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General Information

Salary
The national salary range is £35,335 - £37,847, London salary range is £40,014 - £42,859. Your salary will be dependent on your base location
Working Pattern
Full Time, Flexible Working
Vacancy Approach
External
Location
National
Region
National
Closing Date
30-Jul-2026
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade
HEO
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
20052

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

HM Courts and Tribunals Service

Directorate:  Digital Technology Services (DTS)

Pay Band:  HEO

Job Title:  Executive Assistant

Location:  National

Successful applicants will be expected to be office based 3 days per week in any HMCTS Office (subject to business availability).

Term:  Permanent

Interview:  Video conference via Teams

Important salary details:

New recruits to the Civil Service joining MoJ are expected to join at the band minimum. Existing Civil Servants applying on promotion, will usually be appointed on the salary minimum of the new pay band, or receive an increase of 10 percent on the current base salary, whichever is higher (This is restricted to the pay maximum of the new band).  

Introduction:

These are exciting times at HM Court and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). As an agency of the MoJ, we support the judiciary across England and Wales to deliver justice by running courts and tribunals and processing outcomes, and we are looking for talented people to help us achieve our ambitions. It will be challenging, important and rewarding. 

HMCTS Digital and Technology Services (DTS) is a specialist technology directorate which provides support to HMCTS in the use of IT and Digital. 

DTS is committed to being a great place to work and part of our offer is brilliant training opportunities and support from expert colleagues. As well as that you’ll find flexible working, an inclusive culture and a place where your opinion is valued. Please follow the link below for further information about HMCTS. www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-courts-and-tribunals-service  

Job Description:

As Executive Assistant to the Director/Deputy Director, you must have strong organisational skills; be able to quickly analyse and interpret information; and have a passion for communicating and engaging others. 

Your key purpose in this role will be to support the Director/Deputy Director in their activities, ensuring effective administration of the Director/Deputy Director’s agenda.  

Key Responsibilities:

As Executive Assistant, your responsibilities will include but are not limited to:  

Key Responsibilities:

  • Administering processes to ensure the Director/Deputy Director’s inbox, diary and agenda operates smoothly, dealing with items on behalf of the Director/Deputy Director and their senior management team.
  • Providing diary management, administrative and business support to the Director/Deputy Director, including travel booking, hotel booking etc.
  • Ensuring that day-to-day business for the Director/Deputy Director is well-organised and appropriately prioritised. This includes, but is not limited to, monitoring emails, analysing requirements, highlighting urgent matters, commissions or delegate work with appropriate deadlines and monitoring responses.
  • Clearly recording and highlighting actions required to meet deadlines.
  • Managing actions and responding to emails, ensuring that requests are being progressed and tracked. Ensuring the Director/Deputy Director’s actions are delegated appropriately, taken forward effectively, and completed on time.
  • Ensuring the Director/Deputy Director’s instructions/views are communicated promptly and clearly.
  • Dealing with issues in line with the Director/Deputy Director’s view, exercising judgement in their absence.
  • Being a key point of contact for interaction with the Director/Deputy Director.
  • Acting as a key contact for those engaging with the Director/Deputy Director, confidently communicating with others and providing a steer or recommendation on what the Director/Deputy Director’s priorities are.
  • Communicating complex and difficult issues clearly and succinctly, highlighting the relevant issues and ensuring they are understood by the Director/Deputy Director and others.
  • Maintaining regular liaison with the Director/Deputy Director’s internal and external stakeholders.
  • Maintaining regular liaison with internal and external stakeholders - dealing with them politely, firmly, helpfully, discretely, and sensitively.
  • Maintaining a high level of interaction with senior leaders within the Digital and Technology Services function.
  • Working with the Directors’ Office and other Executive Assistants to deal with items quickly and efficiently.
  • Fulfilling secretariat duties to meetings chaired by the Director/Deputy Director, as needed. Communicating with the public, the judiciary, other court users and representatives of other agencies and organisations.
  • Contributing to key reporting activities.
  • Providing support to the Director/Deputy Director’s team, as necessary.

Travel:

You will be required to undertake occasional travel to other HMCTS sites in line with business needs.  

Skills & Experience:

  • Highly organised, with the ability to provide high-quality support and advice to senior leaders and key stakeholders.
  • Ability to understand and manage multiple work strands and priorities, ensuring work is coordinated and delegated effectively.
  • Strong judgement and awareness, with the ability to identify and escalate key issues at an early stage.
  • Excellent collaborative working skills, building effective relationships across HMCTS to support decision-making.
  • Ability to provide clear, timely and appropriate advice on a range of business matters

Essential Criteria:

  • Experience of building and maintaining effective working relationships with colleagues at all levels of an organisation, including senior leaders and external stakeholders.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly, confidently and professionally with a range of audiences.
  • Experience of managing competing priorities, with strong organisational skills and the ability to work at pace and under pressure to meet deadlines.
  • Ability to exercise sound judgement, identify emerging issues, take appropriate action and work proactively using your own initiative.
  • Experience of working collaboratively as part of a team and modelling organisational values through a professional, inclusive and supportive approach.
  • Experience of providing high-quality administrative, business support or executive assistant support to senior leaders.
  • Experience of managing diaries, inboxes, actions and competing priorities within a fast-paced environment.
  • Experience of engaging with and supporting senior stakeholders, handling sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.

Application process:

This role will be recruited using the Success Profiles Framework during the sift and interview process.

Experience – As demonstrated in your application form.

Behaviours – You will be required to provide evidence of the following key behaviours at HEO Level. 

  • Managing a Quality Service (at application)
  • Making Effective Decisions (at application)
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Seeing the Big Picture

Strengths – The interview will involve a discussion around 2 strengths.

Role play – As part of the interview process, you will complete a short 10-minute prioritisation exercise. No preparation is required, as all relevant information and instructions will be provided by the interview panel on the day.

We will aim to sift all criteria but, in the event of a large number of applicants, an initial short sift may be conducted on Making Effective Decisions only. Candidates who pass the initial sift will either:

  • ⁠progress to a full sift where all application assessment criteria is then assessed.
  • or progress straight to interview.

Reserve List:

HMCTS run a Reserve List, where candidates who are unsuccessful at interview by only a few points, can be offered other roles, at the same band, for up to 12 months. You will be able to view your status via the application screen. If you have been added to the Reserve List, your status will show either Merit or Reserve list.

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 role: 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.

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.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.

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

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.

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.

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

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:

  • UK nationals
  • nationals of the Republic of Ireland
  • nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
  • individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
  • Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

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 20052

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 20052

Application form stage assessments

Behaviours
A sift based on the lead behaviour, Making Effective Decisions, 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
Making Effective Decisions
Managing a Quality Service
Experience
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
Statement of Suitability
Statement of Suitability
Guidance for the Statement of Suitability
Your Statement of Suitability should be no more than 500 words and should give us real life examples of how your skills and experience match those needed for this role. Consider addressing particular points in the person specification requirements and key responsibilities. We recommend following the STAR format.

You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application is 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.
Evidence of Experience
Statement of Suitability

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
Interviews expected early September. Dates to be confirmed
Behaviours
Communicating and Influencing
Seeing the Big Picture
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?
Role Play
Level of security checks required
DBS Basic

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.