7959 - Admin Officer with Apprenticeship - Northampton

Proud to serve. Proud to keep justice going.

We are offering an exciting opportunity to work towards an Apprenticeship Qualification (Improvement Technician Apprenticeship Level 3) alongside this Administrative Officer position. Please check if you’re eligible below!

About us

HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is an agency of the Ministry of Justice and is responsible for the administration of criminal, civil and family Courts and Tribunals in England and Wales. National Services manage centralised administrative and contact functions in HMCTS. 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

Our administrative teams in Northampton are the core of our National Services. Roles include data entry of paper and digital work, telephony, customer complaints and correspondence. You will deal with enquiries from service users via post, email and telephone. Types of County Court Claims we deal with include credit card / loan / hire purchase debt, and parking / moving traffic contraventions.

You will be assigned to a team to carry out a variety of general administrative duties to progress cases through the Court system, or to one of our telephone ‘Civil Contact’ teams.

This is a fast-paced position that requires attention to detail, the ability to multi-task and deal with each customer as an individual whilst managing your time effectively. You will need to be resilient, keen to learn, and have the IT skills to adapt to new systems and technologies, as we’re constantly investing in digital solutions to improve the way we deliver justice.

You will be expected to commit to our 18-month Apprenticeship Programme as part of this offer, please see below for further details.

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. You’ll have great attention to detail, able to enter information into our database accurately and efficiently, and able and adapt to using various software packages. You’ll enjoy organising your time, prioritising efficiently and multi-tasking in a busy environment.

For a full job description, please read supporting document included below before applying.

An apprenticeship offers a fantastic opportunity to earn while you learn. Fully funded by your employer, you\'ll receive protected learning time during your working week to complete your studies. You\'ll work through the modules of your apprenticeship and apply what you\'ve learned in your job role. Throughout this journey, you\'ll be fully supported by a work coach and complete online learning with regular check-ins with your coach and your manager.

This is a chance to focus on developing new transferable skills and a great opportunity to enhance your personal growth and career progression. At the end of your apprenticeship, you\'ll receive certification and be able to take those skills with you, wherever your career may lead.

To be eligible to apply you must;

Spend 50% of your time working in England

Have the Right to Work in England

Have been resident in the UK or EEA for the last 3 years

Not be on another funded learning programme at the same time

This opportunity is open to everyone, however if you are aged 16 to 18 years, the entry requirements for the apprenticeship are Level 2 Functional Skills in Maths and English (grades 9 – 4 in a Maths and English), or you will need to complete Level 2 Functional Skills in Maths and English alongside the apprenticeship. If you are over the age of 18 you will not have to complete this.

If you are interested in this opportunity, you are welcome to join us online for more information on the ‘Improvement Technician Apprenticeship’ and ask any questions. This open session will be held on 30th July at 4pm.

Please note that a limited number of people can attend this session so please book early to avoid disappointment. Unfortunately, we cannot offer any other sessions and won’t be able to answer any individual questions outside of this session.

These operational roles are customer facing, requiring successful applicants to be office based to provide HMCTS services to the public. Non-contractual hybrid working may be available within our telephony teams. Hybrid working arrangements will be determined by the business and will only be available when it has been established that delivering the service from home can be done effectively. We cannot facilitate requests for a particular work from home/working in the office schedule.

These positions are offered as full time only. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week.

Training

There is a 1-week induction, followed by a full-time 4-week training academy, this is office based / in person.

Following this training period, you will be enrolled onto the Apprenticeship Programme where an assessment will be conducted to ensure your learning experience is personalised.

Skilled Worker Visa

From 4 April 2024, the Government increased the salary threshold for Skilled Worker visas. The starting salary for this role falls below the general salary threshold for sponsorship.

The Department cannot consider sponsoring you for this role unless you have held a Skilled Worker visa continuously since before 4 April 2024, you qualify for relevant tradeable points, or you meet other criteria where a lower salary can be considered. Therefore, if you believe you meet the eligibility criteria (in whatever way possible) and you have received a provisional job offer, please raise this during your vetting checks.

If you are applying for this role and you do not meet the new eligibility criteria for sponsorship, 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. Please go to www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa for more information.

Additional Information

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.

Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised role: all successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale. This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) – See Map . All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity).

For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location’s respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on \'modernised\' terms in their current post or onto \'unmodernised\' MoJ terms if they are on \'unmodernised\' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer.

All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ’s Flexible Working policy.

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.

There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Pension

The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Training

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Networks

The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

Support

• A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
• Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
• For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on www.GOV.UK or Childcare Choices .You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/ .
• Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
• Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission\'s recruitment principles .Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here )

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please watch our animated videos .

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.

The \"Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans\" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are \'at risk of redundancy\'.

MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

Civil Service Nationality Rules

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

Administrative Officer (AO) Job Description.docx(Job Description Attachment)

We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods

Statement of Suitability

Statement of Suitability

Guidance for the Statement of Suitability

Please tell us why you are suitable for this role. Demonstrate your transferable skills, knowledge and experience against the ‘Essential Skills and Criteria’ outlined in the job description: customer service, administrative and IT experience, attention to detail, communication and organisational skills. This can be work or education based or gained in other environments such as volunteering.
You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application is truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own and can lead to your application being withdrawn.
Using the full word count (500 words) and providing personalised real-life evidence of experience gained will help achieve the highest scores.
Should the volume of applications received exceed expectations, the Statement of Suitability will be the lead criteria.

Evidence of Experience

Statement of Suitability

Technical

Technical Questions Application Form Question Word Limit

250

Continuous learning and developing yourself

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates

Expected mid September. Dates to be confirmed.

Behaviours

Communicating and Influencing

Managing a Quality Service

Delivering at Pace

Strengths

Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here .

Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)

You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application, including your CV, statement of suitability and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.

Level of security checks required

Baseline Personnal Security Standard (BPSS)