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.

Overview of the Role

This exciting G7 post leading the Private Office of the President of the King’s Bench Division (PKBD) is a fantastic opportunity to work directly with the senior Judiciary, other Judicial Private Offices, HMCTS and a wide range of stakeholders. This role is critical in supporting the PKBD, The Rt Hon Dame Victoria Sharp DBE, carry out her role overseeing the largest part of the High Court, the King’s Bench Division (KBD). The PKBD is the third most senior judge in England and Wales.

The post-holder will be expected to take a proactive, forward-thinking approach to the work of the office, managing a wide range of relationships on behalf of the PKBD and ensuring clear communication with other officials and the judiciary. The post-holder will need to build a close relationship with the PKBD to help her deliver, providing information and advice on a range of issues. The Private Secretary can also expect to have MANgood relationships with the High Court Judges of the KBD who themselves have a number of interesting roles and sit on a wide range of types of cases.

The postholder will work closely with other Private Offices to negotiate issues which affect multiple divisions and jurisdictions to help ensure that leadership judges are aligned. It can be a fast-paced, demanding and varied role, encompassing both ownership of high-profile policy, operational delivery and more traditional Private Office responsibilities.

This post presents an excellent opportunity for a motivated and independent individual to shape the administration and priorities of the largest division of the High Court, and to gain wide insight into the aims and responsibilities of the whole judiciary. The PKBD is a member of the Judicial Executive Board, the judiciary’s key advisory and decision-making body.

The Judicial Office

The Judicial Office (JO) aims to strengthen the rule of law and improve the administration of justice by supporting the leadership and governance of the judiciary. It was established following the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. It is answerable to the Lady Chief Justice and Senior President of Tribunals in supporting them in fulfilling their statutory functions as heads of the courts and tribunals respectively. The JO also carries out some functions related to the judiciary on behalf of the Lord Chancellor. The JO delivers a wide range of functions for the senior judiciary and to over 22,000 judges including training (through the Judicial College), communications, human resources, welfare, legal and policy advice. Through the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office, it deals with complaints about the conduct of judicial office-holders. The JO also provides support to the Chief Coroner and to the Judge Advocate General.

The President of the King’s Bench Division (PKBD)

The President of the King’s Bench Division, Dame Victoria Sharp, presides over the largest Division of the High Court and supervises the work of 71 High Court Judges. She has leadership and pastoral responsibility for these judges as well as deploying them to undertake KBD work. The KBD has both a civil and criminal jurisdiction and the PKBD also leads two jurisdictions within the Business and Property Courts, the Commercial and the Technology and Construction Court.

Job Description

As Private Secretary and Head of the Office of the PKBD, the postholder will ensure that the PKBD is supported in all aspects of her leadership role. This includes pastoral care of the KB judges including welfare, appointments, retirements, training and other management matters in addition to deploying them across the KB jurisdiction, and on circuit around the country to hear High Court matters.

The post-holder will need to build a close and trusted relationship with the PKBD and work with her to ensure issues affecting the administration of justice in the division are dealt with swiftly and discreetly. The postholder will also need to work with the Vice President of the KBD and the KB judges in charge of the various jurisdictions, Judicial Office and HMCTS colleagues to deal with any operational and policy issues that arise.

The postholder will need to keep abreast of policy issues which may affect the work of the PKBD and the Division and provide strategic and well considered advice on such matters. The Private Secretary provides information and advice through written and oral briefing.

The Private Secretary is a member of the Senior Management Team in the Judicial Private Offices and has access to an experienced network of other Private Secretaries and colleagues across the Judicial Office with expertise in many areas including comms, press, judicial policy, HR, conduct and training.

The postholder manages a team which includes an SEO Deputy Private Secretary and an SEO and HEO team with responsibility for the deployment of the 71 High Court Judges of the KBD. The PKBD is also supported in her role as Deputy Head of Criminal Justice by a separate G7 headed team. The two teams – KBD and crime – are based in the same room and work closely together to ensure that the PKBD is supported across her whole range of responsibilities. Good working relationships are critical for the PKBD and the organisation.

Activities

• Overall management of all functions of the private office and management of 1x SEO Deputy Private Secretary, 1x SEO Deployment Officer and 1x HEO Deployment Officer.
• The postholder will be the first point of contact for all press and public queries for the KBD.
• Oversight of the relationship of the office and wider JO with the PKBD, Vice-PKBD and other judges in the KBD.
• Oversight of the operation of the various jurisdictions of the KBD, providing support and advice in managing the impact of any policy changes. To do this, the postholder will work closely with HMCTS and officials within various government departments.
• Attend meetings with and on behalf of the PKBD with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, preparing briefings as necessary.
• Support the PKBD as a member of the Judicial Executive Board, assessing the impact of judiciary wide issues on the work of the division.
• Support the PKBD on the discharge of her responsibilities regarding the division including appointments, tickets, deployment and pastoral care of KB Judges, working closely with HR and policy colleagues and HMCTS.
• Represent the PKBD in discussions on issues which span the KB and Chancery Divisions, especially in regard to the Business and Property Courts, maintaining close working relationships with the Chancellor’s Private Office and with the Chancellor of the High Court himself.
• Working with the Head of the Crime Team to ensure that the various elements of the PKBD’s portfolio are managed seamlessly.

Person specification – Essential skills

The successful candidate must be able to influence and manage upwards and speak with authority when dealing with senior officials and members of the judiciary. Equally, the postholder must be a confident and inclusive leader to more junior colleagues, managing a small team with diverse priorities and thus supporting a great working environment for a close and cohesive unit.

Excellent oral and written communication skills are crucial in this role. The successful candidate would need to gain a good understanding of the operation of this complex and varied Division quickly, and would need to build close relationships with those who contribute to the work of the KBD. An ability to keep calm under pressure and manage competing priorities is essential.

Applicants will need CTC clearance before they can take up the post.

Desirable Knowledge, Experience and Skills

Experience of working directly with senior judges or similar senior people would be an advantage.

Flexible working

The post is based in the Royal Courts of Justice, London. The team is able to work with some degree of flexibility with some working from home (particularly outside of legal term time). However, the postholder would be required to be present when the PKBD was in the office and on a regular basis to ensure that the PKBD always had access to advice and support at short notice.

How to apply

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and influencing
• Leadership
• Delivering at pace
• Seeing the big picture

You will be assessed against the Civil service success profiles framework.

Experience

You will be asked to provide a CV during the application process in order to assess any demonstrable experience, career history and achievements that are relevant to the role.

You will also be asked to upload a Statement of Suitability of no more than 1000 words stating what you would bring to the role, with reference to the Skills and Experience, and evidence of demonstrating the required behaviours listed above.

Please also refer to the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/717275/CS_Behaviours_2018.pdf

Candidates invited to Interview

During the panel interview, you will be asked behaviour-based questions to explore in detail what you are capable of. At Interview stage all 4 behaviours will be assessed, you will be asked by the interview panel to provide examples of how you meet the behaviours listed.

Interviews are expected to take place in late February 2024.

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £58,847, Ministry of Justice contributes £16,418 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.