Board Secretariat Officer (Ref: 79450)

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.

Although the successful candidate can be based at any HMCTS location, this role does involve adhoc travel to 102 Petty France. 

HM Courts and Tribunals Service 

Directorate: Chief Executive’s Office & Board Secretariat

Job Title: Board Secretariat Officer

This is a general job description covering the likely scope of work of the post holder.

Pay Span or equivalent:  HEO

Background

HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is one of government’s largest agencies and provides the supporting administration for the judiciary across England and Wales and the non-devolved tribunals in Scotland and Northern Ireland. 

An efficient and effective courts and tribunals service is fundamental to our democracy, underpinning the rule of law. This is a unique opportunity to work at the heart of HMCTS as it undergoes a major transformation, designed not just to give our courts and tribunals a sustainable and affordable future, but to further improve how we deliver justice.
 
Effective governance is vital for any organisation to achieve its strategic objectives. Based in the Chief Executive’s office, the Corporate Governance and Board Secretariat team is responsible for ensuring that the HMCTS governance framework supports the highest level of decision-making across the organisation. The team does this by contributing to the setting of the strategic direction and by providing high-quality secretariat support for the HMCTS Board, the HMCTS Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and their respective sub-committees in delivering HMCTS’s objectives.
This a great opportunity to join a team that has the unique position of oversight of the key decisions and discussions taking place at the highest level in this critical organisation. 

The key purpose of the role is to

•    Provide primary secretariat support to the Board and SLT sub-committees, playing a pivotal role in facilitating effective communication and coordination among board and committee members, executive leadership, and various stakeholders. Offering administrative support to the HMCTS Board Chair and Non-executive HMCTS Board members, ensuring compliance with corporate governance standards and enhancing the overall efficiency of board and committee related processes. 

Key responsibilities

Strategic Direction

•    With support of the relevant chair, proactively manage the forward programme of meetings, ensuring that they are focused on delivery of organisational objectives as set out in the HMCTS Business Plan and wider Corporate Strategy
•    Guide and influence senior stakeholders on key decisions to deliver the strategic priorities of HMCTS

Delivery    

•    Coordinate and schedule relevant board and committee meetings, prepare meeting agendas, and collate relevant materials for distribution in a timely manner
•    Write timely and accurate minutes
•    Proactively monitor progress against actions
•    Responsible for supporting the governance of the relevant forums, ensuring that they comply with audit requirements
•    Provide business management and secretarial support to non-executive Board members as necessary, managing their payroll and expenses to ensure that value for money is always achieved
•    Support the process for promoting, commissioning, sifting and analysing nominations for Honours and Royal Garden Parties

Team Working, Key Relationships and Contacts    

•    Work in partnership with others, building strong relationships with the team, and a wide range of stakeholders, to ensure alignment with HMCTS-wide strategic objectives, effective management of meetings and actions and clear commissioning
•    Develop and maintain strong stakeholder relationships with senior colleagues, the Board Chair, non-executive Board members, members of the senior judiciary and other board/committee members.
•    Contribute, as required, to the full range of activity across the Chief Executive’s Office and Board Secretariat team to deliver a high standard of service

Problem Solving and Decision Making    

•    Decision making to maintain an accurate and effective forward look and action log, including the prioritisation of papers, producing high-quality minutes and responsibility for all logistical arrangements for meetings

Management of Resources    

•    Manage senior time by ensuring only matters requiring consideration are included on sub-board/committee agendas and judging where senior colleagues need to be consulted Judging when matters need to be escalated 

Other duties

Due to the frequent level of exposure to sensitive and high-profile issues, you will be expected to work professionally and exercise discretion where necessary. 

The post holder is required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post. 

Experience/Skills

Essential Skills and Experience: 

•    Excellent oral and written communication skills 
•    Ability to understand complex and comprehensive information and distil it in a clear and concise manner
•    Excellent planning and organising skills
•    Highly effective influencing skills
•    Tact and discretion, with experience of handling confidential and sensitive data
•    Experience of working to short deadlines, dealing with emerging/rapidly changing high profile situations
•    Ability to work methodically and on own initiative independently or with team members to meet deadlines

Desirable Skills and Experience: 

•    Knowledge and experience of secretariat practices (successfully managing and servicing committees) 
•    Experience of drafting high-quality minutes 
•    Experience of working in support of senior staff and non-executive board members helping to improve their effectiveness. 

Application process

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

Experience

You will be asked to provide your work history during the application process in order to assess any demonstrable experience, career history and achievements that are relevant to the role. 
Should we receive a large number of applications, we will sift primarily on the lead behaviour of Managing a Quality Service. Successful applicants will then be invited to an interview, testing both behaviours and strengths. 

Ability Test details:

Candidates meeting the sift standard will be invited to a short writing test. If the requisite standard is achieved, candidates will be invited to a formal interview. 

Candidates invited to Interview

During the interview, we will be assessing you on Behaviours and Strengths from the success Profiles framework. 

Behaviours

•    Managing a Quality Service
•    Communicating and Influencing
•    Working Together
•    Delivering at Pace

Please 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 
Interviews are expected to take place late October, early November and will be carried out via MS Teams. 

Candidates applying from HMPPS should note that the Ministry of Justice does not have the same conditions of employment as HMPPS. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful. 
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. 

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

• Access to learning and development
• A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• Annual Leave
• Public Holidays
• Season Ticket Advance

For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.

Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

Job contact :

• Name : SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team
• Email : Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com
• Telephone : 0845 241 5359

Recruitment team

• Email : Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com