Inquiry Administration Support and Usher (Ref: 18786)
Job summary
Please refer to Job DescriptionJob description
Business Area: Omagh Bombing Inquiry
Role Title: Inquiry Administration Support and Usher
Terms of Appointment: Loan/Fixed Term (1 year)
Grade: AO
Location: Bradford Court, Belfast, BT8 6RB
Vacancy Manager: Laura Crichton
Applications Invited From: External
New entrants to the Civil Service will be expected to join on the minimum of the pay range.
Existing Civil Servants will have their salary calculated in accordance with the Department’s pay on transfer / pay on promotion rules.
The national salary is £25,582.
Background
This post will be located at Bradford Court, Belfast BT8 6RB.
On 2 February 2023, the then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland announced that he would establish an independent statutory inquiry into the Real IRA bombing of Omagh on 15 August 1998, in which 31 lives were lost.
The Inquiry was formally established on publication of its Terms of Reference in February 2024. Since then, it has conducted a number of procedural hearings and commemorative public hearings in Omagh and Belfast. The Chairman of the Inquiry is supported by a small secretariat, led by the Secretary to the Inquiry. The secretariat provides administrative and policy support to the Chairman and other office holders. The post holder will join a small innovative team and will contribute to the Inquiry’s work as it progresses towards holding evidential hearings.
It’s an exciting time to be part of an energetic growing team with lots of potential for ownership, development and growth.
About the Role:
Working to the Hearings and Communications Manager, the Inquiry Administration Support and Usher is a key, central role and will support the delivery of the Inquiry’s hearings.
The primary responsibility of the role is ensuring the effective and professional delivery of the Inquiry’s hearings. This provides the post holder with an exciting opportunity to work in a public facing role, acting as a key point of contact for Inquiry attendees and ensuring hearings run smoothly and effectively. The post holder will work flexibly across the secretariat team to provide support across various work strands.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Inquiry Administration Support and Usher will have oversight of the hearing room on hearing days.
This may include:
- Preparing the hearing room for public hearing days.
- Welcoming and assisting members of the public and legal teams into the hearing centre and managing the flow of hearings.
- Providing in person hearing room management including, working with the Inquiry team and the Inquiry’s AV provider to ensure the legal teams in the room are familiar with the technology in place, supporting with daily announcements and swearing witnesses in before they give evidence.
Outside of hearings, the Inquiry Administration Support and Usher will provide operational and administrative support to the Inquiry.
This may include:
- Inbox and diary management for the Secretariat team.
- Organising travel/accommodation requests.
- Processing invoices.
- Working with the Hearings and Communications manager to ensure external suppliers are arranged in advance of hearing dates.
Essential Criteria:
The post holder will need to demonstrate the following in their application and at interview:
- Strong verbal and interpersonal communication skills,
- Confident with a sound ability to build professional relationships.
- Strong organisational and multitasking abilities, with excellent attention to detail.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
- Flexible, reliable, and proactive approach to work.
The role will require some out of hours working, particularly during Inquiry hearings.
Desirable:
- Existing CTC clearance (or higher)
We will assess you against the following Success Profiles behaviours at AO level during the application sift and interview process:
Behaviours:
Communicating and Influencing (application and interview) (lead behaviour)
Working together (application and interview)
Managing a Quality Service (interview)
Delivering at Pace (interview)
Experience:
Please provide a work history and statement of suitability no longer than 500 words outlining how you meet the essential and desirable criteria. Both will be used in order to assess any demonstrable experience, career history and achievements that are relevant to the role.
Your statement of suitability needs to set out evidence of how your experience meets the requirements set out above. Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc. One narrative example may cover the requirements needed. You don’t have to explain the whole process, just what you have done and the skills and experience you have used that are relevant to the role. Share with us what makes you suited to this role and why. What you can do, the skills you have that are transferable and the life experience or passion you have that are linked to this role.
If you don’t have work-based examples then give examples from school/college, clubs, volunteering or other activities you have been involved in.
You will also be asked to complete a CV with details of your education, professional qualifications, previous skills and full employment history. Your CV will not be formally assessed so please put the main evidence of your skills into your personal statement. Your CV will be used to add context to your personal statement.
More information on behaviours and success profiles can be found here.
Please note that in the event of a large number of applications being received we may run the initial sift on the lead behaviour – communicating and influencing.
Interview:
You will be assessed against the same behaviours at the interview stage and will be asked to provide examples of how you have demonstrated the behaviours.
It may help to use one or more examples of a piece of work you have completed or a situation you have been in and use the WHO or STAR model to explain:
- WHO - What it was? How you approached the work/situation? What the Outcomes were, what did you achieve?
or
- STAR- What was the Situation? What were the Tasks? What Action did you take? What were the Results of your actions?
Interviews are expected to take place in person. Further details will be provided should you be invited to an interview.
Strengths
You will be asked a strength question at interview on the strength ‘explainer’.
It is difficult to prepare for strength type questions. However, you can think through your answers, focus on your achievements and aspects you enjoy and decide how these can be applied in the organisation and role. While strengths questions are shorter and we do not expect a full STAR response, the panel is interested in your first reaction to the question and information or reasoning to support this.
If you do not have work-based examples then please give examples from school/college, clubs, volunteering or other activities you have been involved in.
All applications for employment are considered strictly on the basis of merit.
Offer
Once all interviews have been completed, you will be notified of the outcome by email. Offers will be made in strict merit order to the highest scoring candidate first.
The successful candidate will be notified of a start date following successful security checks.
Additional information received after the closing date will not be considered. Failure to provide sufficient information in support of an application prior to the closing date will not be considered as grounds for an appeal if an applicant is not shortlisted for interview.
Security Clearance:
This role requires National Security Vetting given the access to sensitive information afforded by the job role. You can find more information by reviewing the information held in the following links:
United Kingdom Security Vetting: Applicant - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The vetting charter - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
In addition, there is a minimum UK residency requirement set by the Cabinet Office which is dependent on the security level required for the role.
This role requires CTC and to be eligible to apply for this role you should have been present in the UK continuously for the past 3 years.
Neither Detached Duty terms nor relocation costs will apply to this post.
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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Further Information:
Further information about the post may be obtained from Laura Crichton via email to laura.crichton@omagh.independent-inquiry.uk.
All applications for employment are considered strictly on the basis of merit.
This job description should not be taken as constituting conditions of employment.
Please note that due to the high interest in NIO opportunities, feedback cannot be given if you are unsuccessful at the sift stage. Feedback is available on request if unsuccessful following the interview.
Complaints:
The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. You have the right to complain if you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles.
Please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@sscl.gse.gov.uk) in the first instance. If 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-recruitment/complaints/
https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/code/
Reserve Lists:
In the event that the advertised post following interview, identifies more appointable applicants than available posts, we may hold applicant details on a merit/reserve list for a period of 12 months from which further future appointments can be made. Candidates placed on a reserve list will be informed of this. Those candidates who do not wish to remain on the reserve list should contact
MoJ-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com to be removed from the reserve list.
Person specification
Please refer to Job DescriptionBehaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
- Managing a Quality Service
- Delivering at Pace
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £25,582, Northern Ireland Office contributes £7,411 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%20MOJFeedback 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
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
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
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/18786?entityId=18786
Salary range
- £25,582 per year