Job Opportunities in United Kingdom

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

1

12 Months

National

National

NATIONAL

HEO

HEO

Permanent

Full Time

Other

Yes

Assistant Private Secretary role in the Chamber Presidents Offices, Judicial Office.
First tier Tribunal Tax Chamber
Organisation
The Judicial Office (JO) is a unique branch of the civil service, independent from the machinery which supports the Government and dedicated to supporting the judiciary as the third arm of the state. We promote and safeguard judicial independence to maintain confidence in the rule of law. We are answerable not to Ministers but instead, through our Chief Executive, to the Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales and the Senior President of Tribunals as we help them to fulfil their responsibilities to the judiciary.
We support c.22,000 judicial office holders, providing policy, legal and handling advice, and operational support. This includes advice on judicial leadership, support with relationships with Government and Parliament, assistance with justice sector reform, judicial education and training, comms, and HR.
Directorate
The postholder(s) will join the Judicial Private Offices directorate. The business units include operational private offices; jurisdiction and policy private offices; and the Judicial Executive Board Secretariat.
Overview:
This is an exciting opportunity to provide leadership and support to a busy Judicial Private Office, supporting a Chamber President of the First Tier Tax Tribunal. This position would suit someone with previous Tax, Chancery or HMRC experience, looking for a stretching role, working with the most senior tribunals judiciary across both First tier Tribunal Tax Chamber and Upper Tribunal Tax and Chancery Chamber.
Within the Judicial Office, the Chamber Presidents Private Offices are a series of small jurisdictional teams focused on supporting each Chamber and Tribunal President across all their leadership functions. Each Private Office provides policy and legal advice, and general secretariat and administrative support to the Chamber and Tribunal Presidents, working collaboratively with expert teams across the Judicial Office.
Role Summary:

The postholder will be responsible for ensuring that the First tier Tax Chamber Private Office provides high quality policy advice and administrative and operational support to the incumbent Chamber President and supports the induction of the new Chamber President in early 2025. This role involves the development and implementation of new ways of working within the Private Office and the delivery of efficiencies across the wider CPO and Judicial Office.
The role involves maintaining an overview of developments in Tribunals, liaising with and building strong relationships with peers and senior stakeholders across the Justice system, including His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service, the Ministry of Justice, other government departments, and across the Private Office Directorate in Judicial Office.
Main Activities / Responsibilities:

The main responsibilities of the post include, but are not limited to:

• Supporting the provision of advice for the Chamber President and act as the single point of contact for enquiries on a variety of matters including governance, legislation and policy and signposting to professional support e.g. HR, Communications, Judicial Training, Data, across the Judicial Office.
• Setting the Agenda and briefing the Chamber President in preparation for set piece meetings, providing and/or commissioning written and oral advice and, noting and chasing action points and implementing decisions.
• Communicating on behalf of the Chamber President with judges and members from both the courts and tribunals system and where directed, with officials from Mo J, HMCTS, and OGDs, stakeholder organisations, and members of the public/their legal representatives.
• Providing advice and support to the Chamber President on specific jurisdictional projects, including arranging and supporting judicial working groups and networks as directed.
• Supporting the Chamber President in their interaction with the JO Data Governance, Policy and Analysis Team and with the HMCTS Analysis & Performance Team, acting as the single point of contact for those Teams.
• Playing a key role in both internal and external recruitment and forecasting for the Chamber. Drafting and obtaining the relevant approvals for business cases.
• Develop and implement/maintain systems, processes and new ways of working to deliver efficiencies within the Private Office as we begin to align CPO with the established Private Offices structures across Judicial Office.
• Organising visits and events (including training) and acting as point of contact for hearings in (Taylor House) London.
• Undertake ad hoc requests as required to support the Chamber President, managing conflicting priorities often with tight deadlines.
• Providing cover for Deputy Private Secretary during periods of planned and unplanned absence to ensure the smooth running of the office.
• Assisting Judicial College with the arrangements around Judicial Training and Conferences across both First Tier and Upper Tribunal Tax judiciary, liaising with UT and HMCTS colleagues accordingly.

Management of Resources:
The postholder will manage an EO Executive Assistant to the Chamber President and possibly a small judicial support team once recruitment and the reorganisation of CPO is complete.
The post-holder will report to the Deputy Private Secretary to the First tier Tribunal Tax Chamber President.
Person specification:

The successful candidate must:

• be able to build relationships, influence and manage upwards, and speak with authority when dealing with senior officials or judiciary;
• have excellent communication and leadership skills;
• be confident implementing and driving forward changes in ways of working and modernisation initiatives
• have strong organisational skills.

Desirable Knowledge and Skills:

experience of working closely with the judiciary, and an interest in the workings of the courts and tribunals system more widely.

• Previous Tax, Chancery or HMRC experience.

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.
Location:
This First Tier Tribunal Tax APS post is based in Taylor House, London (EC1R 4QU)
Occasional travel may be required.
This post is eligible for hybrid working (current requirement is at least 60% of working hours each week to be spent in the office, in line with all government departments).
How to apply:
This is a Success Profiles based recruitment and Civil Service Behaviours will be considered at application stage along with a candidate CV.
Behaviours to be assessed at application stage:
Leadership, Communicating & Influencing, Working Together and Seeing the Bigger Picture.
In the event of a high volume of applications, we will sift on the lead behaviour of Communicating and Influencing.
Candidates invited to interview will be assessed on these behaviours and on Civil Service Strengths.
We anticipated that interviews for candidates successful at sift will be held during w/c 2nd December 2024.
If you wish to discuss the role before submitting an application, please contact Mark Chander (Mark.chandler1@judiciary.uk) or Emma Killick (Emma.killick@judiciary.uk).

Working Arrangements & Further Information
The Mo J 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 Mo J 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, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a Mo J office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.
Some of Mo J’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining Mo J who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining Mo J from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new Mo J terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' Mo J terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.
Mo J 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. Mo J 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 Mo J’s Flexible Working policy.
Benefits
The Mo J 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 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

• To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com);
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management-office@justice.gov.uk);
• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)

As a Disability Confident employer, Mo J 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. Mo J 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 see our Disability Confident Scheme Frequently Asked Questions webpage.
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 SSCL 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.

Proposed for week commencing 2nd December

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com
Please quote the job reference - 92125.

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