85465 - Crown Court Clerk
Job Title: Crown Court Clerk
Grade: Executive Officer (EO)
Duration: Permanent Contract
Salary: London (within M25): £29,664 - £31,200
Overview:
HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is an agency of the Ministry of Justice. We provide support for the legal system across England and Wales, along with non-devolved tribunals in Scotland and Northern Ireland, ensuring justice works for everyone.
Our Justice system defends our fundamental rights and freedoms. It is a cornerstone of our modern society. It protects some of the most vulnerable people in our communities, from families in crisis to claimants and commercial businesses. We have a responsibility to deliver a Justice system that is accessible to everyone and operates efficiently.
The key purpose of the role is to:
To manage the courtrooms to ensure that cases are dealt with promptly in liaison with judiciary, legal professionals, and staff and to ensure that all results are accurately & promptly recorded in line with targets. Also, to ensure that all ancillary duties are carried out effectively.
Essential Skills & Criteria:
- Able to speak publicly and within a Crown Court
- Excellent communication, organisational and prioritisation skills
- Ability to complete documents accurately and to deadlines
- IT proficient with the ability to learn and adapt to different technologies and software
Key responsibilities:
Administration
- To ensure that a comprehensive log is kept of representation orders and that a judge’s report is available at all sentence hearings.
- To accurately prepare case summaries for Resident Judge.
- To determine accurately witnesses’ expenses within target times and provide written reasons within guidelines when requested.
- Producing orders in line with Service Level Agreement targets.
- Process general correspondence within target and procedural deadlines for any resulting amendments.
- Ensure compliance with financial and operational risk management policies
- Undertake any given tasks as part of the role i.e., PA Role to Judiciary when needed; arranging marshalling and swearing in of Magistrates.
Operations
- To ensure efficient through put of listed work in the allocated court room daily, giving appropriate support to judiciary and keeping the List Office and other agencies fully appraised of developments when necessary.
- Confident public speaking and can adapt and change at short notice.
- You are the focal point of the court room, the ability to control and project your public speaking.
- To meet with the Judge before sitting and to be available in Court as needed.
- To maintain full recording of hearings using the right technology ensuring accurate audio allocation to correct cases.
- To sit in court daily and ensure that cases called on time, all parties are in court at appropriate time. Correct phraseology used for arraignment, empanelling, taking verdicts
- To maintain the court file including accurate recording of relevant matters and judicial decisions, accurate completion of forms, orders and results exported/shared onto the relevant Courts computer systems within Target.
- Carry out 100% HMCTS assurance programme compliance of all Resulting and ensure risks are identified and managed.
- Ensure that appropriate codes of conduct are applied to the Courtroom and other areas of the Court premises whilst sitting and during adjournments and to actively intervene and encourage compliance.
- To ensure that obligations under the Victim Code and the standards under the Witness Charter are complied with.
- Ensure all court users are treated fairly and with respect and understand how their own performance impacts on that of the court and the confidence of users.
- Systems being used include emails, Microsoft Teams, Video Hearing Systems, Xhibit and HMCTS Common Platform.
- Ensure that appropriate files are passed to administration teams within agreed target times.
- Take part in and deliver employee engagement activities to effect good working relationships with staff and to improve service delivery and staff morale / motivation.
- Follow HMCTS values, policies and procedures (including diversity, attendance and discipline).
- Maintain effective working relationships with the judiciary, supporting agencies, voluntary and user groups. Working with agencies to improve the level of service offered to users.
- Apply Continuous Improvement principles, tools and techniques to working practices to improve efficiency of operations.
- Perform any Incident Control Duties as needed in the ‘in court role’
Team leadership
- All Grade EO staff are expected to deal with other ad hoc management roles including line management of AA (Admin Assistant) / Ushers and AO (Admin Officer) staff as needed.
Processing and managing casework
- Work with staff to ensuring that casework is appropriately managed, providing information / advice where process deviations have occurred
Calculations and analysis
- Identify and implement solutions to local problems, referring more complex problems to their line manager
Communicating with the public, juries, the judiciary, other court and tribunal users and representatives of other agencies and organisations
- Ensure effective and prompt liaison with Judiciary, Counsel, List Officer, Jury Officer, Ushers and Court users to maintain high levels of court performance.
- Ensure Customer Standards are maintained and improved; complaints and dealt within target and in line with HMCTS Complaints Handling Policy and any feedback on lessons learnt is shared with staff.
Representation
- Represent the function you have been assigned to at an operational level.
Specialisms
- To have a working knowledge of functions undertaken within the Cluster, to support the development and review of policies and procedures.
- To provide specific functions as directed by line management in line with the procedure for providing that service.
Accountability
- Reporting to a Delivery Manager.
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.
Essential Skills & Criteria:
To be successful in this role, you should have the following:
- Experience of working in an administrative role in a customer focussed environment
- Proficient with IT and Microsoft Software packages
- Excellent communication and organisational skills
Application Process:
To apply for this position please complete the online application form, ensuring you provide the following:
- A 250-word suitability statement providing evidence of your personal skills, experience, strengths, and behaviours relevant to the role, as outlined in the Essential Skills & Criteria and Key Responsibilities above.
- A 250-word suitability statement against each of the following Success Profile Behaviours (Level 2):
- Managing a Quality Service
In the event we receive a large volume of applications, we will sift using the suitability statement as the lead assessment criteria.
If selected for interview, you will be tested against the following Success Profile Behaviours (Level 2):
- Leadership
- Communicating & Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
Interviews will also test three Strengths.
If selected for interview, the Success Profile Behaviours listed above will also be tested / assessed (Level 2).
Interviews will also test three Strengths.
Further information on Success Profile Behaviours and Strengths, as well as the required standards for this post (Level 2), can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles
If we receive applications from more suitable candidates than we have vacancies for at this time, we may hold suitable applicants on a reserve list for 12 months, and future vacancies requiring the same skills and experience could be offered to candidates on the reserve list without a new competition.
We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce and pride ourselves as being an employer of choice. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace, visit:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity
The MoJ is proud to be Level 3 Disability Confident. Disability Confident is the approach through which we offer guaranteed interviews for all people with disabilities meeting the minimum criteria for the advertised role as set out in the job description.
Working Arrangements & Further Information
The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.
For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.
Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.
MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer.
All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.
Flexible working hours
The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ’s Flexible Working policy.
Benefits
The MoJ offers a range of benefits:
Annual Leave
Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.
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
The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
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.
Support
- A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
- Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
- For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
- Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
- Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code 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. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order
- To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com);
- To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management-office@justice.gov.uk);
- To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.
For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please see our Disability Confident Scheme Frequently Asked Questions webpage.
You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team.
We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.
03/04/2024, 23:55 hours.
If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com
Please quote the job reference - 85465.
To apply for roles in MOJ you will need to confirm your employment history for at least 3 years prior to the date of application so that pre-employment checks (BPSS) can be undertaken. If you have spent significant time abroad (a total of 6 months in the past 3 years) you would be required to give a reasonable account of the reasons why.
For some roles you will be required to successfully complete National Security Vetting at Counter Terrorism (CTC), Security Clearance (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV) level as a condition of appointment. To meet CTC/SC/DV requirements you will normally need to have been resident in the UK for at least 3/5/10 years prior to the date of application (The level of checks that are required are stated in the advert).
If you do not meet the above requirements, you may still be considered if, for example:
- You've been serving overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of HM Government
- You were studying abroad
- You were living overseas with parents
In such cases you will need to be able to provide referee cover for the period(s) of residence overseas. The duration of overseas residence and the country of abode will also be taken into account.
Success Profiles will enable a fairer and more inclusive method of recruitment by enabling us to assess the range of experiences, abilities, strengths, behaviours and technical/professional skills required for different roles. This flexible approach to recruitment focuses more on finding the right candidate for the specific role. To find out more about Success Profiles to support your application please click here for further guidance.
We have provided detail of the assessment stages and areas being assessed to help you prepare for completing your application form, and to advise of what will be assessed following this, if you successfully pass the application stage.
Application form stage assessments
Interview stage assessments
A Great Place to Work for Veterans
The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit : https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans
Redeployment Interview Scheme
Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ are committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.
MoJ are able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidate's will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.
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) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
· 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) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules
This Vacancy is closed to applications.