Apply Now
Details
Reference number
Salary
Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
Job grade
Contract type
Business area
Type of role
Working pattern
Number of jobs available
Contents
Location
About the job
Job summary
As a senior crown prosecutor at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), you deliver justice for some of the most complex and challenging cases, from fraud and firearms offences to public order and corporate manslaughter.
The senior crown prosecutor position is aimed at experienced lawyers with previous criminal law experience. You are based in either the magistrates or Crown Court in a largely office-based role, making decisions on whether a case should be prosecuted. You work with colleagues across the criminal justice system to review and present evidence in serious and sensitive cases.
Your work is challenging, varied and rewarding. You have the opportunity to make a real difference in society and to secure justice for victims and witnesses of crime.
The CPS is committed to the professional growth of our workforce from the outset, and we have created clear paths of progression to support prosperous careers. You benefit from a structured induction training plan, an individual learning account and opportunities to shadow colleagues across the organisation. You are fully supported in your progression with access to promotion opportunities throughout your career.
Find out more at CPS careers cps.gov.uk/careers
Job description
Person specification
- To conduct discussions with the police on evidence requirements and charging.
- To review files for cases to be tried at the magistrates and Crown Court, applying the Full Code test and confirming the charge.
- To demonstrate high levels of advocacy, media handling, written and oral communication skills relating to all cases youre accountable for to maintain public confidence in the prosecution process.
- To undertake advocacy in relation to the more challenging serious and sensitive cases in the magistrates courts.
- To deal effectively and persuasively with a wide range of people within and outside the service, as part of a multiskilled team and individually to ensure effective and successful prosecution of cases.
See the attached job description for all role responsibilities.
Qualifications
Academic: Law degree, Common Professional Examination, Graduate Diploma in Law.
Professional: Legal Practice Course, Solicitors Qualifying Exam or Bar Professional Training Course and have completed the relevant pupillage and training contract (or have received full exemption from the relevant professional regulatory body, either the Solicitors Regulation Authority or the Bar Standards Board).
OR
CILEx: The post holder must be a Fellow of CILEx, and in addition be a CILEx Advocate/Litigator holding all three advocacy certificates providing them with a general qualification within the meaning of s.71 (3) (c) Courts and Legal Services Act 1990. Therefore, the holder must have a right of audience in relation to any class of proceedings in any part of the Senior Courts, or all proceedings in county courts or magistrates’ courts in order to meet the requirements for a Crown Prosecutor specified by section 1 Prosecution of Offences Act 1985.
Please note that if you do not hold the above CILEx qualification you are not eligible to apply for this vacancy.
If youre unsure whether you have qualified through CILEx please contact us to establish your eligibility for this role.
If you apply and are found not to possess any of the above any offer of employment will be withdrawn, or contract terminated.
Please note the qualification as stated is required for this role and equivalent qualifications will not be accepted.
If you are unsure about your eligibility please contact NationalLawyerRecruitment@cps.gov.uk
Please note, the eligibility criteria stated above needs to be met by Monday 11th December 2023. Therefore, if you are able to obtain a valid Practicing Certificate and will be fully qualified by above stated date, you are eligible to apply for this campaign.
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
Technical skills
We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Law Degree or Common Professional Examination/Graduate Diploma in Law
- Legal Practice Course, Solicitors Qualifying Exam or Bar Vocational Course/Bar Professional Training Course
Have completed the relevant pupillage/training contract
- Qualified Barrister or Solicitor
- Motivation
- Legal Intellect
Benefits
£13,243 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
CPS is passionate about ensuring that we are a top performing organisation and a great place to work. We are a committed equal opportunities employer, creating a culture where everyone can bring their whole self to work, and individuality is truly appreciated.
We want to ensure all our prosecutors can thrive at work and home, and offer a range of support to achieve a balance. This includes flexible working hours, flexibility to support caring responsibilities and a flexible approach to deployment, which means that where you work (a court, an office, or a remote setting such as your home) is based on the kind of work you are undertaking.
This culture of inclusion is underpinned by our staff networks covering disability, faith and belief, LGBTQI+, race, social mobility alongside our mental health first aiders programme and wellbeing sessions.
The CPS commits to offer its employees the following experience.
You can do impactful, purposeful work thats making a difference to your local communities.
You are able to learn and grow, with access to the right opportunities and resources.
We care about your wellbeing.
We want you to feel valued, trusted and included.
We also offer the following range of benefits:
Civil Service pension
access to employee savings
Cycle2Work scheme
25 days leave, rising to 30 days after 5 years service
1 extra privilege day to mark the Kings birthday
competitive maternity, paternity and parental leave
flexible working and a family friendly approach to work
childcare vouchers.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Application:
CV
Please upload an up-to-date CV which should include your:
career history with key responsibilities
skills and experience
achievements
qualifications.
You need to attach your CV as one document. Although it wont be marked, it provides the panel with an insight into your work history and experience.
Please note, its your responsibility to provide the specified application information in the requested format to ensure that youre considered for the post.
Personal data
In line with GDPR, do NOT send us any information that can identify children, or any of your own sensitive personal data such as racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, data concerning health or sex life and sexual orientation, genetic and/or biometric data in your CV and application documentation.
Assessment and interview
- Legal assessment
If you meet the eligibility criteria, you are invited to an online Microsoft Teams meeting to complete a legal-based assessment, present your answers and respond to follow-up questions.
- Final interview
If you pass the legal assessment, youre invited to a Microsoft Teams meeting where youre interviewed by a CPS panel to assess your suitability for the role.
If youre invited to an assessment you are provided general research pointers in advance. The assessment and interview are both held on Microsoft Teams. Please refer to the candidate pack for scheduled dates.
Dates advertised may be subject to change. And it may not be possible to offer alternative dates for assessments or interviews. Please note the timetable and show some flexibility through the recruitment and selection process to meet the dates given.
You book your own assessment and interview slot through Civil Service Jobs. Once youve selected your preferred time slot, we send you a Microsoft Teams link.
If you require any reasonable adjustments, please let the team know as soon as possible. Otherwise, we wont be able to accommodate them on the day.
Applications may be submitted in Welsh. Please contact us at NationalLawyerRecruitment@cps.gov.uk if you want your interview and assessment to be carried out in Welsh.
If you wish to apply for the role of Crown Prosecutor, you need to go through a separate recruitment process as the role responsibilities and behaviour criteria are different.
Merit list and offers
You can choose three office location preferences from the list provided. If youre successful, we aim to offer one of your choices in the first instance. Whilst every effort is made to accommodate your location preferences, the CPS is a national organisation with differences in operational recovery, vacancy levels and caseloads around the country which means you may be offered a role in another CPS area.
If youre invited to interview, you are assessed and interviewed by an appropriate panel and offers are made in merit order
Waiting list
If all the posts are filled for your preferred location(s), you are put on the waiting list. You may be approached about an opportunity at a location outside your initial preference. Offers are always made in merit order.
There may be instances where youre offered the opportunity to work on a central prosecution team to complete work remotely for business areas around England and Wales. If offered, this would be for a minimum 12-month period with the possibility of an extension up to 24 months. Once completed, you then return on a permanent basis to a CPS area.
If youre offered a position that youre unable to accept, you can stay on the waiting list and may be offered a position for your preferred location(s) if one becomes available. The waiting list expires 12 months after the interviews take place and positions for your first preference cant be guaranteed.
Candidates who may not be appointable to a Senior Crown Prosecutor (grade 7) role, may be offered a Crown Prosecutor (Senior Executive Officer grade role).
Timeline
Dates advertised are subject to change and it may not be possible to accommodate alternative requests for interviews and assessment. Please refer to the candidate pack for the scheduled timeline.
If you meet the eligibility requirements, youre invited to an assessment with at least five working days notice. If you cant make this date, please let us know as soon as possible and we try to rearrange although we cant guarantee it.
Meet & Engage Sessions
We will be holding a series of webchats whilst the campaign is live. This is chance for you to ask any questions you may have around the role or recruitment, and you can register for these via the links below
-
Thursday 28 September at 4pm – SCP: https://meetandengage.com/almj8w3p0
-
Thursday 11 October at 4pm – CP & SCP: https://meetandengage.com/almj8ztm6
Other
From April 2018, the CPS will provide a Fair Processing Notice (FPN) to all new applicants after they have been successful at interview. These candidates will be informed that, as one aspect of pre-employment screening, their personal details name, National Insurance Number and date of birth – will be checked against the Internal Fraud Database (IFD) and that anyone included on the IFD will be refused employment unless they can demonstrate exceptional circumstances.
The Strategic Resourcing team in the CPS will, on behalf of the vacancy holder, inform applicants when they are refused employment because of their inclusion in the IFD.
Civil Service Commissioners
Written feedback and comments will only be provided to those at the interview stage and will not be provided until the vacancy is complete.
If you are dissatisfied with the recruitment process and wish to make a complaint, please contact Strategic.Resourcing@cps.gov.uk with your concerns.
If you remain dissatisfied and wish to make a further complaint, please click on the following link to the Civil Service Commissioners complaints page https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/civilservicerecruitmentcomplaints/
Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Principles can be found here
https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
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).
Apply and further information
You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : National Lawyer Recruitment Team
- Email : NationalLawyerRecruitment@cps.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : strategic.resourcing@cps.gov.uk
