69838 - Secretariat Officer

The national salary range is £25,827 - £27,170, London salary range is £29,664 - £31,200. Your salary will be dependent on your base location.
1
12 Months
East Midlands, East of England, London, North East, North West, South East, South West, Wales, West Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber
Birmingham , Brighton and Hove , Bristol , Cambridge , Cardiff , Jarrow , Leeds , Liverpool , London, Manchester , Nottingham
102 PETTY FRANCE LONDON, SW1H 9AJ, LEGAL AID AGENCY CAMBRIDGE, CB2 8DR, LIVERPOOL THE CAPITAL LAA LIVERPOOL, L3 9PP, SOUTH TYNESIDE BERKELY WAY LAA JARROW, NE31 1SF, 5 WELLINGTON PLACE LEEDS, LS1 4AP, LAA Brighton, BN2 9QA, LAA Store Street, Piccadilly Gate, FLR 7, M1 2WD , LAA William Morgan House FLR11, CF10 1EP, LAA 3 Glass Wharf, FLR 2, BS2 0PS, LAA 1 Unity Square, FLR 3, NG2 1AW, LAA Level 3, 23 Stephenson Street, Birmingham, B2 4BH
EO
EO
Permanent
Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working
Administration / Corporate Support

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.

The Legal Aid Agency

We are an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). We administer the legal aid fund for England and Wales, and in doing so help hundreds of thousands of people to access legal help and advice to deal with their legal problems every year.

Our people are at the heart of achieving excellence. Employing around 1,200 colleagues across England and Wales, we feel proud to have some of the best People Survey results in the Civil Service. 

Our LAA commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

The LAA is committed to diversity and inclusion and we positively promote flexible working, including job shares. 

We will consider all applications on merit regardless of age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, religion, ethnicity, preferred working pattern and except for exceptional circumstances your working location. 

As a Disability Confident organisation, we will offer a guaranteed interview to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for this role. Under the Equality Act 2010 a disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities which has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12 months. 

If you are responding to a role within the Legal Aid Agency and would like to be considered under the guaranteed interview, please ensure that you attach the Disability Confident Scheme Form when you return your application. You can use the same form to let the recruiting manager know of any reasonable adjustments you may require during the sift or later selection processes.
 
Corporate Services

The Corporate Centre helps shape and enable the priorities of the Chief Executive, Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and People Committee to be delivered. 

Corporate Assurance, Risk and Secretariat team

The Secretariat team provides a Secretariat function for the LAA’s key senior governance forums such as the Board and ELT and sits within the wider Corporate Assurance, Risk and Secretariat (CARS) team. 

The CARS team combines the five functions of Health & Safety, Information & Data Security, Business Continuity, Risk and Secretariat to collectively strengthen and support the LAA’s governance, assurance strategies, risk management processes and provide support to the LAA’s governance and management committees.

Is this for you?

•    You enjoy being part of a team;
•    You enjoy working in a fast-paced environment with the ability to juggle different tasks in quick succession;
•    You are organised with excellent attention to detail;
•    You have a passion to want to deliver an excellent service;
•    You have an interest in always striving for improvement and new ways of working.

Job Summary

This is a varied, fast paced and rewarding role that operates at the heart of the LAA and involves regular interaction with members of the ELT and exposure to high profile issues with the ability to manage and prioritise a variable workload. 

The post-holder will be responsible for leading on a number of key meetings, the planning of meeting dates for meeting forums and a range of meeting and out of committee requirements for the ELT. They will provide support in the preparation of meetings as required, help manage the Secretariat team mailbox, shared drive and Microsoft Teams areas.

This is an exciting opportunity to work closely with multiple teams across LAA as well as teams across Corporate Services such as the Chief Executive’s office on a range of areas and build strong networks across the LAA and wider Ministry of Justice. 

Key Responsibilities:

The Secretariat Officer plays a vital role in assisting the Secretariat to deliver effective, efficient and professional management of the Agency’s formal governance forums. Key duties and responsibilities include:

•    Leading on key LAA governance meetings including agenda planning, action management, paper collation and distribution and minute taking*;
•    Leading on ensuring the attendance log is up to date and supporting Secretariat colleagues in maintaining the action logs and forward look;
•    Managing the Secretariat mailbox, ensuring emails are promptly dealt with, followed up when required and then filed appropriately;
•    Leading on meeting dates and arrangements for governance forums, ensuring meetings are planned well in advance and that meetings dates are timely and convenient for attendees;
•    Leading on a range of ad hoc ELT meetings, in accordance with ELT diaries and ensuring the necessary papers are provided prior to the meeting;
•    Providing support to all meetings when required in preparing complex agendas, arranging presenter attendance slots, commissioning, collating and circulating papers and tracking actions;
•    Assisting in the management of the shared area and numerous Microsoft Teams areas relevant to each committee.
 
*minute taking will involve producing a high-level account in at least two meetings per month and providing ad-hoc minute taking support in other meetings as required. 

Essential Knowledge, Experience and skills

•    Excellent organisational and planning skills.
•    The ability to prioritise effectively to deliver at pace to tight deadlines and competing priorities.
•    Effective interpersonal and influencing skills to engage and build relationships with key stakeholders.
•    A good team player with a drive for continuous improvement of ways of working.
•    Excellent Microsoft Outlook skills to help navigate multiple outlook calendars and prioritise between conflicting meetings.  
•    Attention to detail and excellent drafting and communication skills with a commitment to delivering excellence in all work. 

Desirable Knowledge, Experience and skills

•    Previous experience in a Secretariat or executive support role;
•    Familiarity with LAA’s governance forums and requirements.

Assessment approach 

Application Process

To apply please provide a statement of suitability showing how you meet the essential criteria in no more than 750 words.

Your statement should demonstrate your ability to do all the essential criteria listed, using examples can help strengthen your application.

Interview / assessment Process

If you are successful through the application stage, you will be invited to an interview by Microsoft Teams.

You will be assessed against the strengths required by the role and the following behaviours:

•    Delivering at Pace

Regularly review the success of activities in the team to identify barriers to progress or challenging objectives. Identify who and what is required to ensure success, set clear goals and areas of responsibility and continually assess workloads considering individual needs. Follow relevant policies, procedures and legislation to complete your work. Ensure colleagues have the correct tools and resources available to them to do their jobs. Have a positive and focused attitude to achieving outcomes, despite any setbacks. Regularly check performance against objectives, making suggestions for improvement or taking corrective action where necessary. Ensure that colleagues are supported where tasks are challenging.

•    Seeing the Bigger Picture

Understand how your work and the work of your team supports wider objectives and meets the diverse needs of stakeholders. Keep up to date with the issues that affect your work area. Take a keen interest in expanding knowledge in areas related to your work. Focus on overall goals and not just specific tasks to meet priorities.

•    Managing a Quality Service

Work with customers to understand their needs and expectations. Create clear plans and set priorities which meet the needs of both the customer and the business. Clearly explain to customers what can be done. Keep colleagues and stakeholders fully informed of plans, possibilities and progress. Identify common problems that affect service, report them and find possible solutions. Deliver good customer service which balances quality and cost effectiveness. 

Shortlisting is planned for week commencing 6th February 2023

Interviews are planned for week commencing early March 2023

If you would like more information on this opportunity, please contact – Karen Jopson, Head of Secretariat, karen.jopson@justice.gov.uk. 

Complaints procedure

If you have any complaints about this recruitment activity, please share your concerns by emailing LAAPeopleTeam@justice.gov.uk initially. We aim to respond to any complaint within 10 working days. 

If you are dissatisfied with our response, we will forward your complaint to the Civil Service Commission, an independent body, for review.

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.

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

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.

Eligibility

Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.

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

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.

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.

Interviews are planned for week commencing early March 2023

01/02/2023, 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 - 69838.

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.

if you feel that your application has not been treated in line with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance

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

Experience
Statement of Suitability - 750 word limit

Interview stage assessments

There is 1 interview stage for this vacancy.
Behaviours
Delivering at Pace
Seeing the Big Picture
Managing a Quality Service
Strengths may also be assessed at interview but these are not shared in advance.

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.