Communications Officer

Communications Officer – Crown Prosecution Service

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is recruiting Communications Officers to support internal and external communications across the organisation.

This is a Higher Executive Officer (HEO/B2) role with opportunities available across multiple UK locations. The role involves creating clear, engaging content, supporting communications campaigns and working with colleagues and stakeholders across the CPS.

Important: The CPS cannot offer visa sponsorship for this position. If you require visa sponsorship to work in the UK, you will not meet the eligibility criteria.

Job Details

• Job title: Communications Officer
• Employer: Crown Prosecution Service
• Reference: 483908
• Grade: Higher Executive Officer (HEO/B2)
• Salary: £35,935 – £39,885
• London salary: £37,615 – £39,885 + £3,150 RRA
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time, part-time, flexible working and job share considered
• Number of vacancies: 2
• Business area: CPS – HQ Communications
• Closing date: 16 October 2026 at 11:55pm

Location

The vacancies are available in:

Birmingham, Brighton and Hove, Bristol, Canterbury, Chelmsford, Eastleigh, Exeter, Guildford, Hull, Ipswich, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Mold, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Norwich, Nottingham, Portsmouth, Preston, Reading, Sheffield, St Albans, Stoke-on-Trent, Swansea, Truro, Wakefield, Warrington and York.

The role operates under the CPS hybrid working policy. Employees must spend at least 40% of their contracted hours over a four-week period at court, in an office or another official workplace, depending on business needs.

There is also an expectation of attendance at the London office once a week, alongside attendance at your local office in line with the hybrid working policy.

About the Role

As a Communications Officer, you will lead and support internal and external communications projects that contribute to CPS organisational priorities and the CPS 2030 strategy.

You will work with colleagues and stakeholders at different levels, including senior leaders and frontline teams, to turn complex information into clear, engaging and accessible communications.

The role includes creating content for a variety of channels, supporting priority communications campaigns and organisational change and transformation programmes, managing in-house communications channels and supporting events.

Key Responsibilities

You will:

• Lead and support internal and external communications projects.
• Create clear, engaging and accessible content for intranets, newsletters, blogs, social media and video.
• Manage and improve communications channels using audience insight and evaluation.
• Support priority campaigns and corporate events.
• Coordinate communications activity and stakeholders.
• Provide practical communications advice.
• Contribute to team planning, schedules and continuous improvement.

Essential Requirements

Applicants should have:

• Experience working across a range of communications channels and producing clear, audience-focused content.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience working effectively with stakeholders.
• Experience planning or delivering communications projects, campaigns or events.
• The ability to manage competing priorities.
• Experience creating or editing visual and video content using Adobe Creative Suite or similar tools.
• An understanding of how audience insight and evaluation can improve communications activity.

Behaviours and Technical Skills

The selection process will assess:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together

The role also requires the Government Communications Service professional competency framework at Level 2.

The CPS may assess the GCS technical skills as the lead criteria first. Applicants who do not meet the required standard may not progress to assessment against the other criteria.

Application Process

The recruitment process consists of an online application, assessment and interview.

Applicants must submit a personal statement of no more than 1,250 words, addressing:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Experience creating engaging content across different communications channels
• Experience delivering communications projects, campaigns and events
• Experience creating or editing visual and video content using Adobe Creative Suite or similar tools
• The GCS professional competency framework at Level 2

Applicants will also need to demonstrate relevant CPS or Civil Service values.

A CV does not need to be uploaded, but applicants must provide their employment and/or academic history for the previous three years in the application.

Interview and Assessment

Interviews and assessments are expected to take place during the week commencing 2 November 2026.

Interviews will be held online via Microsoft Teams.

The three behaviours assessed at interview are:

1. Making Effective Decisions
2. Delivering at Pace
3. Working Together

The required technical skills will also be assessed at interview and assessment stage.

Visa Sponsorship

Visa sponsorship is not available for this vacancy.

The Crown Prosecution Service specifically states that it is unable to offer visa sponsorship. Applicants who require sponsorship to work in the UK will not meet the eligibility criteria.

Candidates must also meet the relevant UK immigration and Civil Service nationality requirements.

Benefits

The CPS offers a range of benefits, including:

• Civil Service contributory pension with employer contributions of up to 28.9%.
• 25 days’ annual leave, increasing to 30 days after five years.
• £350 per year for personal development.
• Flexible working and flexitime.
• Family-friendly working arrangements.
• Additional privilege day for the King’s birthday.
• Competitive maternity, paternity and parental leave.
• Cycle2Work scheme.
• Employee savings.
• Wellbeing support and staff networks.

The CPS also provides opportunities for learning and development and aims to create an inclusive workplace where employees can develop and contribute to meaningful work.

Security and Clearance

Successful applicants will be required to undergo relevant security checks, including a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

A current valid UK address is required for the DBS check.

Successful candidates must also complete the required character, nationality and immigration checks.

Reserve List

Candidates recommended by the selection panel but not appointed to one of the current vacancies may be placed on a 12-month reserve list.

They may subsequently be considered for another Communications Officer vacancy within the CPS or similar roles requiring comparable knowledge and experience.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted through the Civil Service Jobs recruitment system.

Closing date: 16 October 2026 at 11:55pm.

Job reference: 483908