27637 - Assistant Private Secretary to the Senior Presiding Judge
Assistant Private Secretary to the Senior Presiding Judge
The Judicial Office is looking to recruit a high calibre candidate to fill the post of Assistant Private Secretary to the Senior Presiding Judge (SPJ). This is a business-critical post, working at the heart of the Judicial Office, where the post-holder will need to manage conflicting priorities and use their initiative on a daily basis. The role is demanding, fast paced and varied, offering significant scope for personal development and stretch. The post-holder will be required to advise the SPJ and other senior judges on sensitive issues confidently, and based on robust evidence. Discretion is important in this role given the focus on the operation of HMCTS, court and tribunal performance and high-profile policy and operational areas.
The Judicial Office was established in 2006 following the implementation of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 which made the Lord Chief Justice (LCJ) the Head of the Judiciary. The LCJ’s specific responsibilities include representing the views of the judiciary of England and Wales to Parliament, the Lord Chancellor and ministers generally; maintaining arrangements for the welfare, training and guidance of the judiciary; and maintaining arrangements for the deployment of judges and the allocation of work within the courts. The role of the Judicial Office is to support the LCJ in carrying out these responsibilities. Where those responsibilities have been delegated to other members of the judiciary, the Judicial Office supports them directly. For more information see www.judiciary.gov.uk.
The SPJ’s responsibilities and remit include:
- providing support, leadership and guidance for courts judiciary, particularly to leadership judges;
- acting as ‘Chief of Staff’ for the LCJ, dealing with the day–to–day issues affecting the judiciary, across a wide-ranging field including security, appointments, and estates issues;
- the effective and efficient operation of the courts, including regular meetings with those involved in the work of the courts, and working with judges to understand and improve performance.
The SPJ is supported in this capacity by a Private Office, which forms part of the Judicial Office and is based at the Royal Courts of Justice. The Private Office provides administrative, legal, operational and policy support to the SPJ and the Deputy SPJ. The Private Office supports the SPJ in her pastoral responsibilities, in resolving complaints and disciplinary matters and in providing support and guidance for leadership judges.
The post-holder will be required to work collaboratively as part of a team , drawing links with colleagues as work affects teams across the Judicial Office.
Main activities/responsibilities:
The successful candidate will be required to undertake the following duties and responsibilities:
- Acting as an effective Secretariat for various high-level committee meetings. Taking responsibility for ensuring that agenda items are agreed with the chair well in advance of meetings, tracking and chasing actions, and assuring papers and minutes are circulated in a timely fashion.
- Providing advice and quality assuring submissions to the SPJ relating to appointments, communications, judicial policy and operational activities.
- Leading on preparations for meetings between the SPJ and senior stakeholders, including briefing the SPJ where appropriate.
- Ability to act as an ambassador for the SPJ, communicating with senior stakeholders with accuracy and sensitivity towards views/concerns/questions as required.
- Undertaking ad hoc requests as required to support the SPJ, managing conflicting priorities often with tight deadlines.
Person Specification:
Given close working with very senior members of the judiciary, senior officials across Government, and a wide range of other stakeholders, the post holder will be expected to be able to communicate exceptionally clearly, both orally and in writing. The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate excellent organisational and inter-personal skills, whilst managing a very busy inbox. The role is fast-paced, challenging, and stimulating, offering significant scope for personal development and stretch. The post-holder will be required to manage conflicting priorities, regularly provide confident advice on sensitive issues based on robust evidence. The post-holder will be required to work collaboratively as part of a team of ten, drawing links with colleagues across the Judicial Office and HMCTS as necessary. The ability to build and maintain resilient relationships against shifting priorities and a demanding workload is important.
The support provided by judicial Private Offices involves working before and after court. Some early mornings and late evenings can be expected, though every effort will be made to accommodate flexibility where necessary.
Working Arrangements & Further Information
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.
Flexible working hours
The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices.
Benefits
The MoJ 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
The Ministry of Justice 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 voluntary benefits,retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
- For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers
- 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.
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.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity.
There is a guaranteed interview scheme (GIS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
16/07/2019, 23:55 hours.
If you require any assistance please call 0845 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@sscl.gse.gov.uk Please quote the job reference - 27637.
If you require any further information about the role, please email SPJOffice@judiciary.uk.
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.