61873 - Appointments Officer, HR Operations

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.

Overview of the Organisation

Are you looking for a new challenge in the operational field? Do you want to work across a wider team, developing skills and specialist knowledge as you go along? You have come to the right place! 

The Judicial Office (JO) is a small organisation (c200 people) which works in support of the Lord Chief Justice and Senior President of Tribunals. The team also supports and advises the advisory committees who carry out key functions in relation to the magistracy, on behalf of the Lord Chancellor.

More generally, the JO is a very collegiate place to work and there are opportunities to get involved in a range of things, be it by becoming a member of the Shadow Board, joining the Learning & Development Group or work-shadowing colleagues. 

Summary of the Role

Led by the Head of Judicial HR, the Judicial HR team is accountable for delivering the right Judicial Office Holders with the right skills, in the right place, at the right time in support of the Lord Chancellor, Lord Chief Justice and the Senior President of Tribunals as set out in the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. This is a prestigious, high profile and customer focused environment.

An increase in the volume of appointments to the judiciary alongside a major reform of the recruitment of magistrates has created up to three Appointment Officer vacancies within the Judicial Office Holder Appointments Team.

The Judicial Office Holder Appointments team provides support to the senior judiciary and the Lord Chancellor concerning Judicial Office Holder appointments and retirements. As an Appointments Officer you will provide advice on recommendations for appointments of Judicial Office Holders to courts and tribunals.  This involves working with the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC), the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and Advisory Committees.

As an Appointments Officer you may be called on to work with the Pre-Appointments Team, the Magistrates’ Appointments Team and/or the Post Appointments Team. The Pre-Appointments Team deals with planning JAC recruitment campaigns, all the way through to advising the senior judiciary and the Lord Chancellor on whether to accept recommendations for appointment, deployment and swearing-in ceremonies. The Magistrates’ Appointments Team provides support to the Senior Presiding Judge and the Lord Chancellor drafting advice recommending appointments to the magistracy and to Advisory Committees. Once Judicial Office Holders are in post, the Post-Appointments Team provides advice on the authorisation of judges and the deployment of individuals to other roles, including leadership roles.  The teams also action the retirements, resignations and deaths in service of all Judicial Office Holders, including the appointment of individuals to sit following retirement.

For more information, please see the Judicial Office website. 

Responsibilities, Activities & Duties

• To provide accurate and timely advice to the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Chief Justice, the Senior President of Tribunals and the Senior Presiding Judge on recommendations for judicial office holder appointment.
• To provide accurate and timely advice on appointment renewals, resignations, retirements and appointments to sit in retirement.
• To draft accurate offer and appointment letters and public announcements and to take forward all necessary steps to formalise appointments.
• To liaise with HMCTS on the timing of recruitment exercises and the production of valedictory letters, condolence letters and long service certificates on behalf of senior judicial office holders.
• To arrange or assist with swearing-in ceremonies for Circuit Judges and above.
• To support judicial recruitment campaigns.
• To provide support and advice to the senior judiciary and Lord Chancellor on authorisations and appointment to judicial leadership roles.  
• To provide assistance with HR Freedom of Information and Subject Access Requests.
• To ensure that the records management system (currently e-HR) is kept up to date.
• To provide ad hoc flexible support to colleagues across the HR Operations Team as and when required to meet shifting work priorities.

The duties listed are not exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post as well as working across the HR Operations team.

We are looking for candidates who are team players with strong organisational and drafting skills and an excellent eye for detail. You will need to have the confidence and ability to work under your own initiative and be able to manage competing priorities effectively.

The successful candidates will have an induction period and support from their line manager throughout.

As this is an operational role, the hybrid working requirement is for a minimum of 40% of time spent in person at the Royal Courts of Justice. This may increase depending on operational business need.

Please contact Terry.Smith@judiciary.uk if you would like further information about the roles.

Behaviours (for Recruitment/Success Profiles)

Behaviours

• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing

If a large volume of applications is received the sift will focus on Managing a Quality Service.

Essential Knowledge, Experience and Skills

• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage your own workload effectively.
• Strong IT skills (should be able to work confidently in Word, Excel, Outlook including the ability to make formatting and layout changes to documents, manipulate data in Excel using basic formulae, sorting and filtering and be able to use databases confidently).
• Able to make decisions using sound judgement.
• Excellent customer service skills with the ability to communicate effectively with different stakeholders across all levels of seniority.
• Strong team player with the ability to support colleagues across HR Operations.
• Strong drafting skills.
• Excellent attention to detail.

Desirable Knowledge, Experience and Skills

• Knowledge of the work of the judiciary. 
• Experience of working with Judicial Office Holders and/or experience working in the justice system.

Security clearance required

CTC