Operational Support Officer (Ref: 22858)

Job summary

Please refer to Job Description

Job description

Proud to serve. Proud to keep justice going.

Our Operational Support Officers play a critical role, providing excellent customer service and administrative support to court and tribunal users, judiciary and management.

About us

HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is responsible for the administration of criminal, civil and family Courts and Tribunals in England and Wales. Our roles support our court users and colleagues within HMCTS, where people and businesses access potentially life-changing justice. We’re looking for individuals who are committed to public service and making a difference in people’s lives to deliver justice. If you are interested in developing a career with a real purpose, please apply.

Your role

The role is primarily based within the courtroom, supporting the smooth running of court proceedings. Administrative duties will also be incorporated into the post.

Working as part of a team, you will contribute to the overall operational, performance and service standard targets across your area of work. You will progress cases through the court/tribunal system and provide customer service and administrative support to functions within HMCTS. You will have regular contact with court / tribunal users, which could include members of the judiciary and the legal profession.

You will be adaptable, able to multi-task and effectively carry out a variety of duties, both office-based and in a court, which will include:

• Preparing papers and files for court, tribunals, hearings and meetings including processing and handling sensitive information and accurately resulting outcomes.
• Creating and updating records digitally, interpreting information required on a court file accurately.
• Communicating with the public, the judiciary, other court and tribunal users and representatives of other agencies and organisations
• Supporting the smooth running of court proceedings, preparing court /hearing rooms and ensuring court runs efficiently.
• When required, you will be an essential first point of contact for all the court users; meeting members of the public, which may include vulnerable witnesses, and their legal representatives.

Your knowledge, skills and experience

• Strong customer service skills with the ability to work in a service-led customer-facing environment.
• Good digital and administrative skills; with excellent attention to detail.
• Effective communication and organisational skills. Able to communicate confidently in person, over the telephone, digitally and in written communications.
• Resilient and empathetic to be able to deal with sensitive information and situations.
• A team player; able to work collaboratively and flexibly to deliver HMCTS objectives.

Court Specific Duties

Duties undertaken within the Court may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Speak publicly and manage courtroom proceedings.
• Court usher duties which include preparation and management of a courtroom by communication with court users (members of the public).
• Ensuring court video link technology is prepared and working correctly.
• Communication with stakeholders and professionals including Police, Probation Service and Solicitors.
• Administration work including pre and post court functions.

In addition, within these vacancies there may be opportunities to undertake additional duties as either a Listing Assistant or as a Digital Support Officer. If either of these areas is of interest to you, please make the interview panel aware during your interview.

Listing assistant roles and responsibilities:

• Provide administrative and operational support to ensure the efficient preparation and progression of court hearings.
• Manage court listings and hearing schedules, ensuring cases are accurately recorded and judicial time is used effectively. Prepare and check case documentation ahead of hearings, ensuring information is complete, accurate and available when required.
• Support judges by coordinating hearing information and managing booking and vacancies.
• Liaise with a range of stakeholders, including prisons, probation services, magistrates' courts, interpreters and legal professionals to support the smooth running of court business.
• Coordinate video hearings by arranging links ensuring all necessary documentation is in place.
• Process criminal casework, including breaches, appeals and applications
• Arrange interpreter and British Sign Language support
• Maintain accurate records and case information across digital platforms, ensuring compliance with information management requirements.
• Record statistics to support performance monitoring and resource planning.
• Effectively prioritise workloads, respond to changing business needs and deliver high-quality customer service while working to tight deadlines.
• Identify and resolve routine issues, escalating complex matters where appropriate and contributing to the effective delivery of justice

Digital Support officer roles and responsibilities:

• Act as a first point of contact for digital and IT support, resolving or escalating issues as appropriate.
• Support the implementation of new digital tools and technologies across the business.
• Carry out routine checks of digital equipment, identifying and reporting faults to minimise disruption.
• Manage system access requests and support colleagues with digital service requirements.
• Maintain accurate records of IT incidents, requests and equipment issues.
• Liaise with support teams, suppliers and contractors to ensure effective resolution of technical issues.
• Provide guidance and basic training to colleagues and judicial office holders, improving digital confidence and capability.
• Support compliance activities and digital assurance checks in line with organisational requirements.
• Attend training, briefings and network meetings to maintain knowledge of emerging technologies and best practice.
• Share knowledge and collaborate with colleagues to identify solutions and improve digital service delivery.
• Maintain local communication channels and digital support information for users.
• Balance operational and digital support responsibilities

Please refer to the role profile attachment for more information.

Lead criterion at application stage: Statement of Suitability. An initial sift based on the statement of suitability may be held if a large number of applications are received.

Further details:

These operational roles are customer facing, requiring successful applicants to be court based to provide HMCTS services to the public.

We currently have two positions available in Salisbury and eight positions available in Winchester.

Of these vacancies:

• Salisbury: 1 full-time only (37 Hours per week Monday – Friday) position available
• Winchester: 2 full-time only (37 Hours per week Monday – Friday) positions available

For the remaining vacancies:

HMCTS welcomes part-time, flexible, and job-sharing working patterns where these meet the requirements of the role and business needs and are agreed prior to appointment. All requests for part-time, flexible, and job-sharing working arrangements will be considered in line with the Ministry of Justice Flexible Working Policy. However, due to operational requirements, successful candidates must be able to work a minimum of three full days per week. These working days must include both Monday and Friday.

Please let the panel know your working pattern preference at interview.

Occasional travel to other courts

Whilst the post holder will be allocated to a specific office base, there may be a need for flexibility to work on an ad hoc or regular basis at other local HMCTS sites/courts, namely Winchester, Salisbury and Southampton. Where applicable, associated travel cost/time will be applied in line with organisational policies.

Technical 1

Using your CV as a reference, please provide a summary of the key responsibilities from your previous experience that is most relevant to the Operational Support Officer position. Begin with your most recent experience and work backwards. For each position, include the job title, duration of employment, and a concise overview of your main duties. (Maximum 250 words).

This section is intended to help us understand where and how you gained your experience.

Please avoid repeating content from your Statement of Suitability. That section should focus on what you can do, supported by specific examples. This question, by contrast, is about what you’ve done and the context in which your experience was gained.

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

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

• Please refer to Job Description

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £25,582, HM Courts and Tribunals Service 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 (opens in a new window).

• 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, Experience and Technical skills.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 basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.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.

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/22858?entityId=22858