Overview
The Judicial Office (JO) reports to, and is accountable, to the Lady Chief Justice (LCJ). It was established in 2006 to provide support to the LCJ and to the wider judiciary in upholding the rule of law and in delivering justice impartially, speedily and efficiently, following the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. In addition, we support, and are accountable to, the Senior President of Tribunals, whose responsibilities extend to Scotland and Northern Ireland. The JO is an interesting and unique place to work. Everything we do is in support of upholding the independence and impartiality of the judiciary. We work closely with HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS), the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and others across Government as well as with the legal professions. We are an Arm’s Length Body sponsored by the Ministry of Justice, delivering on priorities agreed with senior judiciary and funded by the MoJ.
Responsibilities
- Providing secretariat for set‑piece meetings, including jurisdictional quarterly and annual meetings, commissioning written and oral advice and noting and tracking action points.
- Acting as a point of contact for judicial office holder expenses queries, liaising with HMCTS finance as appropriate.
- Designing and developing systems including leading on filing systems (paper and electronic – supporting compliance with GDPR), reviewing processes and implementing new ways of working to deliver efficiencies and build resilience within the Private Office as we begin to align CPO with the established Private Offices structures across Judicial Office.
- Signposting Chamber Presidents to professional support e.g. HR, Communications, Judicial Training, across the Judicial Office and HMCTS.
- Leading on the administration associated with Judicial Mentoring and on the scheduling and recording of Judicial Appraisal – providing support to lead judges as required.
- Overseeing Judicial Office Holder Swearing‑in Ceremonies and the support provided to Presidents with valedictory activities.
Key Attributes
- Be able to manage conflicting priorities and use initiative to re‑prioritise work at short notice.
- Be willing and able to support the team in other jurisdictions as/when required.
- Communicate clearly, both in writing and orally.
- Have excellent interpersonal skills to build and maintain strong relationships with a range of peers and stakeholders working across the justice system.
- Be open to changes to ways of working and support the team in driving these changes forward.
- Embrace constructive feedback and be comfortable reflecting on how tasks could be done better.
Desirable Knowledge, Experience and Skills
- Experience of working closely with the judiciary, and an interest in the workings of the courts and tribunals more widely.
Benefits
- Annual Leave – 25 days on appointment, rising to 30 after five years; additional paid time off for public holidays and a privilege day.
- Pension – choice of civil service pension schemes.
- Training – extensive range of staff development and training opportunities.
- Networks – employee‑run networks for minority groups and for employees with disabilities, caring responsibilities, women, and LGBT+.
- Flexible working – hybrid working arrangements subject to business need, with a minimum of 60% office presence.
Diversity & Inclusion
We are a Disability Confident employer and a participant in the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.
Security Checks
Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) required.
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