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.
Job Title: Crown Court Clerk
Grade: Executive Officer (EO)
Duration: Permanent Contract
Overview:
HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is an agency of the Ministry of Justice. We provide support for the legal system across England and Wales, along with non-devolved tribunals in Scotland and Northern Ireland, ensuring justice works for everyone.
Our Justice system defends our fundamental rights and freedoms. It is a cornerstone of our modern society. It protects some of the most vulnerable people in our communities, from families in crisis to claimants and commercial businesses. We have a responsibility to deliver a Justice system that is accessible to everyone and operates efficiently.
The key purpose of the role is to:
To manage the courtroom to ensure that cases are dealt with promptly in liaison with judiciary, legal professionals, and staff and to ensure that all results are accurately & promptly recorded in line with targets. Also, to ensure that all ancillary duties are carried out effectively.
Essential Skills & Criteria:
- Able to speak publicly and within a Crown Court courtroom.
- Excellent communication, organisational and prioritisation skills.
- Ability to complete documents accurately and to deadlines.
- IT proficient with the ability to learn and adapt to different technologies and software.
Key responsibilities:
Administration
- To ensure that a comprehensive log is kept of representation orders and that a judges report is available at all sentence hearings.
- To accurately prepare case summaries for Resident Judge.
- To determine accurately witnesses expenses within target times and provide written reasons within guidelines when requested.
- Producing orders in line with Service Level Agreement targets.
- Process general correspondence within target and procedural deadlines for any resulting amendments.
- Ensure compliance with financial and operational risk management policies.
- Undertake any given tasks as part of the role i.e., PA Role to Judiciary when needed; arranging marshalling and swearing in of Magistrates.
Operations
- To ensure efficient through put of listed work in the allocated court room daily, giving appropriate support to judiciary and keeping the List Office and other agencies fully appraised of developments when necessary.
- Confident public speaking and can adapt and change at short notice. You are the focal point of the courtroom, so will require the ability to control and project your public speaking.
- To meet with the Judge before sitting and to be available in Court as needed.
- To maintain full recording of hearings using the right technology ensuring accurate audio allocation to correct cases.
- To sit in court daily and ensure that cases called on time, all parties are in court at appropriate time. Correct phraseology used for arraignment, empanelling, taking verdicts etc.
- To maintain the court file including accurate recording of relevant matters and judicial decisions, accurate completion of forms, orders and results exported/shared onto the relevant Courts computer systems within target.
- Carry out 100% HMCTS assurance programme compliance of all Resulting and ensure risks are identified and managed.
- Ensure that appropriate codes of conduct are applied to the courtroom and other areas of the Court premises whilst sitting and during adjournments and to actively intervene and encourage compliance.
- To ensure that obligations under the Victim Code and the standards under the Witness Charter are complied with.
- Ensure all court users are treated fairly and with respect and understand how their own performance impacts on that of the court and the confidence of users.
- Systems being used include emails, Microsoft Teams, Video Hearing Systems, Xhibit and HMCTS Common Platform.
- Ensure that appropriate files are passed to administration teams within agreed target times.
- Take part in and deliver employee engagement activities to effect good working relationships with staff and to improve service delivery and staff morale / motivation.
- Follow HMCTS values, policies and procedures (including diversity, attendance and discipline).
- Maintain effective working relationships with the judiciary, supporting agencies, voluntary and user groups. Working with agencies to improve the level of service offered to users.
- Apply Continuous Improvement principles, tools and techniques to working practices to improve efficiency of operations.
- Perform any Incident Control Duties as needed in the in court role
Team leadership
- All Grade EO staff are expected to deal with other ad hoc management roles including line management of AA (Admin Assistant) / Ushers and AO (Admin Officer) staff as needed.
Processing and managing casework
- Work with staff to ensuring that casework is appropriately managed, providing information / advice where process deviations have occurred.
Calculations and analysis
- Identify and implement solutions to local problems, referring more complex problems to their line manager.
Communicating with the public, juries, the judiciary, other court and tribunal users and representatives of other agencies and organisations
- Ensure effective and prompt liaison with Judiciary, Counsel, List Officer, Jury Officer, Ushers and Court users to maintain high levels of court performance.
- Ensure Customer Standards are maintained and improved; complaints and dealt within target and in line with HMCTS Complaints Handling Policy and any feedback on lessons learnt is shared with staff.
Representation
- Represent the function you have been assigned to at an operational level.
Specialisms
- To have a working knowledge of functions undertaken within the Cluster, to support the development and review of policies and procedures.
- To provide specific functions as directed by line management in line with the procedure for providing that service.
Accountability
- Reporting to a Delivery Manager.
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.
Essential Skills & Criteria:
To be successful in this role, you should have the following:
- Experience of working in an administrative role in a customer focussed environment.
- Proficient with IT and Microsoft Software packages.
- Excellent communication and organisational skills particularly public speaking.
Application Process:
To apply for this position please complete the online application form, ensuring you provide the following:
- A 250-word suitability statement providing evidence of your personal skills, experience, strengths, and behaviours relevant to the role, as outlined in the Essential Skills & Criteria and Key Responsibilities above.
- A 250-word suitability statement against each of the following Success Profile Behaviours (Level 2):
- Managing a Quality Service
In the event we receive a large volume of applications, we will sift using the suitability statement as the lead assessment criteria.
If selected for interview, you will be tested against the following Success Profile Behaviours (Level 2):
- Leadership
- Communicating & Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
Interviews will also test three Strengths.
If selected for interview, the Success Profile Behaviours listed above will also be tested / assessed (Level 2).
Interviews will also test three Strengths.
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.
