscape, ensuring the right people in AGO have sight of emerging stories and identifying those which AGO should seek to rebut or respond.
• Provide ad-hoc support for HMCPSI comms.

You will be required to join the Press Office duty rota, providing cover over evenings and weekends.

Person specification

Essential Skills

• You will be a skilled communicator, with strong news judgement who can land compelling messages with journalists, key stakeholders and the public.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a strong ability to turn complex information into clear and compelling media coverage and content.
• A strong news sense with a good understanding of the media and political landscape.
• Be able to strategically plan activity, with due regard to potential sensitive issues, and risks, through effective horizon planning.
• Experience of evaluating traditional media
• Strong organisation and time-management skills with the ability to manage competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Desirable Skills

• Experience of working on high profile media relations in a busy press office or other news media environment.
• First rate news sense and a proven track record of delivering effective proactive and reactive communications.

A proven track record of providing effective media handling advice to senior figures within high profile organisations.

Your application will be sifted by an AGO panel. If we receive a high number of applications, an initial sift will be carried out on the lead behaviour: ‘Communicating and Influencing’.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Seeing the Big Picture

Technical skills

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

• Impact
• Ideas

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £36,758, Attorney General's Office contributes £10,648 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Contract Terms

The successful candidate will need to hold or be in the process of gaining security clearance before being in post. Exceptional circumstances where SC may not be confirmed at time of starting will be dealt with on a case by case basis, but the continuation of post will rely on successful clearance being given.

The vacancy will be filled on loan for an initial period of two years, with the possibility of an extension by mutual agreement. It is envisaged that the successful candidate will take up post within six – eight weeks of a job offer being made. If the incumbent is applying on temporary promotion, they will revert to their previous substantive grade and salary after the loan. There is the potential for permanent inward transfer, although this is by exception. Several criteria must be met concerning individual performance, business need and individual career development. A copy of AGO’s policy on secondment extensions and inward transfers can be made available upon request.

The transfer would be considered voluntary and so would not attract excess fares, travel costs or relocation costs.

Please note, due to the nature of loan agreements and the necessary release of staff into a new role, candidates will be required to discuss the loan and transfer with management at their home department prior to application. We will require confirmation that you have discussed this with management and they are content to release you into a new role, upon acceptance of any role.

Please note that any move across the Civil Service on or after October 2018 may have implications on an employee’s ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible to claim tax free childcare.

Salary

Existing civil servants on level transfer will retain their current basic salary if it is within the AGO pay range, plus press rota allowance of £4,000 per annum. If your salary is higher than AGO maxima you will be placed on the maxima of the pay range and receive the difference as a mark-time allowance, if agreed by HR.

Where your salary is below AGO’s minima you will be raised to the minima of the pay range £36,758. Any reserved rights to London Weighting or associated London allowances, will be consolidated into basic salary before the uplift to AGO’s minima. Any other allowances will not be retained on moving to AGO. If this results in your salary exceeding the pay range maxima, you will retain the difference on a mark-time basis.

On promotion there will be an increase of 10% to your current basic salary, or move to the pay range minima, whichever is the highest. If you are in receipt of any reserved rights to London Weighting or associated London allowances, these will be consolidated after applying the 10% promotion calculation. After this calculation if your salary is below the minima of the pay range, you will be moved to the minima of the pay range. Any other allowances will not be retained on promotion.

Hours and Holiday

You will be expected to work a 5-day week of 37 hours (excluding lunch breaks).

AGO is committed to flexible working, but business needs for some roles may limit the scope for particular working patterns. You are encouraged to contact the relevant manager to discuss the position for specific roles.

The annual leave allowance for those who joined the Civil Service before 1st July 2013 is 26.5 days per annum, and then 31.5 days after 5 years’ service, plus 9 public and privilege days.

For those who joined the Civil Service on or after 1st July 2013, or those on modernised terms and conditions, the annual leave allowance is 25 days rising to 30 days, plus 9 public and privilege days.

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, Experience and Technical skills.

Application -19 February 2026 at 23:55

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process, outlined below:

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years. Your CV will be scored against the experience required for the role as noted within the essential criteria.
• Behaviour Statements - Please provide up to 250 words for each of the behaviours listed in the advert. Use clear, evidence-based examples to demonstrate how you meet the required behaviours and skills.

Failure to complete both sections of the online application form (CV and Behaviour Statements) will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.

Sift - w/c 23 February 2026

Your application will be sifted by an AGO panel. In the event that we receive a high number of applications, the panel will assess you against the lead behaviour: Communicating and Influencing. .

Technical

Candidates will be asked to talk through a communications scenario and will be contacted in advance of the interview with further details of the topic.

Working for the AGO means you will be a part of the Government Communications Service (GCS). We'll assess you during the interview against these technical skills outlined in the GCS Competency Framework:

• Insight
• Ideas

Interviews

These are scheduled to take place week commencing 9th March 2026. Please note this may be subject to change.

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

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 : Steven.Fifer@attorneygeneral.gov.uk
• Email : Recruitment@attorneygeneral.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : Recruitment@attorneygeneral.gov.uk

Further information

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact:

Name: Astrid Goodwin, Head of Corporate Services
Attorney General’s Office

Email: astrid.goodwin1@attorneygeneral.gov.uk

If you are not satisfied with the Department’s response, you may contact the Civil Service Commission Complaints: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/code/civilservicecode….