14385 - Judicial Appointments Commission - Selection Exercise Team Manager

Judicial Appointments Commission - Selection Exercise Team Manager (HEO)

The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) is an independent public body, established in 2006, to select judges in the courts and tribunals, and non-legal tribunal members. The JAC is responsible for designing, planning and running recruitment campaigns to select judicial office holders up to and including the High Court. We have a statutory duty to select solely on merit, while keeping our selection processes open to the widest range of applicants. This means continually evaluating and improving our processes to ensure they are fair and open, and that they are identifying the very best candidates for judicial office.

The work is varied and challenging. We launch a new campaign for judicial posts every 1 to 2 weeks. These range from high-volume campaigns at entry level, attracting upward of 2000 applicants, to small campaigns for senior roles, attracting a handful of highly-qualified people. In a fast-paced environment, you will work with our operational delivery and policy managers to design and plan these campaigns, manage risks and ensure effective delivery.

Judicial appointments are a subject of growing interest from the government, Parliament and the media. The JAC supports the ambition set out recently by the former Lord Chancellor Elizabeth Truss, to find “the best and brightest from every background”.

In this context, we are now looking to recruit to the position of Selection Exercise Team Manager who will be responsible for the campaigns to select candidates for judicial office. This role would suit an operational team leader who is used to delivering, to deadline and to quality standards, in a complex environment. An ability to positively engage with applicants and panel members, remain calm and confident under pressure, and to react to changing priorities while maintaining a structured and controlled process, are all important skills for this role.

The role holder will be part of the wider operations team working with colleagues across the JAC to plan, develop and deliver selection exercises. This might role involve some line management and will involve the opportunity to brief Board members, in writing and in person, to assist the JAC Board with their selection decisions.

Those applicants invited for interview will also be asked to undertake work exercise on the day.

Note that the Judicial Appointments Commission will be moving to Clive House, Petty France, London at the end of January 2018.

Main responsibilities of the role will include

• Planning and managing selection exercises to attract and select the most suitable candidates;
• Manage the accurate collection of statistical information and report on this at key stages throughout the selection exercise process;
• Liaison with our stakeholders;
• Proactively identifying and managing risk to ensure timely and accurate delivery of selection exercises;
• Using a continuous improvement focus to identify good practice for future exercises;
• Produce reports at key stages of the exercise;
• Organising selection days for applicants, including briefing the selection panels and liaising with external contractors;
• Manage the budget for each selection exercise;
• Orally briefing on your selection exercise reports at the Commission Board and other meetings.
• Occasional deployment outside London, sometimes overnight, to assist in the successful delivery of exercises

Skills & Qualifications

In addition to meeting the competencies it is expected that successful applicants will have:

• Excellent organisational skills with an ability to prioritise and co-ordinate a team to achieve its goals, to deadline and to quality standards;
• Good communication skills, written and oral;
• Ability to quickly learn to use unfamiliar software to a good standard, with appropriate training.

You will be required to provide evidence of the following:

Changing and Improving

• Be willing to meet the challenges of difficult or complex changes, encouraging and supporting others to do the same
• Find ways to improve systems and structures to deliver with more streamlined resources
• Be prepared to take managed risks, ensuring these are planned and their impact assessed

Making Effective Decisions

• Make decisions when they are needed, even if they prove difficult or unpopular
• Explore different options outlining costs, benefits, risks and potential responses to each
• Recognise scope of own authority for decision making and empower team members to make decisions

Leading and Communicating

• Take opportunities to regularly communicate and interact with staff, helping to clarify goals and activities, in line with JAC policies
• Communicate in a succinct and engaging manner and able to stand your ground when needed.
• Work with senior stakeholders to deliver exercises on time and to budget
• Convey enthusiasm and energy about your work and encourage others to do the same

Building Capability for All

• Identify and address team or individual capability requirements and gaps to deliver current and future work
• Identify and develop all team members to support succession planning, devoting time to coach, mentor and develop staff as necessary
• Value and respond to different personal needs in the team using these to develop others and promote inclusiveness

Managing a Quality Service

• Making effective use of project management techniques to deliver outcomes, managing risks, and identifying lessons learnt
• Develop proposals to improve the quality of service with involvement from a range of colleagues, stakeholders and delivery partners
• Work with your team to set appropriate priorities, goals, objectives and timescales.

Closing Date: 24th November 2017 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 14385. Further information about the role and the Judicial Appointments Commission is available from Ian Thomson (Ian.Thomson@jac.gsi.gov.uk)