Admin Officer (Legal Admin Support Team) (Ref: 20016)

Job summary

Please refer to Job Description

Job description

Proud to serve. Proud to keep justice going.

Our Admin Officers play a critical role, providing excellent administrative support and customer service to court users, judiciary and management.

About us

HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is responsible for the administration of criminal, civil and family Courts and Tribunals in England and Wales. Our roles support our court users and colleagues within HMCTS, where people and businesses access potentially life-changing justice. We’re looking for individuals who are committed to public service and making a difference in people’s lives to deliver justice. If you are interested in developing a career with a real purpose, please apply.

Your role

Working as part of a team, you will contribute to the overall operational, performance and service standard targets across your area of work. Under the direction of the Legal Admin Team Leaders, assist in supporting the eight benches in the North East totalling approximately 2500 magistrates, working as part of a flexible team.

You will be adaptable, able to multi-task and effectively carry out a variety of duties, which will include:

• Assist with the preparation and organisation of training events for legal staff as required.
• Assist with the preparation, compilation and maintenance of Magistrates’ sitting rotas.
• Attend meetings of magistrates and legal managers as required.
• Prepare and distribute documentation for meetings, including agenda, supporting documentation, main points, and actions.
• Sift and distribute mail and correspondence, drafting responses as directed.
• Undertake additional support and administrative related assignments as required.

• Communicating with the Public, the Judiciary, other Court and Tribunal Users and Representatives of other Agencies and Organisations

Your skills and experience

With a friendly and approachable manner, you’ll have good written and verbal communication skills with a desire to deliver proactive and effective support to customers by phone and email. You’ll be skilled in organising your time, prioritising efficiently, able to multi-task and adapt to using various software packages. You’ll enjoy working in a fast-paced environment and helping court users navigate the justice system.

Please see the attached job description below for more information

Further details:

These operational roles are customer facing, requiring successful applicants to be office based to provide HMCTS services to the public. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week.

Applications for part-time working would be considered however due to the nature of the role the minimum hours would be 16.5 hours per week, which must include Mondays and Fridays as working days.

Location:

This post is based at Leeds Magistrates Court, Westgate Leeds, LS1 3BY, Gateshead Magistrates Court, Warwick Street, Gateshead, NE8 1DT & Teesside Magistrates Court, Victoria Square, Middlesbrough TS1 2AS.

Lead Criterion: Statement of Suitability.

An initial sift based on the statement of suitability may be held if a large number of applications are received.

Interviews:

Requests for virtual interviews and alternate dates will only be considered in exceptional circumstances or as part of a reasonable adjustment.

The reserve list for this campaign will be managed in accordance with location preference/s, as indicated in your application. We will appoint in merit list order for each location outlined in the vacancy and hold a separate locational reserve list for each of these locations. After appointments have been made using this locational appointment process, any remaining candidates who met the benchmark for the role will remain on a locational reserve list in accordance with their preferences for 12 months. Please only indicate preferences where you are prepared to work. If you are subsequently offered a role from the reserve list for a location preference indicated in your application and decline it, you will be removed from the reserve list for the vacancy, across all locational preferences

Skilled Worker Visa

From 22 July 2025, the Government increased the salary threshold and skills level for Skilled Worker visas. This role does not meet the eligibility criteria for sponsorship in accordance with the current immigration rules if you looking to apply for a Skilled Worker Visa for the first time.

The Department cannot consider sponsoring you for this role unless you have held a Skilled Worker visa continuously since before 22 July 2025. If you have held a Skilled Worker visa continuously, please raise this during your vetting checks and eligibility will be assessed in accordance with the immigration rules and transitional provisions in place.

If you are applying for this role and you do not meet the new eligibility criteria for sponsorship (or the transitional provisions), you will need to consider your options for obtaining and/or maintaining your right to work in the UK in light of these changes. Successful applicants must ensure they have and maintain the legal right to live and work in the Civil Service and in the United Kingdom.

The Department will continue to comply with UK Immigration Rules applied in the UK and Civil Service. You can read more about Skilled Worker visas and the eligibility criteria here.

Technical skills

Using your CV as a reference, please provide a summary of the key responsibilities from your previous experience that is most relevant to the Operational Support Officer position. Begin with your most recent experience and work backwards. For each position, include the job title, duration of employment, and a concise overview of your main duties. (Maximum 250 words).

This section is intended to help us understand where and how you gained your experience.

Please avoid repeating content from your Statement of Suitability. That section should focus on what you can do, supported by specific examples. This question, by contrast, is about what you’ve done and the context in which your experience was gained.

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Behaviours

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

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

Technical skills

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

• Please refer to Job Description

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £25,582, HM Courts and Tribunals Service contributes £7,411 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• 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 employer contribution of 28.97%
• Annual Leave
• Public Holidays
• Se