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General Information

Salary
The national salary range is £34,140 - £37,105, London salary range is £38,661 - £42,019. Your salary will be dependent on your base location
Working Pattern
Full Time, Flexible Working
Vacancy Approach
Cross Government
Location
National
Region
National
Closing Date
18-Aug-2025
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade
HEO
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
8586

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

Location:            London / 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).

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.

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, the jobholder must have strong

organisational skills; be able to quickly analyse and interpret information; and have a passion

for communicating and engaging others. 

The key purpose of the role is to:

Support the Director/Deputy Director in their activities, ensuring effective administration of

the Director/Deputy Director’s agenda.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Administer the 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.
  • Ensure 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.
  • Managing actions and responding to emails, ensuring that requests are being progressed and tracked. Ensure the Director/Deputy Director’s actions are delegated appropriately, taken forward effectively, and completed on time.
  • Clearly record, highlight and actions required to meet deadlines.
  • Provide diary management, administrative and business support to the Director/Deputy Director, including travel booking, hotel booking etc.
  • Ensure the Director/Deputy Director’s instructions/views are communicated promptly and clearly.
  • Be a key point of contact for interaction with the Director/Deputy Director.
  • Maintain regular liaison with the Director/Deputy Director’s internal and external stakeholders.
  • Contribute to key reporting activities.
  • Provide support to the Director/Deputy Director’s team, as necessary.
  • Fulfil 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.
  • Work with the Directors’ Office and other Executive Assistants to deal with items quickly and efficiently.
  • Act as 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.
  • Communicate complex, difficult issues clearly and succinctly, highlighting the relevant issues and ensuring they are understood by the Director/Deputy Director and others.
  • High level of interaction with senior leaders within Digital and Technology Services function.
  • Deal with issues in line with the Director/Deputy Director’s view, exercising judgement in their absence.
  • Maintain regular liaison with internal and external stakeholders - dealing with them politely, firmly, helpfully, discretely, and sensitively. 

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. 

Skills & Experience: 

  • You will provide high quality support and advice to the Director/Deputy Director, their senior team and key stakeholders. 
  • In doing so, you will be highly organised, have knowledge of major work strands and priorities, and be able to effectively delegate to the appropriate team/individuals on behalf of the Director/Deputy Director. 
  • You will highlight key issues as early as possible, working with others across HMCTS where necessary, to support decision making and offer advice on issues appropriately. 

Essential Criteria:

  • Be able to effectively work with colleagues at all levels in the organisation as well as senior external stakeholders, establishing strong relationships.
  • Have excellent written and oral communication skills.
  • Be effective at prioritising, have excellent organisational skills, and be able to work at pace and under pressure.
  • Have sound judgement, able to spot emerging issues and act on your own initiative.
  • Be a team player who models the Department’s values of openness, humanity, together and purpose. 

Application process: 

The following areas of Success Profile Framework will be used to assess and score your application during the sift, and interview.

  • 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
  • Delivery at Pace
  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Changing and Improving

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 8586

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

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
Interviews expected w/c 1st September but this could be subject to change.
Behaviours
Managing a Quality Service
Delivering at Pace
Making Effective Decisions
Changing and Improving
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.
Level of security checks required
Baseline Personnal Security Standard (BPSS)