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About the job
Job summary
Job description
We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.
These operational roles are customer facing, requiring successful applicants to be office based to provide HMCTS services to the public. HMCTS offers a flexible working system in many of its offices, subject to business needs being met.
New recruits to the Civil Service joining MoJ are expected to join at the band minimum.
Existing Civil Servants applying on promotion will usually be appointed on the salary minimum of the pay band or with an increased salary of 10% on their existing base salary (restricted to the new pay band maximum), whichever is the higher.
Existing Civil Servants moving at the same grade will retain their existing remuneration package.
Job Title: Administrative Officer
Pay Grade: AO
Background
Good administrative staff with excellent customer service skills are vital to the effective operation of the Courts, Tribunals and other offices within HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). Most of the staff within HMCTS are employed in administrative roles. HMCTS embraces Lean principles and continuous improvement techniques to provide high standards of customer service
The key purpose of the role
Administrative Officers are assigned to teams to carry out a variety of general administrative duties to progress cases through the court/tribunal system or provide support to other functions within HMCTS. Continuous improvement tools and techniques are used in HMCTS and so there will be opportunities to exercise discretion and initiative and continually seek to improve, within a framework of systems and processes (SOPS). Problem solving is carried out by reference to lean techniques (e.g. problem solving hubs) and comprehensive guidelines and instructions - complex or difficult issues are normally referred to or will involve a team leader or supervisor. In some positions, role holders will have regular contact with court / tribunal users, including members of the Judiciary and the legal profession. Administrative Officers work within a team with regular management support and are responsible for their own time, although there may be some opportunity to provide advice and carry out limited supervision of others.
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 basis at other local HMCTS offices.
Working as part of a flexible team, the postholder will be expected to undertake a range of the functions and responsibilities specified. It is not intended that each post will be responsible for the full range of duties.
Key responsibilities
Administration
- Preparing papers and files for court, tribunals, hearings and meetings.
- Producing court/tribunal documents.
- General photocopying and filing.
- Creating and updating records on in-house computer system and data input.
- Post opening and dispatch.
- Booking, preparing and organising meeting rooms, supporting training courses and other group activities.
- Preparing meeting agenda, joining instructions, handouts etc.
Drafting
- Standard letters and correspondence, minutes, notes, reports, submissions etc, according to guidelines and instructions.
Operations
- Clerking civil and family courts, tribunals and hearings, ensuring papers and materials are available and up to date
- Assisting court users, supporting listing and rota management, checking files
- Contacting relevant parties, scheduling, serving court documents, executing a range of warrants, collecting fines and fees etc, including the use of chip and pin
- Handling counter (face to face), written and telephone enquiries.
- To work as a team to ensure TIB (Team Information Board) meetings are relevant, timely and productive
- To work as a team to problem solve, to assess the impact of new SOPS, to contribute to small projects
- To undertake ad hoc roles within the band such as Jury Bailiff Officer, L+D Co-ordinator, H+S roles
Processing casework
- Including standard documentation and information, court orders, claims, fines and fees, legal aid
- Resulting courts accurately, interpreting accurately the information required on a court file
- To work to workload targets in terms of throughput and accuracy
Checking and verifying
- Documents, records, accounts, claims and returns for approval, results, statistics, plans etc. against criteria, regulations or procedures.
- Ensuring compliance and administration documentation meet quality standards.
- Role holders may be required to cross check and validate work completed by colleagues.
Collecting and assembling information
- For returns, results, accounts, statements, warrants, statistical analysis, reports etc.
- Work may require interpretation of source materials, preparation of bundles, chasing.
- Role holders will need to modify and adjust information and make decisions to allow work to be completed.
- Role holders will need to collect and assemble information to prepare for and run the daily TIB meeting, as required
Undertaking calculations
- Produce basic statistical analysis reports and where required, process financial information.
- Checking the work of others, updating records, assessing the value of goods and/or property, reconciling accounts, preparing invoices, information gathering and running straightforward reports.
- Spending limited sums of money on behalf of an office or unit.
- Calculate the anticipated numbers of Jurors to be called and manage the numbers to be as efficient as possible
Communicating with the public, the judiciary, other court and tribunal users and representatives of other agencies and Organisations
- Communicate and work with the Judiciary, Magistracy, the Cluster Managers, Court staff, and other internal and external stakeholders, suppliers and customers to collect information, check facts, communicate or enforce judicial decisions, give advice on the completion of forms or court procedures etc and provide excellent customer service.
- To deliver a helpful, prompt, polite and “right first time” service to our internal and external customers
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.
Desired Skills
Experience of working in a busy office environment. Relevant computer skills to undertake the level of work required.
Operational Delivery in HMCTS
This role is part of the Operational Delivery Profession. Operational delivery professionals are the outward face of government, providing essential services to the public in a variety of roles. They work in many different departments and agencies across the breadth of the UK, delivering service to customers in
- Face-to-face roles in HMCTS for example a court usher
- Contact Centre roles in HMCTS for example call centre advisers
- Processing roles in HMCTS for example Staff at the County Courts Money-Claims Centre and Courts and Tribunal Administration
Being part of the operational delivery profession means belonging to a cross-government community of people. This will offer you access to information on professional standards, skills development and qualifications to help you continue to improve your development and performance and expand your career options.
Person specification
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Changing and Improving
- Making Effective Decisions
- Working Together
- Managing a Quality Service
Benefits
- 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 average employer contribution of 27%
- 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.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
Working for the Civil Service
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).
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