Judicial Appointments Commission - Secretariat Support Officer (Ref: 14575) in London

This position is based at 102 Petty France, SW1H 9AJ.

Are you an outstanding administrator with a passion for providing a high-quality service? Do you enjoy working in a fast-paced environment supporting senior leaders and the Board? If the answer is yes, you could be exactly who we're looking for to join our dynamic Secretariat team.

We're looking for a Secretariat Support Officer to provide effective support to the Secretariat team who are responsible for all aspects of support to our Chair, Board of Commissioners, and senior leadership team. As an independent public body, the Judicial Appointments Commission is responsible for designing, planning, and running recruitment campaigns to select judges in the courts and tribunals, up to and including the High Court, as well as non-legal tribunal members. With a new recruitment campaign launched every couple of weeks, and statutory responsibilities to ensure we select candidates on merit and through fair and open competition, it's essential that our processes are robust, inclusive, and attractive to candidates from the widest possible backgrounds. It's also essential that the JAC delivers against our strategy and our Chair and Board can support the organisation to drive forward our priorities.

Our Secretariat Support Officer will play a crucial part in us achieving that ambition. It is a varied role that provides the opportunity to work closely with the JAC's leaders and staff across the organisation and to make a difference right at the heart of the organisation.

The successful candidate will play a critical role in supporting the work of the JAC Commission Board and its sub-committees and working with staff at all levels to deliver our business plan. You will support the Secretariat in their day-to-day work and use your excellent communication skills to support collaborative working with commissioners, senior stakeholders, and staff.

Main Responsibilities:

• Support the Secretariat team, who are responsible for all aspects of support to the JAC Commission Board and sub-Committees by providing administrative support such as team inbox management and meeting set up and support.
• Support the secretariat function for the Commission Board Meetings and Selection and Character Committee including drafting minutes and preparing agendas and ensuring their timely distribution.
• Manage in and out flow of correspondence with the Judicial office.
• Take ownership of various Excel and Word-based logs and trackers, including commissioner work plans, to support the smooth delivery of Secretariat services to the broader organisation.
• Act as a point of contact for Commissioners in relation to expense claims, processing these in a timely manner and raising any issues with Commissioners as and when they occur.
• Provide administrative support to the Head of Secretariat and the Senior Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive.
• General administrative duties including accurate record management, preparing Word and Excel documents, and using Outlook for diary and inbox management.
• Act as one of the Team's Information Managers to ensure the Ministry of Justice's online storage systems meet the needs of the Secretariat.

Essential Criteria:

• Effective organisational skills to provide high quality support and meet tight deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Experience and confidence in using a range of digital tools including Microsoft Teams, Excel Spreadsheets and the ability to learn other digital systems quickly.
• The ability to work collaboratively as part of a team both within the Secretariat and more widely across the JAC.

What We Can Offer You:

• An attractive pension scheme.
• Competitive annual leave allowance.
• Flexible and hybrid working opportunities.
• A range of networks to support and promote inclusivity, wellbeing, and dignity at work.

Application Process:

• Your CV.
• A statement of suitability detailing the relevant skills and experience you have and how these make you suitable for the role (250 words max).
• Written evidence of the 2 core behaviours for this role: Managing a Quality Service and Delivering at Pace (250 words per behaviour).

Interviews are expected to take place in March 2026. They will either be in person or undertaken remotely via MS Teams. Arrangements will be confirmed for all those shortlisted.

JAC staff are currently working in a hybrid way with a minimum of 2 days per week in the office, which is based in Westminster – London. Applicants for this role should note that they may be required to attend the office more than 2 days per week on occasion in line with business need.