**Press and Communications Lead – Grooming Gangs Inquiry

Job summary

The Statutory Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs (IIGG or “the Inquiry”) was established under the Inquiries Act 2005 following Recommendation 2 of Baroness Louise Casey’s National Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (June 2025). The Inquiry will examine group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse, with a mandate to understand what happened, why institutional failings allowed it to continue, and what must change to protect children in the future.

The Inquiry is led by Baroness Anne Longfield CBE as Chair and supported by Panellists Zoë Billingham CBE and Eleanor Kelly CBE. It has full statutory powers to compel evidence and call witnesses across institutional and geographical boundaries.

The Press and Communications Lead provides a unique and challenging opportunity to lead the communications strategy and implementation for a high profile national Public Inquiry.

Your work will have a significant impact on shaping the Inquiry and its external reputation, and your role will be pivotal in building public trust and confidence in the Inquiry’s independence and operational efficiency.

Job description

The work will be wide-ranging, from working with national and regional media, to supporting engagement in affected communities through to major national hearings.

You will work closely with the Chair, panel, and senior Inquiry leadership team to ensure the Inquiry’s communications to the public, survivors and families, national and local media, Parliament, and cross‑government partners are transparent, accurate, and empathetic. You will manage media handling sensitively, advise on reputational risk, and co-ordinate closely with external stakeholders in the press and media.

Key Responsibilities

• Leading the Inquiry’s end‑to‑end communications strategy - ensuring transparent, accurate, and empathetic messaging to the public, survivors and families, media, Parliament, and cross‑government partners.
• Managing high‑profile media handling in a sensitive context, advising on reputational risk, and co-ordinating closely with external stakeholders in the press and media.
• Ensuring the Inquiry’s communications build public trust and confidence in its independence and operational efficiency.
• Working closely with the Chair and panel and the senior Inquiry team on communications strategies and media interventions.
• Operating with considerable autonomy and having a significant impact on the Inquiry’s external reputation.

Line Management

This role requires effective line management of a small team (3-4 team members).

Working Pattern

Due to the business requirements of this role, it is only available on a full-time basis with the option of compressed hours working.

Training

The Inquiry will provide staff with training on Safeguarding and Trauma, as well as core corporate responsibilities.

Travel

Inquiry will have offices in London and Leeds. However, regular travel will be required to London for face-to-face meetings/engagements, subject to business needs.

Fixed Term Appointment (FTA)/Loan

This post is being offered on a 12 months’ basis in order to complete a finite piece of work. Please refer to attached Candidate Information Pack.

The Inquiry timeline is 36 months, and the assignment may be extended subject to relevant approvals.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Significant experience leading press & communications in high‑profile, sensitive contexts; excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication; able to distil complex issues, deliver difficult messages clearly and sensitively, and tailor content to diverse audiences.
• Proven ability to manage reputational risk and operate under scrutiny; strong judgement and decision‑making with limited precedent.
• Experience coordinating communications across large organisations; familiarity with accessibility needs and inclusive comms approaches.
• Proven experience of working with senior leaders and senior journalists.
• Experience of line management experience and leading a team.

Desirable criteria

• Experience in crisis communications and with public inquiries, reviews, or other high-profile campaigns.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership
• Working Together
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Delivering at Pace

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

• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

In addition to your salary, a career with the Home Office offers a range of benefits, including:

• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
• 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service to 30 days.
• Eight days of public holidays, plus one additional privilege day.
• Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office.
• See more of our benefits on our careers website.

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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, Ability and Experience.

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up perf