About the job

Job summary

Please refer to Job Description

Job description

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service

Job Title: Court Usher

Number of Vacancies: 10 posts

Location: Royal Court of Justice, The Strand

Grade: Administrative Assistant (AA)

Duration: 12 months Fixed Term Contract

Salary: London (within M25): £24,250

These positions are available for external applicants as well as existing civil servants on level transfer or promotion. 

Background:

The Court Usher acts as an essential first point of contact for all the court users involved in hearings. There will be regular contact with the judiciary, assisting the administrative staff with the smooth flow of court work. You will meet members of the public and their legal representatives; prepare court / hearing rooms, and complete documentation, as well as ensuring the court runs smoothly and efficiently. You will also carry out some general clerical work as required to support the work of HMCTS.

Although many of the tasks are straightforward, regulated by well-established guidelines and/or detailed instructions, an Usher needs to be prepared to react quickly and professionally to situations, some of which may be unexpected. You will be comfortable in dealing sensitively and professionally with people from all walks of life; many of whom may be vulnerable and under stress. Advice and support is readily available and there is little discretion to depart from standard procedures, which may well require you to take a firm stance when those procedures are not understood or welcomed by a court user. Ushers work within a team with regular management support and are responsible for their own time.

Operational Delivery in HMCTS:

This role is part of the Operational Delivery Profession. Operational delivery professionals are the outward face of government, providing essential services to the public in a variety of roles. They work in many different departments and agencies across the breadth of the UK, delivering service to customers in

•    Face-to-face roles in HMCTS for example a court usher
•    Contact Centre roles in HMCTS for example call centre advisers
•    Processing roles in HMCTS for example Staff at the County Courts Money-Claims Centre 

Being part of the operational delivery profession means belonging to a cross-government community of people.  This will offer you access to information on professional standards, skills development and qualifications to help you continue to improve your development and performance and expand your career options.

Key Responsibilities:

In Court Responsibilities

•    Open and closing the courtroom.
•    Calling in solicitors, barristers and representatives of external agencies into the courtroom.
•    Calling on cases.
•    Maintain a record of hearings by recording start and finish times.
•    Operating live stream and Court Video Platform (CVP).
•    Provide information relating to proceedings.
•    Answering face to face enquiries.
•    Keeping parties informed of changes e.g. of courtrooms and hearing times.
•    Ensure courtrooms are cleared after hearings and are left in good order. 
•    Assist with ushering responsibilities at swearing in ceremonies when required. 

Administration

•    Collecting and delivering files and bundles for court hearings.
•    General clerical work, including use of computers and photocopiers.
•    Assist with file management and disposal.

Post Handling

•    Opening, sorting, distributing and dispatching post as required.
•    Collecting and delivering post from appropriate offices.

Monitoring Stock    

•    Ensuring Court rooms are supplied against requirements for relevant forms and stationery.

Operating equipment

•    Office and court equipment e.g., computers and photocopiers.

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.

Essential Skills & Criteria:

•    Strong customer focus and service skills
•    Experience of working in an administrative role in a customer focussed environment
•    Proficient with IT and Microsoft Software packages
•    Excellent communication and organisational skills

Application Process: 

To apply for this position please complete the online application form, ensuring you provide the following:

•    An up-to-date copy of your CV which details your experience and achievements (Level 1)

If selected for interview, you will be tested against the following Success Profile Behaviours (Level 1):

•    Communicating & Influencing
•    Managing a quality service

Interviews will also test two Strengths. 

Interviews for this campaign will be conducted virtually via Microsoft Teams.

Further information on Success Profile Experience, Behaviours and Strengths, as well as the required standards for this post (Level 1), can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles 

If we receive applications from more suitable candidates than we have vacancies for at this time, we may hold suitable applicants on a reserve list for 12 months, and future vacancies requiring the same skills and experience could be offered to candidates on the reserve list without a new competition.

We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce and pride ourselves as being an employer of choice. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace, visit: 
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity 

The MoJ is proud to be Level 3 Disability Confident. Disability Confident is the approach through which we offer guaranteed interviews for all people with disabilities meeting the minimum criteria for the advertised role as set out in the job description.

Security Clearance:

Successful applicants will be vetted to Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) level checks. 

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £24,250, HM Courts and Tribunals Service contributes £6,571 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

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)
• 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)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.