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This vacancy is only available to existing Civil Servant employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs). Please review the "Eligibility" section before you apply.

General Information

Salary
The national salary range is £29,303 - £31,061 pro rata, London salary range is £33,551- £35,564 pro rata. Your salary will be dependent on your base location
Working Pattern
Part Time, Flexible Working
Vacancy Approach
Cross Government
Location
Leeds, London, Loughborough
Region
East Midlands, London, Yorkshire and the Humber
Closing Date
08-Jun-2026
Post Type
Fixed Term, Loan
Civil Service Grade
EO
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
17765

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

Job Description (JD)

Group/Directorate/Team: Judicial Office/Judicial College/ Strategy, Governance and Change team

Role: Executive Assistant to the Directors of Training

Grade: Executive Officer  

Role title: Executive Assistant to the Directors of Training

0.5 FTE to cover a period of maternity leave 

Team/Directorate: Strategy, Governance and Change team/Judicial College

Overview of the Judicial Office

This is standardised wording and cannot be amended.              

The Judicial Office (JO) reports to, and is accountable, to the Lady Chief Justice (LCJ). It was established in 2006 to provide support to the LCJ and to the wider judiciary in upholding the rule of law and in delivering justice impartially, speedily and efficiently, following the Constitutional Reform Act 2005.

In addition, we support, and are accountable to, the Senior President of Tribunals, whose responsibilities extend to Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The JO is an interesting and unique place to work. Everything we do is in support of upholding the independence and impartiality of the judiciary. We work closely with HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS), the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and others across Government as well as with the legal professions.

We are an Arm’s Length Body sponsored by the Ministry of Justice. This creates an interesting and complex environment in which to work where we agree our priorities with the senior judiciary and receive our funding to deliver them from the Ministry of Justice. The Judicial Office has been through a period of significant growth resulting from an expansion of our remit and responsibilities.

See JO staff talk about working here: https://design102.wistia.com/medias/uhgtmbtnlv 

Overview of the team   

The Judicial College provides training courses and guidance for 24,000 judicial office holders on behalf of the Lady Chief Justice, Senior President of Tribunals and Chief Coroner. Its vision is to be a world leader in judicial education. This is an exciting time to join the College as it continues to deliver, develop and enhance the training programme at a time of change across the justice system.

The successful candidate will join the Governance and Policy team which sits within the Strategy, Governance and Change team – a central, cross-cutting team that operates within the Judicial College to develop policy, support governance, and drive delivery of strategic priorities.

Hybrid Working Requirement

This is standardised wording and cannot be amended.              

This position is eligible for hybrid working (current minimum requirement for time spent at base location is 60%, which is subject to business requirements).

Summary of the role    

The Judicial College is recruiting for an Executive Assistant to the Directors of Training, who are three leadership judges. The role is in the Governance and Policy team which sits within the Strategy, Governance and Change team.

The Strategy, Governance and Change team operates across three main sites, and this role may be based at any of the following locations: Leeds, London or Loughborough.

The role is 0.5 FTE (18 hours per working week). Specific hours and days will be agreed with the successful candidate.

The role is to cover a period of maternity leave.

The role is open on loan terms.

Responsibilities, Activities & Duties:        

The post-holder will:

  • Establish, manage and maintain relationships with key strategic stakeholders including the Directors of Training (DoTs), members of the judiciary, the senior leadership team, private offices, judicial clerks and team leaders in order to effectively manage the diaries of the Directors of Training.
  • Support all aspects of diary management for the DoTs, including resolving competing demands and ensuring strategic prioritisation of time to ensure smooth operations. This includes sharing the leave and sitting days with the diaries of the Senior Leadership Team, completing regular updates to the Judicial Executive Board forward look diary in accordance with set deadlines and updating DoT diaries with course data as required.
  • Attend regular meetings with the DoTs to ascertain scheduling commitments, as well as attending and participating in team and department meetings.
  • Liaise with the Support Managers on the scheduling commitments of the DoTs, alerting them where appropriate to information support needs such as briefings and reports.
  • Set up meetings as needed (including room booking/ensuring appropriate digital arrangements are in place/printing documentation).
  • Manage and triage multiple inboxes, prioritising and coordinating responses as required.
  • Arrange travel and accommodation for national and international engagements for members of the judiciary and senior leadership team balancing efficiency, cost-effectiveness and operational requirements.
  • Any other tasks required commensurate to the role including ad-hoc administrative support.

Essential Knowledge, Experience and Skills     

  • Ability to quickly build relationships with diverse stakeholders at all levels
  • Clear and effective communicator, both verbally and in writing
  • Excellent organisational skills and responsivity, with the ability to understand and prioritise competing requirements
  • Proficiency with office software, in particular inbox and calendar management
  • Strong attention to detail

Desirable Knowledge, Experience and Skills    

N/A

Behaviours (for Recruitment/Success Profiles):             

  • Working Together
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Managing a Quality Service

Assessment process at application      

This vacancy is using Success Profiles.

To apply for this vacancy, applicants will need to submit the following:

  • A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you provide employment history that relates to the essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 3 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages and you should insert your CV into the "Job History" section on the Civil Service Jobs application form.
  • A Statement of Suitability (max 250 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential requirements highlighted.

For the shortlist, we will select applicants demonstrating the best fit for the role by considering the evidence provided in your application.

In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial sift will be conducted on the lead behaviour: Working Together. Those who are successful in the initial sift will then be scored on all elements of the application.

Assessment process at interview          

During the panel interview, candidates will be asked behaviour-based questions (using the three behaviours listed below) to assess your skills, experience and capabilities.

The behaviours to be tested at interview are:

  • Working Together
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Managing a Quality Service

Candidates will also be asked strength-based questions to explore what you enjoy and your motivations relevant to the job role.

In addition, candidates will be required to complete a virtual in-person in-tray exercise via MS Teams to assess their decision-making, time management and organisational skills. Further details will be provided at interview.

Interviews will be held remotely, via MS Teams.

Interview dates will be confirmed with candidates in due course.

Security clearance required:

Select one of the below.

(this will be determined by the location)

-              DBS

-              CTC

-              SC

-              DV

Please note:

Central Government policy dictates that applicants for National Security Clearance must be a resident in the UK for these minimum periods:

-              CTC - 3 years

-              SC - 5 years

-              DV - 10 years     CTC

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). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.

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: All successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale.  This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) – See Map. All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity). 

For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location’s respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).

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.

MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer.

All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.

Flexible working hours 

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ’s Flexible Working policy.

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.

Eligibility

Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.

Vacancies advertised “cross-government” are only open to all Civil Service employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who were appointed on merit following a fair and open competition; or were appointed to a permanent post through an exception in the Civil Service Commissioners' rules.

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 www.www.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

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 TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.

For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please watch our animated videos.

Diversity & Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

Civil Service Nationality Rules

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

Reserve list

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

Contact Information

MoJ:

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference 17765

HMPPS

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference

Application form stage assessments

Behaviours
A sift based on the lead behaviour, Working Together, may be held if a large number of applications are received. If a large number of applications remain after the initial sift, your application will be progressed to a full sift, where all behaviours will then be considered.
Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit
250
Working Together
Experience
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability
Evidence of Experience
CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
Week Commencing: Estimated to be 22nd June 2026
Behaviours
Communicating and Influencing
Working Together
Managing a Quality Service
Strengths
Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here.

Other Assessments

Which assessment methods will be used?
Technical Test
Level of security checks required
Counter Terrorism Check (CTC)

Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.  Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.