Senior Crown Prosecutor (CPS Direct - Home Based - Out Of Hours) Aug 2026

Job summary

Crown Prosecution Service Direct (CPS Direct) is our out-of-hours service. We work through the night, at weekends and bank holidays to provide urgent charging advice to the police on cases where the suspect can't be released on bail.

As a Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS Direct, you’re home-based within England or Wales. You occasionally travel for in-person meetings, with costs met in line with our travel and subsistence policy. You work a range of out-of-hours shifts, averaging 37 hours a week (full time). Our rota operates 5pm-11am on weekdays covering 24 hours on weekends and bank holidays. Shift details are always shared at least one calendar month in advance.

In this role, you provide the police with pre-charge decisions and case management advice. You advise on all levels of casework that need pre-charge advice following the Director’s Guidance on Charging. After a thorough induction and buddying programme, you work independently using your own initiative. You need to be self-motivated, and able to quickly form effective working relationships with the police who you provide with independent and accurate advice. You are also responsible for keeping up to date with developments in criminal law and practice.

We hold regular reviews to ensure you’re appropriately supported with your out-of-hours work. And you receive premium payments for working out-of-hours.

Shift times

Premium rate

Weekday: 7pm-11pm

20%

Weekday: 11pm-7am

30%

Saturday: 7am-11pm

50%

Saturday: 12am-7am and 11pm-12am

70%

Sunday: 7am-11pm

50%

Sunday: 12am-7am and 11pm-12am

70%

Bank holiday: 7am-11pm

50%

Bank holiday: 12am-7am and 11pm-12am

70%

There is some extra information regarding shift patterns and an illustration of salaries on CPS Direct additional information document which is linked in the attachments sections at the bottom of this advert.

Job description

Your roles and responsibilities:

• To advise police and other investigators on casework and evidence requirements for a wide range of offences.
• To review case files and charging decisions, providing legal advice and making the final decision, based on evidence, as to whether prosecutions should proceed.
• To advise police and other investigators on witness support, compliance with the Victims’ Code and other ancillary orders.
• To explain our decisions clearly to police and other investigators, recording information we receive and advice we give, to provide a clear audit trail for our decisions.
• To provide a clear and concise written review of evidence.
• To work effectively as part of a multiskilled team.

This post is home based and can only be based in England or Wales. If you are outside England and Wales, you are expected to relocate at your own expense. If you're successful, we ask for your home address and postcode to determine if your salary is national or London based.

If you’re applying internally as a senior crown prosecutor on level transfer, you are released to the post subject to business need.

We hold a series of information sessions through Microsoft Teams. These are live online chats where you can ask us any queries about your application, the process or the role. Please email CPSDirect.Communications@cps.gov.uk for an invitation to one of these sessions.

• Thursday 27 August, 5.30-6.30pm
• Wednesday 2 September, 5.30-6.30pm
• Tuesday 8 September, 5.30-6.30pm

Person specification

Essential

• Legally qualified: You must be a qualified solicitor or barrister and must be able to obtain a valid Practising Certificate for England and Wales.

• You must have post qualification criminal law experience.

Desirable

• Knowledge of Microsoft 365 applications including Exchange, Excel, Word & PowerPoint
• Digital and change-ready mindset

After completing training, you need to:

• demonstrate you’re able to provide immediate phone or digital charging advice to police officers, in accordance with the Director’s Guidance and CPS policy.
• identify cases at an early stage that fall outside the Director’s Guidance – and advise accordingly.
• be proactive in identifying and rectifying evidential deficiencies to strengthen cases.
• bring cases to an early conclusion that can’t be strengthened by further investigation.
• make charging decisions in accordance with the Full Code Test, other than where the Threshold Test applies.
• provide guidance to the police about file content, timescales, evidence, witness care, compensation, confiscation, policy and other matters that help build a case.
• give advice to the police on witness support, in particular special measures, complying with the Victims’ Code and other ancillary orders.
• record information provided by the police, detailing decisions and advice given to provide a clear audit trail evidencing the reasoning for decisions.
• provide police and Crown Prosecution Service colleagues with high-quality typed MG3 forms that are clear, concise and fit to serve as the formal Crown Prosecution Service review of the evidence for the life of the case, in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors

Qualifications

Our job adverts reflect the currently accepted qualifications for Crown Prosecution Service roles. Our job adverts are updated if these requirements change.

You must be a qualified Solicitor or Barrister in England and Wales
You must hold, or be able to obtain, a current practising certificate for England and Wales prior to appointment prior to your appointment issued by the Solicitors Regulation Authority or the Bar Standards Board
You must be entitled to practise and meet all relevant professional regulatory requirements

Pre-employment checks
You need to provide evidence of your professional qualification and current practising status as part of pre-employment checks
This includes verification of your practising certificate, relevant qualification route, and confirmation of your good standing with your regulator

OR

CILEx: You must be a Fellow of CILEx, and in addition be a CILEx Advocate/Litigator holding all three advocacy certificates providing them with a ‘general qualification’ within the meaning of s71 (3) (c) Courts and Legal Services Act 1990. You must have a right of audience in relation to any class of proceedings in any part of the Senior Courts, or all proceedings in County Court or magistrates' courts to meet the requirements for a Crown Prosecutor specified by section 1 Prosecution of Offences Act 1985.

If you’re unsure about your eligibility, contact advocacyrecruitment@cps.gov.uk

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

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

• You must demonstrate suitable legal intellect
• You must demonstrate motivation

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £55,975, Crown Prosecution Service contributes £16,215 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).

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 advocacyrecruitment@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 Behaviours, Strengths, Ability, Experience and Technical skills.

The recruitment process consists of a CV-based application, assessment and interview. It’s your responsibility to provide the right information in the right format to ensure you’re considered for the post. If your application is successful, your assessment and interview are held on the same day via Microsoft Teams.

CV Upload

Your CV should include:

• career history with key responsibilities
• skills and relevant criminal law experience
• achievements
• qualifications

You need to attach your CV as one anonymised document to provide the panel with an insight into your work history and experience.

It is your responsibility to provide the specified application information in the requested format to ensure that you are considered for the post.

Assessment and interview - taking place between 28 September and 2nd October

You must complete a legal assessment as part of the recruitment process for this role. Assessment details are provided to you at the beginning of your interview slot.

Your assessment and interview takes place on the same day, online through Microsoft Teams. A member of our recruitment team will be in touch with guidance. If you have any queries about this, contact AdvocacyRecruitment@cps.gov.uk

Please be aware - you are responsible for booking your own interview and assessment slot through Civil Service Jobs. Once you’ve selected your preferred time slot, we send you a Microsoft Teams link at least 48 hours prior.

These dates may be subject to change and it’s not always possible to offer alternative dates.

Assessed at legal assessment and interview

We use behaviours to help us understand your experience, to help you do a great job in this role. You are assessed against Grade 7 in the Civil Service success profiles behaviours framework. We are assessing three behaviours at assessment / interview stage as well as motivation and legal intellect (ability):

• Making effective decisions (assessment/Interview) - Lead behaviour
• Delivering at pace (assessment/interview)
• Communicating and influencing (assessment/interview)

Learn about Civil Service Behaviours.

Motivation -assessed at interview

We want to understand why you’re interested in the law and why you want to work for the Crown Prosecution Service. We’re looking for you to address the following three things in your interview.

1. A demonstrable interest in criminal prosecution and public service.
2. Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of the work of the Crown Prosecution Service and our role in the wider criminal justice system.
3. A strong focus on continuous learning and able to apply knowledge of criminal law gained from study and experience.

Ability: Legal Intellect - assessed at legal assessment

We want to understand your legal abilities and your aptitude for criminal law. We’re looking for the following six things.

• An in-depth knowledge and understanding of the key concepts and principles of criminal law.
• Reliable legal judgement and an appreciation of legal risk.
• Able to think strategically and creatively, see legal issues in their wider context and advise accordingly.
• Sound analysis, using secure legal research to produce timely and fit-for-purpose advice.
• Fluent oral and written advocacy skills.
• Demonstrable knowledge and an understanding of the work of the Crown Prosecution Service and our role in the wider criminal justice system.

Strengths

Strengths are tested at interview stage - the strengths tested are not shared before the interview.

We won’t make any offers until all the interviews have concluded.

Other

This is a full-time post. However, requests for flexible, part-time working and job share are considered depending on the operational needs of the department. The minimum number of hours available would be 25.5 hours per week due to the shift and technical nature of these roles. The number of roles available depends on business needs and so is subject to change.

Reserve list

If you’re recommended by the selection panel but not appointed to the current vacancy, you’re placed on a reserve list for 12 months. You may be offered another post if any senior crown prosecutor vacancies come up in CPS Direct.

Feedback

We only provide feedback if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security Checks

Please note that successful candidates will be required to undergo a Security Clearance (SC) security check during the pre-employment process.

Fraud Check

The Crown Prosecution Service provides a Fair Processing Notice to all new applicants after they’ve been successful at interview. These candidates are informed that, as one aspect of pre-employment screening, their personal details – name, National Insurance number and date of birth – are checked against the Internal Fraud Database. We won't employ anyone included on the database unless they can demonstrate exceptional circumstances.

The Strategic Resourcing team in the Crown Prosecution Service will, on behalf of the vacancy holder, inform applicants when they are refused employment because of their inclusion in the Internal Fraud Database.

Civil Service Commission

If you’re dissatisfied with the recruitment process and wish to make a complaint, please contact strategic.resourcing@cps.gov.uk with your concerns. If you're still not satisfied, you can make a further complaint through the Civil Service Commission complaints page.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (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 : Advocacy Recruitment Team
• Email : advocacyrecruitment@cps.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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

Attachments

CPS Direct Additional Information SCP Opens in new window (docx, 110kB)NEW CPS Terms and Conditions 2024 Updated Opens in new window (docx, 253kB)