Administrative Officer – Operational Support Roles – Casework

Job summary

This recruitment campaign brings together a number of opportunities across the Crown Prosecution Service, including Administrative Officer, Casework Assistant, Advocacy Clerking Assistant, Victim Liaison Assistant and Fees Clerk roles. Within the Crown Prosecution Service, these roles are graded A2, which is equivalent to the Administrative Officer (AO) grade in the wider Civil Service. Whilst these roles are distinct, they share a common core of responsibilities, skills and behaviours.

The Crown Prosecution Service is responsible for delivering justice through the independent and effective prosecution of crime. As the principal prosecuting authority across England and Wales, our work is often complex and emotionally challenging. We are looking for individuals who are committed to public service, making a difference in people’s lives and delivering work to a high standard.

Whether supporting case progression, providing administrative support, communicating with victims, or processing financial information, all of the roles in this campaign play an important part in helping the Crown Prosecution Service operate effectively and maintain public confidence in our work.

You are asked to confirm your preferred role and location when completing your application. If you do not confirm your preference, you will be considered for the administrative officer role. If you are successful, you are placed on a list that reflects your preferred role and location. Offers are made from the relevant list in merit order, depending on business needs. If we do not have vacancies for your preferred role and location, you may be offered one of the other roles listed or an alternative location.

At A2/AO grade within the Crown Prosecution Service, you carry out a range of administrative, casework or support tasks that help our teams work effectively and deliver a high-quality service. Depending on the role, you may manage information, respond to enquiries, support case progression, communicate with victims or process financial records. In many cases, you are also the first point of contact for colleagues, external agencies or members of the public, so you must communicate clearly, professionally and within agreed timescales.

We are advertising two Administrative Officer – Operational Support Roles campaigns. You can only apply for one campaign - either Regional/Headquarters or Casework. If you submit applications for both, we accept the first application and reject the second.

Job description

These roles support the effective delivery of services across the Crown Prosecution Service by ensuring information is managed accurately, enquiries are handled professionally and work is completed to a high standard. Depending on the role, you may be required to:

• respond professionally to enquiries and correspondence from colleagues, criminal justice partners, external agencies and members of the public.
• provide high-quality administrative or casework support to help teams operate effectively and efficiently.
• work to agreed deadlines, service standards and timescales, managing competing priorities where required.
• build and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• ensure work is completed to a high standard, in line with Crown Prosecution Service values, guidance and procedures.

Person specification

To be eligible to apply for this opportunity, you must:
• have excellent written, verbal and digital communication skills - including knowledge of Microsoft 365 applications
• have an interest in criminal law and public service
• be aged 18 or over before starting in this role.
The start date is expected to be 8-12 weeks after the application deadline.

Roles included in this campaign

This campaign includes five distinct A2 roles. While all roles sit at the same grade and contribute to the work of the Crown Prosecution Service, the day-to-day responsibilities vary depending on the post. A summary of each role is set out below.

Casework Assistant – You provide frontline casework support to prosecutors and legal teams by preparing cases for court, serving documents and maintaining case files for hearings in the magistrates’ and Crown Court. You respond professionally to enquiries and correspondence from criminal justice partners, victims and witnesses, record information accurately and complete administrative tasks to support the effective progression of cases.

Administrative Officer – You provide vital administrative support to departments across the organisation, helping teams work effectively and efficiently. This includes managing and recording information accurately, monitoring correspondence, maintaining filing systems, responding to enquiries from the public and partner agencies, and supporting the smooth day-to-day operation of business areas across the Crown Prosecution Service.

Advocacy Clerking Assistant – You provide administrative support to the Crown Advocacy Unit, helping to prepare and manage daily Crown Court lists and ensure cases are allocated and briefed to an advocate. Your role is focused on Crown Court work and involves regular liaison communication by phone and email with Crown Advocates, paralegals, chambers and other stakeholders to help secure appropriate advocacy cover. You maintain diary and database records, manage inbox activity, produce standard correspondence and support the smooth running of the unit.

Victim Liaison Assistant – You are a key point of contact for victims of crime, ensuring they receive clear, timely and empathetic communication about their case. You draft correspondence in plain English, respond to enquiries, complaints and Victims’ Right to Review requests, arrange meetings, manage a varied caseload and work closely with prosecutors, Witness Care Units and external agencies to ensure victims are informed and supported throughout the prosecution process.

Fees Clerk – You accurately process fee claims and invoices in line with deadlines, service standards and relevant guidance. You check and manage financial information, produce reports, investigate discrepancies, maintain accurate records of expenditure and payments, and handle enquiries while building effective working relationships with internal teams and external partners.

Casework divisions

Central casework divisions in the Crown Prosecution Service deal with some of the most complex criminal cases we prosecute. Working closely with specialist investigators across the criminal justice system, these divisions prosecute offences including organised crime, fraud, terrorism, corporate manslaughter and economic crime on an international scale.

Serious Economic, Organised Crime and International Directorate Regional Wales Division - reserve list only

Proceeds of Crime - reserve list only

Special Crime and Counter Terrorism - reserve list only

You may be appointed to either a regional team or headquarters, depending on the role and location you are offered. Offers will be made from the merit list for your preferred role and first-choice location, in merit order, and will depend on available vacancies and business need. If you are offered a post, you may be placed in any suitable team within that role and location.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £24,800, Crown Prosecution Service contributes £7,184 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

Join the Crown Prosecution Service and find your purpose.

Why we work for the Crown Prosecution Service

The Crown Prosecution Service is passionate about ensuring that we're a top performing organisation and a great place to work. We're a committed equal opportunities employer, creating a culture where you can bring your whole self to work, and individuality is truly appreciated.

This culture of inclusion is underpinned by our staff networks covering disability, faith and belief, LGBTQI+, race, social mobility alongside our mental health first aiders programme and wellbeing sessions.

The Crown Prosecution Service commits to offer its employees the following experience.

• You can do impactful, purposeful work that’s making a difference to your local communities.
• You are able to learn and grow, with access to the right opportunities and resources.
• We care about your wellbeing.
• We want you to feel valued, trusted and included.

We also offer the following range of benefits:

• Civil Service contributory pension of up to 28.9%
• 25 days’ leave, increasing to 30 days after 5 years
• £350 each year to spend on personal development
• an extra privilege day to mark the King's birthday
• competitive maternity, paternity and parental leave
• flexible working including flexitime, and a family friendly approach to work
• Cycle2Work scheme, employee savings.

Diversity at the Crown Prosecution Service is about inclusion, embracing differences and ensuring our workforce truly reflects the communities we serve. We want you to feel that you belong and can thrive, whatever your background, identity or culture. As a Disability Confident employer, we're happy to support requests for reasonable adjustments and improve your recruitment experience. If you'd like any reasonable adjustments made to our recruitment process, let us know within your application or contact Earlycareers@cps.gov.uk

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Strengths and Experience.

Recruitment process

The recruitment process consists of an online test and application, video interview and a final online interview through Microsoft Teams.

At the interview stage, you book your own time slot on Civil Service Jobs. Once booked, we can’t guarantee your time slot can be changed.

Behaviours – assessed at video interview and final interview stage

• Motivation (lead behaviour) – video interview and final interview
• Managing a Quality Service – video interview
• Working Together – video interview
• Delivering at Pace – final interview
• Communicating & Influencing - final interview

The panel has the right to assess the lead behaviour ‘Motivation’ first. If the standard on this behaviour isn’t met, the other behaviours won’t be considered, and your video interview won’t progress. The panel also has the right to raise the minimum standard pass mark during the selection process.

The panel may also refer to the lead behaviour at the interview stage to determine merit order.

We use behaviours to help us understand your experience, to help you do a great job in this role. You are assessed against grade Administrative Officer/Level 1 in the Civil Service success profiles behaviours framework. In addition, you need to demonstrate the Crown Prosecution Service or Civil Service values.

Motivation – lead behaviour

We want to understand why you want to work in public service, law and the Crown Prosecution Service. We’ll be looking for you to cover the following five things at both video and final interview.

• Why you want to join the Crown Prosecution Service.
• Why you want to work in public service.
• Your interest in the criminal justice system.
• A strong focus on continuous learning and a willingness to progress your training and development.
• Awareness of the Crown Prosecution Service values and priorities – our latest strategy is available on our website: CPS 2030 strategy , The Crown Prosecution Service

Information Sessions

We are holding a series of information sessions – these are live webchats where you can ask us any queries you may have about your application, the process or the role. You can register here:

Thursday 27 August 12pm: https://meetandengage.com/amsofkpz5
Thursday 3 September 12pm: https://meetandengage.com/amsofpau6

First stage - Civil Service judgment test and application

After submitting the initial short application form, you are automatically invited to complete the online Civil Service Judgement Test. If you successfully complete the online test you are invited to complete an employment history section. Please note, this is not assessed by the panel. Both the online test and full application form must be completed and submitted before 11am on 7 September 2026.

Please ensure you allow enough time to complete both the online test and full application form before the deadline. We recommend completing the online test within 24 to 48 hours of receiving the invitation, to allow time to resolve any potential technical issues.

We send you an invitation to take the test and provide full instructions about how to complete it.

Any duplicate applications will be rejected.

For more guidance about the online Civil Service tests, please see the GOV.UK website: Civil Service online tests - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Second stage - video interview

If you pass the first stage, you are invited to complete a video interview. This is not a live interview - you use an online platform to record your responses to timed questions.

Invitations to the video interview are sent by email on 10 September, with full guidance and instructions included.

If you require any reasonable adjustments for the video interview, please contact earlycareers@cps.gov.uk by 11 am on 9 September. Requests received after this time may not be able to be accommodated.

You will can access the video interview system from 10 September. You can complete and submit your video interview at any point before the deadline of 11am on 17 September.

Third stage - final interview

If you pass the second stage, you are invited to attend a final interview with a Crown Prosecution Service panel. Full guidance and instructions are provided with your invitation. Invitations to final interview are expected to be sent during the week commencing 26 October.

Interviews are scheduled to take place between 2 Novemberand 4 December and are held virtually through Microsoft Teams.

Please note these dates are subject to change, and we cannot guarantee alternative interview dates.

At this stage, you book your own interview slot through Civil Service Jobs. Once your slot has been confirmed, we cannot guarantee that changes will be possible.

We understand interviews can be stressful, so you will be sent your final interview Behaviour questions in advance.

Interview

We use behaviours to help us understand your experience, to see if you're a good fit for the role. You are assessed against A2/AO/ Level 1 in the Civil Service success profiles behaviours framework. We are assessing three behaviours at interview stage.

The interview stage also assesses two Civil Service Strengths, further information on Strengths can be found here: Success Profiles: Strengths - GOV.UKhttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles/success-profiles-strengths

Offer of employment

As part of your application, you are asked to indicate your preferred role and first-choice office location. If you are successful, you are placed on a merit list that reflects both your preferred role and your first-choice location. Offers are made from the list in merit order, depending on available vacancies and business need.

The number of offers made may vary depending on business need. Results are expected to be issued in the week commencing 7 December, but this may be subject to change.

If you pass the selection process but are not offered a role straight away, you may be placed on a reserve list for your preferred role and first-choice location for up to 12 months. During this time, you may be offered a suitable A2 role if a vacancy becomes available in your first-choice location. This could be for your preferred role, or another role included in this campaign, depending on available vacancies and business need. Being placed on a reserve list does not guarantee that an offer will be made.

If you are offered a role but are unable to accept due to extenuating circumstances, we will consider whether you can remain on the reserve list. This is not automatic and is considered on a case-by-case basis.

Clearance

If successful, you are required to securea Disclosure and Barring Service check security Check clearance, for which you must have a current valid UK address.

If successfully appointed, we ask you to complete a character enquiry form, and nationality and immigration questionnaire, (and national security vetting form if SC/DV).

If you're a Crown Prosecution Service member of staff, you won’t need to do a Disclosure and Barring Service check as you already hold this clearance.

The job you’re applying for is covered by Article 3(a) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975, consequently Section 4(2) of that Act doesn’t apply.You’re required to disclose all previous convictions and cautions including spent convictions. Failing to make a full declaration will result in withdrawing your offer of employment if our checks reveal convictions that haven’t been disclosed.

To be cleared to Security Check/Developed Vetting clearance level, you have to be able to meet the residency requirement in the Cabinet Office guidance. For the Crown Prosecution Service, this is three years within the last five years (Security Check).

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a standard (or equivalent) criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

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)
• 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)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Early Careers Recruitment Team
• Email : Early.Careers@cps.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : strategic.resourcing@cps.gov.uk

Attachments

CPS Terms and Conditions 2025 Opens in new window (docx, 255kB)