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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.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service

Directorate: RCJ – Operations

Job Title: Clerk to HM Judges (5 posts available)

Locations: Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London, WC2A 2LL

Duration: Permanent Contract

Pay Span or equivalent: EO

Salary: London (within M25): £29,664 – £31,200

These positions are available for external applicants as well as existing civil servants on level transfer or promotion. New recruits to the Civil Service joining MoJ are expected to join at the band minimum. Secondments and loans will be considered on an individual basis.

About HMCTS:

HM Courts and Tribunals Service is responsible for the administration of criminal, civil and family courts and tribunals in England and Wales. We work with an independent judiciary to provide a fair, efficient and effective justice system.

For more information about HMCTS and what we do, visit: https://www.hmctsjobs.co.uk/.

Overview:

The role is to provide first line support to a Lord or Lady Justice of Appeal or High Court Judge by ensuring best use of the judge’s time, to enable them to concentrate on the delivery of justice. Using your organisational skills, you will efficiently manage all aspects of your judge’s day; this involves administrative duties such as typing of judgments, decisions and orders, diary management, and liaising with internal and external stakeholders including legal counsel, members of the public and other members of the judiciary.

The appointment to some Judges may require extensive travelling with overnight stays during the week for a considerable number of weeks at a time. This circuit work entails staying with the judge(s) and other clerks in judicial accommodation, returning home at weekends.

This is a unique role within the justice system. If you are organised, adaptable and you care about ensuring the delivery of justice then working as a Judges’ Clerk can be incredibly rewarding.

Full training will be given in the role.

Key Responsibilities:

Administration

• Provide a full range of secretarial services; typing of all judgments and decisions; this will include either audio typing or working from manuscript. Keep an up-to-date diary of your Judge’s court sittings/visits/meetings, maintenance of his/her robes and extensive library, co-ordinating visits and assisting visitors plus other office functions.
• Domestic duties as required by the judge, e.g. tea/coffee preparation, lunch collection, washing up and dry cleaning and other ad hoc duties as agreed. Transportation of large court bundles around the building, trolleys are provided but some lifting will be required. When judges go on circuit, clerks are responsible for transporting books, bundles, files, computers, robes and other judicial requirements as well as their own personal belongings.

Communication

You will be responsible for the smooth running of the judge’s court commitments whether in London or on circuit. This will involve communicating by telephone, email and correspondence to ensure the resolution of many and varied queries and requests. On a regular basis you’ll be liaising with:

• The judiciary and senior figures
• Litigants and members of the public
• Jurors
• Court and Tribunal users
• Representatives of other agencies and organisations

You will be representing your assigned judge at an operational level. Using your organisational skills, you will be expected to efficiently manage all aspects of your judge’s day.

You will be required to make decisions regarding changing priorities as they occur, without reference to the judge, and work on your own initiative. In many instances you will be the first point of contact between your judge and others. The need for confidentiality, tact, courtesy and diplomacy is therefore paramount.

Working Arrangements:

Hours

Your actual working pattern is agreed with the judge and your line manager. Judge’s Clerks are not normally required to work more hours each week than the standard working week (37 hours) but there is an expectation that a clerk will work longer hours if a situation arises. Due to the travelling involved and the variety of court duties performed, this role is not suitable for part-time working, job sharing or frequent working from home.

Circuit work

Any judge may undertake circuit work anywhere in England and Wales up to 3 times annually for periods of around 2-6 weeks (or more depending on the case). On circuit you will stay at judges’ lodgings or hotels on weekdays (at no cost to you) and liaise with the housekeeper and lodging’s manager on domestic matters that may include arrangement of dinner parties and visits.

You will be expected to continue managing the judge’s other commitments while on circuit.

Location

The position is London based and therefore you should live within a reasonable daily commute of London. However, due to the nature of the role you could be required to travel within England and Wales. When in London, you will be based within the Royal Courts of Justice or other buildings within the immediate area.

Annual leave

Annual leave may only be taken in accordance with the Judges Clerks’ supplemental working T&Cs. The minimum entitlement is 25 days rising to 30 days after 5 years’ service.

Security Level

Counter-Terrorism Check (CTC)

To apply for roles in MOJ you will need to confirm your employment and residence history for at least 3 years prior to the date of application so that pre-employment checks (BPSS) can be undertaken. If you have spent significant time abroad (a total of 6 months in the past 3 years) you would be required to give a reasonable account of the reasons why.

For some roles you will be required to successfully complete National Security Vetting at Counter Terrorism (CTC), Security Clearance (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV) level as a condition of appointment. To meet CTC/SC/DV requirements you will need to have been resident in the UK for at least 3/5/10 years prior to the date of application (the level of checks that are required are stated in the advert).

If you do not meet the above requirements, you may still be considered if, for example:

• You’ve been serving overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of HM Government
• You were studying abroad
• You were living overseas with parents
• In such cases you will need to be able to provide referee cover for the period(s) of residence overseas. The duration of overseas residence and the country of abode will also be taken into account and a local police check carried out.

Essential Skills and Criteria:

Accurate typing speed of a minimum of 35 wpm, this is tested before proceeding to interview and will be tested in 3 parts, average speed will be calculated for part 1 & 2 below:

• Speed test when copying from typed text and making corrections
• Speed test when copying from Manuscript and making corrections
• Drafting emails on behalf of Judges, in response to the correspondence received

Previous experience of using IT Microsoft Office applications.

A high standard of spoken English. You need to be able to understand and assimilate information from various sources and accurately summarise it in a clear and concise written format, tested before proceeding to interview.

A full driving licence is desirable

Application Process:

To apply for this position please complete the online application form, ensuring you provide the following:

An up-to-date copy of your CV which details your experience and achievements

A 250-word suitability statement against knowledge, skills and behaviour

A 250-word suitability statement against each of the following Success Profile Behaviours (Level 2):

• Communicating & Influencing
• Making Effective Decision
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace

If selected for interview, the Success Profile Behaviours listed above will also be tested / assessed (Level 2).

Interviews will also test three Strengths.

For applicants progressing to interview, these will involve two stages:

• A practical assessment (as outlined in Essential Skills and Criteria above)
• Face to face interview based on the Success Profile Behaviours listed above and discussion of IT skills

Further information on Success Profile Behaviours and Strengths, as well as the required standards for this post (Level 2), can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles

If we receive applications from more suitable candidates than we have vacancies for at this time, we may hold suitable applicants on a reserve list for 12 months, and future vacancies requiring the same skills and experience could be offered to candidates on the reserve list without a new competition.

We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce and pride ourselves as being an employer of choice. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace, visit:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity

The MoJ is proud to be Level 3 Disability Confident. Disability Confident is the approach through which we offer guaranteed interviews for all people with disabilities meeting the minimum criteria for the advertised role as set out in the job description.

Salary

£29,664 - £31,200

Additional Information

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on ‘modernised’ terms in their current post or onto ‘unmodernised’ MoJ terms if they are on ‘unmodernised’ terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

Flexible working hours

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices.

Benefits

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

Annual Leave

Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.

There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Pension

The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Training

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Networks

The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

Support

• A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
• Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
• For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
• Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
• Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

• To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm) or e mail [email protected]);
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team ([email protected]);
• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team.

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.