85312 - Judicial Liaison Manager - Midlands

This is an operational role that is customer facing, requiring successful applicants to be office based to provide HMCTS services to the public. 

Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. HMCTS welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs and are agreed prior to appointment. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ’s Flexible Working policy.  This particular role requires a minimum of 30 hours per week.

New recruits to the Civil Service joining MoJ are expected to join at the band minimum.
Existing Civil Servants applying on promotion will usually be appointed on the salary minimum of the pay band or with an increased salary of 10% on their existing base salary (restricted to the new pay band maximum), whichever is the higher. Existing Civil Servants moving at the same grade will retain their existing remuneration package.

His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service 

Regional Support Unit: Midlands Region

Job Title: Judicial Liaison Manager – Midlands Region

Pay Span or equivalent:  HEO

Background

The Tribunals Service and His Majesty’s Court Service integrated into a single Agency in April 2011, His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service. Bringing these two organisations together has removed duplication in management functions and increased the efficiency of the administration, which enables HMCTS to reduce what it spends away from the front line by around £40m a year.

There is a high expectation of all staff regardless of the job they do and the need for more robust performance management. The organisation has adopted new ways of working to ensure that it focuses on just that which is essential to HMCTS.

HEO staff will need to display a commitment to four key principles: Continuous change, continuous improvement (CI) principles, managing uncertainty and improving performance. All those appointed to new roles in HMCTS must be wholeheartedly committed to these principles and evidence this in their application.

Overview

HMCTS is embarking on a period of significant change.  Strong leadership is a critical element in this being successful.  As a manager within HMCTS the jobholder must provide clear direction and focus, visibly championing the changes which deliver greater efficiencies.  The HMCTS Executive Team expects managers in the organisation to operate in a culture of openness and honesty, demonstrating a commitment to change through involvement and empowerment, and by delivering results.

The jobholder will need to help staff and other stakeholders to understand the impact of the changes and the reasons for them, recognising that staff will need support during what will be an unsettling period.  This will include helping staff prepare for changes and supporting them through it.  There may also be times when it will be necessary to deliver difficult or unwelcome messages.  This must be done sensitively, but firmly, addressing any inappropriate reactions or responses.  

The key purpose of the role is to

Manage the Circuit and District Bench team(s) within the Regional Support Unit for the Midlands Region, supporting the Delivery Director, 2 Presiding Judges and Family Division Liaison Judge   This involves overseeing the booking and training of all Recorders, Deputy Circuit Judges and Deputy District Judges; the itineraries for all Circuit  and District Judges; ensuring all records are maintained with 100% accuracy and providing information and advice on all aspects of appointments, retirements, authorisations, bids and forecasting on the Circuit and District Benches. 

The post-holder will be expected to stand in for the Head of Judicial Liaison where necessary. They may also be expected to act on behalf of the Presiding Judges without reference 

The post holders are required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post. The post-holder will be responsible for a number of areas from the following list:

Key responsibilities

Operations

• Assist the Delivery Directors, Heads of Jurisdiction and Cluster Managers in maintaining and / or improving performance and service delivery
• Monitor the sittings days for all jurisdictions, providing monthly reports to the Delivery Director, Heads of Crime, CFT & RSU
• Ensure accurate judicial bids and forecasts are submitted within agreed deadlines and after full consultation
• Provide and monitor reports on judicial sick absences and delayed judgments. 
• Ensure 100% accuracy of all judicial records, including the transfer register
• Monitor the appointment and retirement of any leadership posts or extra-curricular posts on the Circuit and District Benches
• Provide effective management of all fee paid judiciary across the Region
• Complete regular compliance controls and maintain a culture of continuous improvement
• Organise visits from the Presiders, Senior Presiding Judge or Lord Chief Justice to courts within the Midlands Region as required, including provision of briefing on each court and accompanying the judge if necessary
• Provide briefings, draft reports, letters and minutes of meetings as required by the Delivery Director, Heads of Jurisdiction and Presiding Judges
• Carry out tasks on behalf of the Presiding Judges. This will include communicating decisions or requesting information from the judiciary or administrators of the Circuit
• Actively promote a partnership working relationship between HMCTS and the PJJ/FDLJJ
• Provide confidential support to the Presiding Judges in the management of judicial pastoral matters
• Provide support to the Head of Judicial Liaison, including assisting with deployment, appointments, bidding, retirements, authorisations, etc
• Ensuring CI principles and working practices are embedded across all administrative processes, ensuring the team applies efficient working practices to manage an increasing workload and expanding responsibilities

Overall responsibility for:
• Booking and management of fee paid judiciary across the Region. 
• Monitoring of sitting days across all jurisdictions
• The deployment of new appointments once the Presiding Judges have agreed locations. 
• Maintenance of the national protocol for the harassment of judges. 
• The organisation of sentencing seminars, DDJ training days and the President of the Family Division’s Conference. 
• The location and management of high security cases, if necessary, in consultation with the Head of Judicial Liaison

Managing casework  

• Collation of data for judicial bids, forecasting and annual reports
• Co-ordinate, organise and provide briefings for the Delivery Directors and PJJ for meetings which include: PJ meetings with Delivery Directors, RJ meetings, DCJ meetings, CPS meetings, meetings with individual members of the judiciary and other agencies as appropriate or required

Analysis
 • Analysis of data for bids and forecasts to ensure best use of resource
• Providing briefing and advice for the Presiders on all issues relating to their statutory responsibilities
• Analyse and monitor sitting day data, providing briefings to Delivery Director and Heads of Jurisdictions
• Ensure CJ and DJ lost days are accurately recorded and monitored. 

Communicating with the public, the judiciary, other court users and representatives of other agencies and organisations

Contact will be wide and varied but will likely include:
• Members of court staff and senior management
• Members of the judiciary, including senior judges (i.e. Presiding Judges) on a continual daily basis
• Contacts across MoJ, Judicial Appointments Commission, Judicial Office 

Representation

• May be expected to represent the Head of Judicial Liaison at meetings across the Region

Team leadership

• Line management of 1 Band D member of staff and Band E team

Specialisms

• Knowledge of the working of the court system is desirable
• A working knowledge of OPT and JI systems would be advantageous

Accountability

• Reporting to the Head of Judicial Liaison for the Midlands Region

Other duties

The post holder is required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post. 

Location of Post

• Based within the Midlands Region RSU in Birmingham.  Some travel around the Region for visits/meeting attendance will be required

Operational Delivery in HMCTS

This role is part of the Operational Delivery Profession. Operational delivery professionals are the outward face of government, providing essential services to the public in a variety of roles. They work in many different departments and agencies across the breadth of the UK, delivering service to customers in

Face-to-face roles in HMCTS for example a court usher
Contact Centre roles in HMCTS for example call centre advisers
Processing roles in HMCTS for example Staff at the County Courts Money-Claims Centre and Courts and Tribunal Administration

Being part of the operational delivery profession means belonging to a cross-government community of people.  This will offer you access to information on professional standards, skills development and qualifications to help you continue to improve your development and performance and expand your career options.

Flexible working options

HMCTS offers a flexible working system in many of its offices.

Job sharing and reduced hours

All applications for job sharing or reduced hours will be treated fairly and on a case by case basis in accordance with the MoJ’s flexible working policy and equality policy.

Excess Fares and Relocation Allowances

This job is not eligible for relocation allowances but excess fares may be considered in accordance with MoJs excess fares allowance policy.

HMCTS offers a range of benefits

Annual Leave
Generous allowances for paid holiday starting at 25 days per year, and rising as your service
increases. There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each
year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Pension
The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best

Training
HMCTS is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Support
● A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
●   Access to flexible benefits such as salary sacrifice arrangements for childcare vouchers, and
     voluntary benefits such as retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
● Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
● Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Networks
The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.