20981 - Business Support Officer

Please note this is a part-time opportunity working 18 hours per week (we operate a flexible working policy and happy to discuss the specific arrangement for how you would work these hours). Please note:

This position is offered as a Fixed-Term Contract until March 2022.

New recruits to the Civil Service joining MoJ are expected to join at the Band minimum.

Background

Her Majesty’s Court and Tribunals Service is an agency of the MoJ and provides the supporting administration for the judiciary across England and Wales. It delivers services to the public directly in court and tribunal buildings, remotely via business centres and some limited services via the internet.

HMCTS has a once in a generation opportunity to transform the entire Courts and Tribunals Service through the HMCTS Reform Programme, enhancing the provision of a world-class justice system, in a manner that provides an improved user experience at reduced cost to the taxpayer. This will contribute to consolidating the UK’s position at the forefront of an increasingly competitive international legal market as well as ensuring access to justice for all.

The programme includes modernising the court estate, updating and replacing its technology, speeding up and streamlining working practices, refurbishing buildings to reduce maintenance costs and provide much improved services for service users, especially vulnerable witnesses and victims. Effective staff engagement at a time of such significant change will be critical to success; maintaining a positive and lasting connection between HMCTS management and its staff.

An effective courts and tribunals service is fundamental to our democracy, underpinning the rule of law. This is an opportunity to work in a role that will support and enable a major transformation programme, designed not just to give our courts and tribunals a sustainable and affordable future, but improve how we deliver justice.

Business Support Officer to the Portfolio Delivery Team

The key purpose of this role is to provide operational and administrative support to the Portfolio Delivery Team Deputy Director in the Courts & Tribunals Development Directorate. Secondary the post holder may be required to assist and support other PDT members in their roles and as such will offer the post holder opportunities to learn a breadth of project and programme management techniques and develop a broad range of effective business skills.

It is a key role, providing high quality, effective administrative support, comprehensive and proactive diary management, scheduling meetings and preparing meeting paperwork as well as other duties listed below:

Key Responsibilities:

Administration

• Manage the diary for the PDT Deputy Director ensuring that their calendars are kept up to date.
• Use your judgement to prioritise routine work, and process items that require attention of the Deputy Directors
• Ensure that the Deputy Director is prepared for meetings - prepare and print papers and commission briefings from other members of Directorate staff where appropriate
• Deal with requests promptly, organise meetings, including room bookings & managing conflicting requests, book equipment as required and issue calendar invites, agendas and papers to delegates.
• Arrange travel and hotel bookings for the Deputy Director in line with MoJ policy.
• Screen and filter telephone calls, enquires and requests, handling them directly or referring them to an appropriate source.
• Oversee the development and management of divisional administration, processes, records and systems.
• Support the Deputy Director in the management of the Directorate by co-ordinating oversight of annual leave, working patterns and other cross-team matters.
• Support the Deputy Director in the discharge of their corporate responsibilities by collating returns to commissions from across the team, obtaining appropriate clearance, and ensuring returns are completed on time.
• Assisting with cross directorate activities as and when required.

Communications and relationships         

• Create strong relationships with all divisional staff, to support the Deputy Director in their leadership and management roles.
• Create and maintain strong links with other Directors and Deputy Directors’ Offices.
• Communicate and liaise with staff and colleagues to ensure that everyone is consulted and engaged on any process changes.

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. Occasional travel may be required.

Key Requirements

Essential Skills

• Highly motivated self-starter with excellent organisational skills and a proactive nature
• You will be able to influence others by understanding the needs of the business and communicate these effectively through innovative means.
• You will be confident, resilient, resourceful and prepared to learn quickly to deliver high standards
• A natural optimist, with a “can do” approach to solving problems and delivering outcomes.
• Previous experience working with and liaising with senior staff up to Director level
• Previous experience of using MS Office including: Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint and using a variety of online business support tools to book travel / training / meeting rooms etc.

Key Civil Service Competencies

You will be required to provide evidence of the following key competencies at Level 2

Managing a Quality Service         

• Explain clearly to customers what can be done
• Work with team to set priorities, create clear plans and manage all work to meet the needs of the customer and the business
• Ensure that levels of service are maintained – flag up risks or concerns in order to meet customer requirements
• Keep internal teams, customers and delivery partners fully informed of plans and possibilities
• Promote adherence to relevant policies, procedures, regulations and legislation, including equality and diversity and health and safety
• Identify common problems or weaknesses in policy or procedures that affect service and escalate these

Leading and Communicating

• Display enthusiasm around goals and activities – adopting a positive approach when interacting with others
• Listen to, understand, respect and accept the value of different views, ideas and ways of working
• Express ideas effectively, both orally and in writing, and with sensitivity and respect for others
• Confidently handle challenging conversations or interviews
• Confront and deal promptly with inappropriate language or behaviours, including bullying, harassment or discrimination

Collaborating and Partnering

• Demonstrate interest in others and develop a range of contacts outside own team to help get the job done
• Change ways of working to facilitate collaboration for the benefit of the team’s work
• Proactively seek information, resources and support from others outside own immediate team in order to help achieve results
• Readily identify opportunities to share knowledge, information and learning and make progress by working with colleagues
• Listen attentively to others and check their understanding by asking questions
• Take responsibility for creating a working environment that encourages equality, diversity and inclusion

Closing Date: 27th September 2018 at 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.