Judicial Appointments Commission - Senior HR and Corporate Services Manager (SEO)

We’re looking for a Senior HR and Corporate Services Manager to help lead the way with our HR policy and people initiatives, providing support and advice to staff, sitting right at the heart of the JAC!

This is an exciting new role and opportunity, reporting to the JAC Head of Corporate Services - our Senior HR and Corporate Services Manager will strengthen our HR processes and our people policy implementation - ensuring managers and staff across the JAC are supported. The postholder will have a key role in the organisations work on our reasonable adjustments policy, working closely with other key individuals across the organisation to ensure that our processes are robust, inclusive and accessible. That includes making sure we have the right approach to supporting candidates with disabilities and long-term health conditions applying for employee and judicial positions. This role will also offer the postholder the chance to be a key component in the delivery of our people-focused actions that respond to the needs of our staff and the commitments we have made to them in our People Plan.

About the JAC

The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) is an independent public body, established in April 2006, to select judges in the courts and tribunals, and non-legal tribunal members. The JAC selects judicial candidates through fair and open competition, encouraging a wide range of quality candidates to apply for the posts that it advertises.

The JAC is responsible for designing, planning, and running recruitment campaigns to select judicial office holders up to and including High Court judges. We have a statutory duty to select solely on merit, while keeping our selection processes open to the widest range of applicants. We launch a new campaign for judicial posts every one to two weeks. These range from high volume campaigns for ‘entry level’ posts, attracting upward of 2,000 applicants, to small campaigns for senior roles, attracting a handful of highly qualified people.

You can find out more about the JAC on our website.

Main responsibilities

As the Senior HR and Corporate Services Manager, you will:

• Review and strengthen our HR policies and processes - ensuring that managers and staff understand them and providing advice and guidance on their application.

• Alongside the HR policy work, a key project for this role to be involved in, will be working closely with colleagues on the review and implementation of our reasonable adjustments policy and owning any relevant work and actions as a result.

• Leading the JAC’s involvement in the annual Civil Service People Survey - supporting preparation and engagement in the survey, action planning and undertaking analysis of the findings to inform future people activity.

• Play a lead role in the delivery of our People Plan commitments, ensuring that momentum on key projects is maintained and actions are delivered effectively.

• Liaise with key internal and external stakeholders on the delivery of HR/People-focused activities across the JAC.

• Potential line management responsibilities.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.

Essential Criteria

• Demonstrable experience of currently or previously working in an HR/ Business Management/People focused role.

• Evidence of working on and implementing people initiatives and/or policies, as well as providing advice to line managers and staff on sensitive or complex matters.

• Ability to make well judged, evidence-based decisions and recommendations.

• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills.

Desirable Criteria

• Knowledge of reasonable adjustments, preferably within a recruitment environment.

What we can offer you

We offer a range of benefits including an attractive annual leave allowance, flexible and hybrid working opportunities, and choice of pension schemes. We actively encourage all staff to undertake learning and development as part of their personal objectives and have a range of networks to support and promote inclusivity, wellbeing, and dignity at work among other things.

Recruitment process details

Behaviours

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the recruitment process:

• Making Effective Decisions

• Communicating and Influencing

• Working Together

• Managing a Quality Service

Application process

• Your CV

• A statement of suitability outlining how you meet the essential criteria for the post. Your statement should include specific examples of your relevant skills and/or experience. (500 words max).

• Written evidence of the following behaviours: Making Effective Decisions, Communicating and Influencing and Working Together (250 words each).

Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)

You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application, including your CV, statement of suitability and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.

Sift

Applications will be sifted based on the CV, Statement of Suitability, and the behaviours Making Effective Decisions, Communicating and Influencing and Working Together.

If a large number of applications are received, candidates may be sifted on their CV, statement of suitability and lead behaviour Making Effective Decisions.

Interview

At interview we will assess you against all 4 behaviours: Making Effective Decisions, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together, and Managing a Quality Service.

The panel will also ask you about your experience. You can find out more about the Civil Service success profiles here.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles

Applicants invited for interview may be required to undertake a brief work exercise either before or on the day as part of the selection process. More details will be provided if you are invited to interview.

Interviews are expected to take place in early March 2026. More details on the arrangements will be provided to candidates invited to interview.

Reserve List

As well as appointing to the vacancy listed above, we may place other candidates on a 12-month reserve list for future vacancies.

Office Attendance

JAC staff are currently working in a hybrid way with a minimum of 2 days per week in the office in line with Government Policy. Applicants for this role should note that they may be required to attend the office or a JAC interview more regularly on occasion, in line with business need.

Applicants are welcome to contact the hiring manager, or JAC recruitment team, if they have any questions about how the team manages this hybrid way of working.

Further Information

If after reading this job description you require any further information, please contact Kim Barling, JAC Head of Corporate Services, at Kimberley.Barling@judicialappointments.gov.uk

If you have any questions about the recruitment campaign, or any terms and conditions relating to the role, please contact the JAC HR Division:

Recruitment@judicialappointments.gov.uk