Role title:

Executive Assistant to the Senior President of Tribunals

Team/Directorate:

SPT Private Office

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 Senior President of Tribunals (SPT) heads the tribunals judiciary, providing leadership across the First-tier Tribunal, Employment Tribunals, Upper Tribunal, and Employment Appeal Tribunal, including around 5,000 judicial office-holders. The SPT is supported in these responsibilities by the Deputy Senior President of Tribunals (DSPT).

The SPT’s Private Office plays a central role in supporting both the SPT in delivering his statutory responsibilities and wider leadership functions across the tribunals system. The team provides strategic advice, coordinates governance structures, and ensures they are fully briefed and supported in their engagement with HMCTS, government departments, devolved administrations and external stakeholders.

A significant part of the Office’s work centres on governance and coordination, including providing secretariat support to the Tribunals Judicial Executive Board, and other key groups.

The team maintains oversight of cross-cutting issues affecting the tribunals, ensuring a clear and up-to-date understanding of risks, pressures and priorities across jurisdictions. It also supports policy development, strategy and external engagement, helping to ensure tribunals are effectively represented in wider justice system discussions.

Alongside this, the Office delivers a range of operational support, including managing correspondence, publications and day-to-day business, ensuring the smooth and effective functioning of the Private Office.

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).

The support provided by judicial Private Offices necessarily involves working before and after court, in keeping with the judge’s diary commitments and sitting patterns. Some early mornings and late evenings can be expected, though every effort will be made to accommodate flexibility where necessary. These roles are not suitable for reduced hours working.

This post is based in the Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London.

Summary of the role

We are recruiting an Executive Assistant (EA) to join the Private Office of the Senior President of Tribunals.

The primary responsibility is managing the busy diaries of the SPT and DSPT, making all arrangements for their meetings and ensuring their time is managed effectively. The postholder is also responsible for managing the Private Office shared mailbox: managing incoming emails, triaging requests to the relevant member of the team, and ensuring appropriate record-keeping.

This is a frontline role working directly with members of the senior judiciary to deliver their priorities across issues which impact judges across England and Wales. It would suit someone who is very organised, able to balance competing priorities, and has excellent attention to detail.

The role involves close working with teams across the Judicial Office, HMCTS, Ministry of Justice, and other partners across the justice system.

Please be aware that Private Office roles can be unpredictable and may require working long hours and occasional travel to accompany the SPT and DSPT to events and court visits.

Responsibilities,

Activities & Duties:

Key responsibilities will include:

1. Diary management for the SPT and DSPT, ensuring all arrangements are in place for their meetings and other commitments, and responding to changing demands on their time.

2. Working closely with the judges’ clerks to ensure appropriate balance between their judicial and their leadership responsibilities.

3. Managing the Private Office mailbox, monitoring incoming correspondence and triaging it to the relevant member of the team.

4. Providing occasional assistance with drafting and responding to correspondence on behalf of the Private Office.

5. Providing secretariate support, including organising meeting invites, coordinating visitors, preparing and circulating papers, and ensuring timely distribution of materials.

6. Attending meetings as required and producing accurate, high-quality minutes, including for the Tribunals Judicial Executive Board.

7. Arranging for the SPT and DSPT’s visits to courts across England and Wales, booking travel and accommodation, and liaising with local court staff on logistical preparations for the visit.

8. Coordinating the distribution and tracking of judicial robes, including maintaining oversight of stock levels and ensuring timely fulfilment of requests.

9. General administrative tasks to support the smooth-running of the Private Office.

Please note that the work of the SPT’s Office is subject to changing priorities and you may be required to take on other areas of responsibility as needed.

Essential Knowledge, Experience and Skills

• Excellent organisational skills, with strong attention to detail.

• Ability to manage your own workload, manage competing requests and prioritise tasks effectively.

• Ability to work at pace and the flexibility adapt to changing circumstances.

• Good written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to build strong working relationships across teams.

Desirable Knowledge, Experience and Skills

• Experience of working in a private office or similar environment closely supporting senior leaders in an executive assistant function.

• Experience working with the judiciary and / or the magistracy.

Behaviours (for Recruitment/Success Profiles):

• Delivering at Pace (lead behaviour)

• Communicating and Influencing

• Working Together

Assessment process at application

• CV

• Statement of suitability

• Behaviours - if there is a high volume of applications the panel will sift on the lead behaviour

Assessment process at interview

• Behaviours

• Strengths

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