Senior Crown Prosecutor - RWD1928 Birmingham, England
Job description
Details
Reference number
Salary
Job grade
Contract type
Business area
Type of role
Working pattern
Number of jobs available
Contents
Location
About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
Apply and further information
Location
About the job
Job summary
Committed to professional growth, the CPS offers all their staff with clear progression pathways and a diverse range of learning and development opportunities, to progress your career in a supportive environment, whilst also gaining access to various promotion opportunities.
At the CPS we pride ourselves on providing a variety of benefits that ensure our employees’ requirements are at the core. This includes wellbeing support, flexible working, civil service pension scheme, access to employee savings including high street retailer offers and discounts and 25 days leave, rising to 30 days after 5 years’ service.
Working for the Crown Prosecution Service you will also gain access to a range of learning and development activities, including through Civil Service Learning and an individual learning account in addition to any central and local development opportunities and requirements.
Meet & Engage Session
We will be holding a webchat whilst the campaign is live. This is chance for you to ask any questions you may have around the role or recruitment, and you can register for these via the links below –
9th February 2pm https://meetandengage.com/aldd5xhat
22nd February 4pm https://meetandengage.com/aldd629k9
This session will be available for candidates to ask any questions regarding this campaign. There will be delegates on hand from CPS to answer any queries candidates may have. If you are interested in joining, please register on the link above.
Please note, the following is considered an essential technical skill for this role:
- Legally Qualified: The post holder must be a Qualified barrister or solicitor, holding a valid practising certificate for England and Wales or be eligible to obtain one issued from either the Solicitors Regulation Authority or the Bar Standards Board
Please note, the following is considered essential experience for this role:
Experience prosecuting serious crime
Please note, the following is considered desirable experience for this role:
Experience developing legal strategies in complex cases
Experience dealing with Mutual Legal Assistance
For further information on how to apply, please see the Candidate Pack at the bottom of this page.
Job description
The Regional and Wales Division deals with some of the most serious, complex and high profile economic and organised crime cases prosecuted by the CPS. This includes people trafficking, money laundering, tax evasion, fraud, bribery and corruption and drugs importation.
For this role the prosecutor will work closely with Police Forces nationally, the National Crime Agency, HMRC and other investigators providing high quality early advice and pre-charge decisions and then having responsibility for the case throughout its life cycle in the criminal courts. To deal with this national work, we have staff based across the country, many of whom are managed remotely. Travel will be required for specified activities dictated by business need for example stakeholder meetings, conferences, court hearings, training and team meetings.
The SCP role offers an opportunity to shape the strategy of an investigation from the outset taking cases through to conclusion of the prosecution. We are looking for people with excellent oral and written communication skills. You will have the ability to draw together and analyse large volumes of evidence and other data from a variety of sources to build a strong prosecution case. You will be able to identify risks and potential challenges in a case and devise strategies with your case teams to mitigate them.
Subject to the postholder satisfying the “general qualification” provision within the meaning of section 71 of the Courts and Service Act 1990, the post is designated by the Director of Public Prosecutions as a Crown Prosecutor under the terms of section 1 (3) of the prosecution of Offences Act (1985).
Person specification
To deal effectively and persuasively with a wide range of people, both internally and externally, as part of a multi-skilled team or individually in order to ensure the effective and successful prosecution of cases.
To demonstrate a high level of oral and written communication skills in all matters relating to the prosecution of cases. This will include drafting documentation as the need arises, including the Mandatory Disclosure Documentation.
For all cases, especially Very High Cost Cases (VHCC), to prepare case plans, allocate counsel hours, monitor counsel hours against plan. Provide updates to line manager and take necessary remedial action to maintain costs within budget and ensure that cases are progressed to agreed timescales.
Qualifications
Academic: Law degree, Common Professional Examination, Graduate Diploma in Law.
Professional: Legal Practice Course or Bar Professional Training Course and have completed the relevant pupillage and training contract (or have received full exemption from the relevant professional regulatory body, either the Solicitors Regulation Authority or the Bar Standards Board).
OR
If you have qualified through Cilex, could you please contact us in order to establish your eligibility for this role.
If you apply AND are found not to possess any of the above any offer of employment will be withdrawn, or contract terminated.
Please note the qualification as stated is required for this role and equivalent qualifications will not be accepted.
If you are unsure about your eligibility, please contact [email protected]
Memberships
If CILEx qualified, must hold a ‘general qualification’ within the meaning of s.71 (3) (c) Courts and Legal Services Act 1990.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Delivering at Pace
- Communicating and Influencing
- Making Effective Decisions
- Developing Self and Others
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Legally Qualified: The post holder must be a Qualified barrister or solicitor, holding a valid practising certificate for England and Wales or be eligible to obtain one issued from either the Solicitors Regulation Authority or the Bar Standards Board
Benefits
Join the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and have a future that matters: Find Your Purpose
We want to ensure all our employees can thrive at work and home and offer a range of support to achieve a balance. This includes where possible, flexibility of working hours, flexibility to support caring responsibilities and a flexible approach to deployment, which means that where you work (i.e. a court, an office, or a remote setting such as your home) will be based on the kind of work you are undertaking.
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.
CPS commits to offer its employees the following experience
- Impactful, purposeful work – making a difference to your local communities
- The ability to learn and grow, with access to the right opportunities and resources
- To care about your wellbeing
- To feel valued, trusted and included
We also offer the following range of benefits:
- Civil Service Pension
- Access to employee savings
- Cycle2Work scheme
- 25 days leave, rising to 30 days after 5 years’ service.
- 1 extra privilege day entitlement to mark the King’s Birthday.
- Competitive maternity, paternity and parental leave
- Flexible working and a family friendly approach to work.
- Childcare vouchers unless already registered with the Government Tax Free Childcare Scheme)
Things you need to know
Selection process details
The recruitment process will consist of an online application, interview and assessment which will be held during the week commencing 20th March 2023
Your interview will be conducted online via Microsoft Teams. A member of our recruitment team will be in touch with further guidance. If you have any queries about this, please contact the CPS Recruitment Team at [email protected]
You should keep these dates free or notify us if you are not available. We will make every effort to accommodate you in your preference for dates; however, we cannot guarantee that they will be met.
The successful applicant will be required to secure SC clearance (and potentially DV once already in post); to speed up this process; you should bring 3 forms of ID with you on the day of interview. Data gathered from unsuccessful candidates will be destroyed in accordance with our Data Retention Policy.
If successful in obtaining an interview you will be asked to complete the Character Enquiry Form, Nationality and Immigration Questionnaire and National Security Vetting Form.
(If you are an internal member of staff, you will not be required to undergo this DBS check as you will already hold this clearance).
Personal Statement
You will also be asked to complete a personal statement of no more than 1250 words setting out how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience, match the requirements as detailed in the Candidate Pack. You will also need to address the core behaviours for this role, detailed in the Behaviours Section of the Candidate Pack, which are;
- Communicating and Influencing
- Making Effective Decisons (Lead Behaviour)
- Delivering at Pace
In addition, you will need to demonstrate the following experience/ technical skills required for this role, detailed in the Candidate Pack, which are:
- Experience prosecuting serious crime
- Legally Qualified: The post holder must be a Qualified barrister or solicitor, holding a valid practising certificate for England and Wales or be eligible to obtain one issued from either the Solicitors Regulation Authority or the Bar Standards Board
In addition, you will need to demonstrate the CPS or Civil Service Values.
CV Section
You will not be required to upload your CV however, when submitting your application there is a ‘CV section.’ You will be required to provide information regarding your skills, employment history and qualification details.
Please note that it is the candidate’s responsibility to provide the specified application information in the requested format to ensure that they are considered for the post.
Other
This is a full-time post. However, requests for flexible, part-time working and job share will be considered, considering at all times the operational needs of the Department.
Waiting List
Candidates who are recommended by the selection panel but not appointed to the current vacancy will be placed on a waiting list for 12 months and may be offered another post, should any further vacancies for a Senior Crown Prosecutor arise in CPS Proceeds of Crime during this period. CPS may also approach candidates on the waiting list to fill other roles requiring similar knowledge and experience.
Excess Fares
Please note excess fares will not apply.
Fair Processing Notice (FPN)
From April 2018, the CPS will provide a Fair Processing Notice (FPN) to all new applicants after they have been successful at interview. These candidates will be informed that, as one aspect of pre-employment screening, their personal details – name, National Insurance Number and date of birth - will be checked against the Internal Fraud Database (IFD) and that anyone included on the IFD will be refused employment unless they can demonstrate exceptional circumstances.
The Strategic Resourcing team in the CPS will, on behalf of the vacancy holder, inform applicants when they are refused employment because of their inclusion in the IFD.
Current Civil Servants
Please note, if you are a current civil servant and you are currently undergoing any of the following formal actions your application will not be progressed any further;
Formal discipline action, any formal action regarding attendance, poor performance or any restriction of duties as a result of disciplinary action.
Civil Service Commissioners
From April 2018, the CPS will provide a Fair Processing Notice (FPN) to all new applicants after they have been successful at interview. These candidates will be informed that, as one aspect of pre-employment screening, their personal details – name, National Insurance Number and date of birth - will be checked against the Internal Fraud Database (IFD) and that anyone included on the IFD will be refused employment unless they can demonstrate exceptional circumstances.
The Strategic Resourcing team in the CPS will, on behalf of the vacancy holder, inform applicants when they are refused employment because of their inclusion in the IFD.
Feedback will not be provided until the vacancy is complete
If you are dissatisfied with the recruitment process and wish to make a complaint, please contact [email protected] with your concerns.
If you remain dissatisfied and wish to make a further complaint, please click on the following link to the Civil Service Commissioners complaints page https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/civilservicerecruitmentcomplaints/
Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Principles can be found here –
https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/
Details of the Civil Service Nationality Rules are located at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules
Candidates will be subject to UK immigration requirements. For the most up-to-date information on the requirements of working in the UK, please go to the UK Visas and Immigration website: https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
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).
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team :
