Judicial Liaison Manager (Ref: 16917)

Job summary

Please refer to Job Description

Job description

Background

HM Court and Tribunals Service is an agency of the MoJ and provides the supporting administration for the judiciary across England and Wales. It delivers services to the public directly in court and tribunal buildings, remotely via business centres and some limited services via the internet.

There are high expectations of all staff regardless of the job they do, and good performance is expected from everybody. The organisation is continuously adopting new or better ways of working to ensure that it focuses on just that which is essential.

HMCTS has a once in a generation opportunity to transform the entire Courts and Tribunals Service through the HMCTS Reform Programme, enhancing the provision of a world-class justice system, in a manner that provides an improved user experience at reduced cost to the taxpayer. This will contribute to consolidating the UK’s position at the forefront of an increasingly competitive international legal market as well as ensuring access to justice for all.

The programme includes modernising the court estate, updating and replacing its technology, speeding up and streamlining working practices, refurbishing buildings to reduce maintenance costs and provide much improved services for service users, especially vulnerable witnesses and victims. Effective staff engagement at this time of such significant change will be critical to success, maintaining a positive and lasting connection between HMCTS management and its staff.

An effective courts and tribunals service is fundamental to our democracy, underpinning the rule of law. This is an opportunity to work in a role that will support and enable a major transformation programme, designed not just to give our courts and tribunals a sustainable and affordable future, but improve how we deliver justice.

Overview

HMCTS is a continually changing organisation. Strong leadership is a critical element in this being successful. As a leader and manager within HMCTS the jobholder must provide clear direction and focus and visibly championing the changes which deliver greater efficiencies. HMCTS Senior Management Team expects all leaders to operate in a culture of openness and honesty, demonstrating a commitment to change through involvement and empowerment, and by delivering results.

The key purpose of the role is to

Manage the Judicial Secretariat in supporting the Delivery Director, Presiding Judges (PJJ) and Family Division Liaison Judge (FDLJ) in discharging the full range of administrative and personnel responsibilities delegated to them by the Lord Chief Justice for the salaried and fee paid judiciary on the Region. This involves management of the Judicial Liaison Officers and the Bookings Team for both the Circuit and District Bench, overseeing the booking and training of all Recorders, Deputy Circuit Judges and Deputy District Judges; the itineraries for all Circuit and District Judges; ensuring all records are maintained with 100% accuracy and providing information and advice on all aspects of appointments, retirements, authorisations, bids and forecasting on the Circuit and District Benches.

The post-holders will also provide support to the PJJ, FDLJ, Head of Judicial Secretariat and the Head of Judicial Strategy and Change. This includes assisting with the management of the workload of the PJJ and the FDLJ ensuring they meet their statutory responsibilities and may include taking responsibility for meetings they have to hold or attend, dealing with relevant correspondence to the PJJ/FDLJ and organising court visits.

The post-holders will be expected to stand in for the Head of the Judicial Secretariat where necessary. They may also be expected to act on behalf of the PJJ/FDLJ without reference.

The post holders are required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post. On Regions where there are two posts the split of responsibilities between the two post-holders will be determined once the structure is embedded, but each role will be responsible for a number of areas from the following list:

Key responsibilities

Operations

• Assist the Delivery Directors, Heads of Jurisdiction and Cluster Managers in maintaining and / or improving performance and service delivery
• Monitor workload and performance and use that information to forward plan in consultation with Cluster Managers
• Ensure accurate judicial bids and forecasts are submitted within agreed deadlines and after full consultation
• Provide and monitor reports on judicial sick absences and delayed judgments.
• Ensure 100% accuracy of all judicial records, including the transfer register
• Monitor the appointment and retirement of any leadership posts or extra-curricular posts on the Circuit and District Benches
• Co-ordinate transfers of cases within and outside of the Circuit
• Process requests for deployment of firearm applications
• Complete regular compliance controls and maintain a culture of continuous improvement
• Act as a link and manage communication between the Lead Presiding Judge, the Presiding and Family Division Liaison Judges, the Judicial Liaison Office, judiciary and administrative staff across the Circuit
• Provide briefings, draft reports, letters and minutes of meetings as required by the Delivery Directors, Heads of Jurisdiction, Head of RSU and PJJ
• Maintain an accurate record of correspondence to and from the PJJ and advise on actions or issues, including recommendations, as necessary or appropriate
• Carry out tasks on behalf of the PJJ and FDLJ. This will include communicating decisions or requesting information from the judiciary or administrators of the Circuit
• Ensure that all PJJ meet their statutory and partnership obligations
• Actively promote a partnership working relationship between HMCTS and the PJJ/FDLJ
• Provide confidential support to the PJJ and FDLJ in the management of judicial pastoral matters
• Provide support to the Head of Judicial Liaison, including assisting with deployment, appointments, bidding, retirements, authorisations, HR issues etc
• Ensuring lean principles and working practices are embedded across all administrative processes, ensuring the team applies efficient working practices to manage an increasing workload and expanding responsibilities

Responsibility for:

• Booking of fee paid judiciary across the Region.
• Maintenance of the national protocol for the harassment of judges.
• The organisation of DDJ training days Judicial Conferences.
• The location and management of high security cases, if necessary, in consultation with Cluster Manager
• The management of High Court itineraries and deployment in conjunction with High Court Listing Officers on Circuit
• Judicial resource deployment to meet workload needs
• monitoring and management of the sitting day allocation
• effective communication with the Cluster Managers in relation to sitting days and judicial resources

Managing casework

• Collation of data for judicial bids, forecasting and annual reports
• Co-ordinate, organise and provide briefings for the Delivery Director, PJJ and the FDLJ for meetings relating to judicial business including meetings with individual members of the judiciary and other agencies as appropriate or required
• Ensure the efficient deployment of High Court Judges on the Circuit, including submissions for term and case specific bids and the itineraries of the PJJ

Analysis

• Analysis of data for bids and forecasts to ensure best use of resource
• Complete monthly DJ returns and deal with complex itinerary changes
• Oversee processing of judicial T&S claims
• Providing briefing and advice for the PJJ and FDLJ on all issues relating to their statutory responsibilities
• Ensure CJ and DJ lost days are accurately recorded and monitored. Assist with the annual lost days forecasting exercise.
• Ensure effective links with the Regional Head of Finance in relation to judicial budget profiling to ensure early identification of issues in relation to sitting day plans

Communicating with the public, the judiciary, other court users and representatives of other agencies and organisations

• Contact will be wide and varied but will likely include:
• Members of court staff and senior management
• Members of the judiciary, including senior judges (i.e. Presiding Judges) on a continual daily basis
• Contacts across MoJ, Judicial Appointments Commission, Judicial Office

Representation

• Expected to represent the Head of Judicial Liaison at several meetings, to be determined

Team leadership

• Line management of EO members of staff is likely for each post-holder

Specialisms

• Knowledge of the working of the court system is essential
• A working knowledge of the judicial system would be advantageous

Accountability

• Reporting to the Regional Head of Judicial Secretariat

Other duties

The post holder is required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post.

Location of Post

Based at Third Floor , First Avenue House , 42-49 High Holborn , London , WC1V 6NP. Some travel around the Regions for visits / meeting attendance will be required.

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Behaviours

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

• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Developing Self and Others
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £40,014, HM Courts and Tribunals Service contributes £11,592 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 and Strengths.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/16917?entityId=16917