Vinny Bolina: Group Communications Manager (West Midlands)

Currently Group Communications Manager for West Midlands (covering Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Mercia and West Midland) I have had an extensive career within government. A Civil Servant through and through I joined the service in 1990 working in four other Government departments prior to joining CPS in 2002 as their first Area Communications Manager.

I was initially attracted to the role by the sheer variety of work; I have dealt with cases involving murder, guns and gangs, human trafficking, terrorism and money laundering. On top of this is the sense of pride I experience when I see the press interview Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) staff, to champion the work that they have done on these cases and to highlight our successes.

Variety extends throughout my role; no two days are the same. I have to constantly be prepared for the unexpected - one day I could be dealing with a press query from a local newspaper, the next I could be asked to assist on a news story that will make headlines across the world. Thats the beauty of my job, it keeps me on my toes and I can never get bored.

I was initially attracted to the role by the sheer variety of workMy overriding priority is to increase public confidence in the CPS and the Criminal Justice System (CJS). This involves working with the local media, the community and our partners in the CJS to explain the role of the CPS, the prosecution process, careers within the organisation and the support that is available to victims and witnesses of crime.

Therefore I see my main responsibility as getting the right information out, to the right people at the right time. This may sound simple, but amounts to a huge challenge when you consider I have responsibility for communications for nearly 900 members of staff and a group population of over 5 million!!

Despite the ongoing challenges I relish my role within this organisation. Having worked in numerous Government Departments, I can honestly say that the CPS provides the best training and development opportunities for its members of staff in the civil service. Through these opportunities, I have gained the necessary knowledge and skills to progress within the CPS, enjoying a truly rewarding career within the organisation.