Deputy Private Secretary to the SPJ (Ref: 15812)

Job summary

Please refer to Job Description

Job description

Job Description (JD)

Group/Directorate/Team: SPJ Private Office

Role: Deputy Private Secretary (DPS) to the Senior Presiding Judge

Grade: SEO

Role Title

Deputy Private Secretary to the Senior Presiding Judge

Team/Directorate

SPJ Private Office

Overview of the Judicial Office

(This is standardised wording and cannot be amended.)

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. This creates an interesting and complex environment in which to work where we agree our priorities with the senior judiciary and receive our funding to deliver them from the Ministry of Justice. The Judicial Office has been through a period of significant growth resulting from an expansion of our remit and responsibilities.

See JO staff talk about working here: https://design102.wistia.com/medias/uhgtmbtnlv

Overview of the Team

The Senior Presiding Judge (SPJ) is a senior member of the judiciary of England and Wales. They are appointed for a fixed two-year period.

The SPJ’s responsibilities and remit include:

- Providing support, leadership and guidance for courts judiciary and magistrates, particularly to leadership judges;

- Acting as ‘Chief of Staff’ for the Lady Chief Justice, dealing with day-to-day issues affecting the judiciary, across a wide-ranging field including judicial appointments, HR casework, diversity, judicial security, and matters relating to the court estate;

- Representing the Lady Chief Justice on the HMCTS Board and attending a number of other high-profile boards; and

- Ensuring the effective and efficient operation of the courts, including regular engagement with those involved in the work of the courts, and working with judges to understand and improve performance.

The SPJ is supported in these responsibilities by the Deputy Senior Presiding Judge (DSPJ).

The Private Office team is responsible for providing strategic support, advice, and coordination for the SPJ and DSPJ on all areas of their portfolio.

Hybrid Working Requirement

(This is standardised wording and cannot be amended.)

This position is eligible for hybrid working (current minimum requirement for time spent at base location is 60%, which is subject to business requirements).

Summary of the Role

We are recruiting a permanent Deputy Private Secretary (DPS) to join the Private Office of the Senior Presiding Judge.

This is a frontline role working directly with members of the senior judiciary to deliver their priorities. The postholder will provide a critical interface between the SPJ / DSPJ and partners across the justice system. They will handle complex and confidential issues in order to provide advice and support to the senior judiciary, enabling them to discharge their responsibilities.

As one of several DPSs in the team, you will have day-to-day responsibility for a number of high-profile areas that fall within the SPJ’s portfolio. You will be expected to build a good understanding of these areas, including live issues, challenges and opportunities, partners and stakeholders, and the role of the SPJ in decision-making. You will also be expected to understand the wider work of the private office and will have opportunities to lead on ad hoc projects.

Please be aware that Private Office roles can be unpredictable and may require working long hours and, very occasionally, at weekends. It may be necessary to support the SPJ and DSPJ on visits across the country and therefore some travel will likely be required.

Responsibilities, Activities & Duties

Key responsibilities will include:

- Establishing themselves as a trusted advisor to the SPJ and DSPJ.

- Providing high-quality briefings, advice and recommendations, and providing challenge where appropriate.

- Supporting the SPJ and DSPJ in managing their relationships with partners across the justice system. Identifying opportunities for engagement with stakeholders.

- Remaining alert to live and emerging issues, dealing with issues on behalf of the senior judiciary and escalating where required. Maintaining a forward look of known activity and ensuring preparations are made in advance where possible.

- Supporting the SPJ and DSPJ to deliver standalone projects which they lead on behalf of the judiciary.

- Building strong working relationships with members of the judiciary and magistracy, as well as officials across the Judicial Office, MoJ and HMCTS. Understanding others’ roles and responsibilities, establishing hand‑off points, and ensuring effective and timely sharing of information.

- Demonstrating collective leadership as part of the management team of the private office, including line management of at least one member of staff.

Essential Knowledge, Experience and Skills

- Experience of influencing at senior levels: drafting briefings, providing advice, and making evidence-based recommendations.

- Experience of working at pace, managing competing priorities, and taking decisions in a fast-moving environment.

- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

- Ability to process large volumes of complex, often sensitive information across a variety of subject matters, understanding the detail as well as the bigger picture.

- Ability to build strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels.

- Experience of managing projects and/or complex, multi-stranded pieces of work over a prolonged period.

- Experience of leadership and/or line management.

Desirable Knowledge, Experience and Skills

- Experience of working in a Private Office or providing support to senior leaders.

- Experience of working with the judiciary or magistracy.

Behaviours

- Communicating and Influencing (lead behaviour)

- Seeing the Big Picture

- Delivering at Pace

- Making Effective Decisions

Assessment Process at Application

- CV – not scored

- Statement of suitability – not scored

- Behaviours – if there is a high volume of applications the panel will sift on the lead behaviour

Assessment Process at Interview

- Behaviours

- Strengths

Security Clearance Required

CTC

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £49,325, Ministry of Justice contributes £14,289 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Access to learning and development
• A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Annual Leave
• Public Holidays
• Season Ticket Advance

For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.

Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

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 Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist 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 : SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team
• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
• Telephone : 0345 241 5359

Recruitment team

• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles and would like to raise this, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance. If the role has been advertised externally (outside of the Civil Service) and you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitm…

https://jobs.justice.gov.uk/careers/JobDetail/15812?entityId=15812