At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage scheduling and facilitate fitness to practise hearings for opticians.
- Company: The General Optical Council, the UK's regulator for optical professions.
- Benefits: Flexible working, professional development, and a chance to make a difference.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for growth and learning in a supportive environment.
- Why this job: Join a mission-driven team protecting public safety in the optical field.
- Qualifications: GCSE level education or equivalent experience, strong communication and admin skills.
The General Optical Council (GOC) is the regulator for the optical professions in the UK. Our purpose is to protect the public by promoting high standards of education, performance and conduct amongst opticians. We currently register around 33,000 optometrists, dispensing opticians, student opticians and optical businesses.
The role holder will be required to manage the timely and efficient scheduling of fitness to practise events in accordance with operational standards and to facilitate the fitness to practise committee hearings, ensuring that they are held in accordance with Rules and protocols. The role holder will support the Operations Manager (Hearings) to ensure that hearings are delivered to a high standard and to enable the General Optical Council to fulfil its statutory duty to protect the public.
Key Accountabilities
- Manage the smooth running of fitness to practise hearings and meetings to support our objective of protecting the public.
- Provide support, advice and guidance to all parties at a hearing including the legal adviser, witnesses and Registrant on our procedures, regulations and rules.
- Provide high quality and professional customer service to stakeholders at all stages of the hearing process.
- Anticipate and resolve issues that may arise during a hearing and keep cases on track in a sensitive public environment often under pressure.
- Work as a team to facilitate the planning, listing and running of in-person, hybrid or remote fitness to practise hearings and meetings.
- Complete post-hearing tasks promptly including sending notifications of the outcome of cases, help ensure our public register is accurate and determinations are published in line with our disclosure policy.
- Propose, arrange and coordinate dates for FtP hearings and issue notice of hearing in accordance with rules and legislation.
- Proactively plan and manage own scheduling caseload in accordance with departmental key performance indicators.
- Work with relevant parties on procedural issues to progress difficult cases through the hearing process and ensure predicted hearing times are accurate through regular communication and case management meetings.
- Provide the Operations Manager (Hearings) with relevant and accurate information to ensure progression of cases and to ensure data integrity for management information.
- Manage the allocation of committee members, legal advisers and clinical advisers to hearing events. This includes ensuring the allocations are fair and in line with internal processes.
- Ensure that upcoming events are published on the GOC website and have been redacted appropriately.
- Contribute to standard operating procedures used within the team and ensure they are up to date and reflective of current practice.
- Other reasonable duties may be assigned from time to time.
On some hearing days the postholder will be in the office by 08.00 and some hearings may finish later than 17.30 therefore the post holder needs to be flexible on these days. Time off in lieu will be granted.
Essential Skills/Experience/Qualifications
- Educated to GCSE level or equivalent, or through vocational experience.
- Experience within a similar role; supporting committee or panel work autonomously or experience in working with legislative and rules-based processes and procedures.
- Confident communication skills: tailoring oral and written communications for the intended audience, the ability to adopt a variety of styles, the ability to listen to, influence and persuade others.
- Excellent administration skills including the use of Microsoft products, including Office and CMS.
- Demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement to bring about operational process improvements and improve customer service.
- An understanding or working in a tribunal setting.
The above is not exclusive or exhaustive and may alter depending on the requirements of the GOC. This role will require a blend of remote and office based working. Travel to the central London office to facilitate in-person hearings will be required. Travel expenses will not be paid.
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Some tips for your application 🫡
Emphasise your understanding of public policy:In your application, make sure to highlight any knowledge or experience you have related to public policy, governance or community engagement. Show us how you can contribute to the public sector’s mission, especially if you've worked on relevant projects or initiatives before!
Tailor your CV to the sector's expectations:When crafting your CV, focus on including experiences that showcase your ability to work within government structures or similar environments. Use clear, concise language and consider adding any volunteer work or internships that reflect your commitment to public service.
Show flexibility and willingness to learn:Since this is a temporary role, it’s crucial to convey your adaptability and eagerness to pick up new skills quickly. In your cover letter, let us know how you plan to make the most of this short-term experience and what you hope to learn from it.
Include relevant certificates and training:If you've completed any training or have certifications that are relevant to the role (like public administration, project management, or data analysis), don't forget to mention them. These can really make you stand out in the application process!
How to prepare for a job interview at Get Grants Ltd
✨Demonstrate Your Commitment to Public Service
In the government and public sector, showing that you're genuinely passionate about serving the community is key. Get ready to share examples where you've contributed to social good or tackled community issues, as this will resonate with interviewers from Get Grants Ltd.
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Since this is a temporary role, emphasise your ability to adapt quickly. Share examples where you've successfully taken on new challenges or adjusted to different team dynamics, that'll show Get Grants Ltd that you’re reliable and can effectively support various projects without a long onboarding process.
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