21957 - Assistant Private Secretary to the Senior Presiding Judge, SPJ, Private Office, Judicial Office in London

This vacancy is only available to existing Civil Servant employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs). Please review the "Eligibility" section before you apply.

General Information

• Salary: £40,014 - £42,859
• Working Pattern: Full Time
• Location: London
• Closing Date: 25-Sep-2026
• Post Type: Fixed Term, Detached Duty, Loan, Secondment
• Civil Service Grade: HEO
• Number of jobs available: 1
• Reserve List: 12 Months

Overview of the Judicial Office

The Judicial Office (JO) reports to, and is accountable, to the Lady Chief Justice (LCJ). It was established in 2006 to provide support to the LCJ and to the wider judiciary in upholding the rule of law and in delivering justice impartially, speedily and efficiently, following the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. In addition, we support, and are accountable to, the Senior President of Tribunals, whose responsibilities extend to Scotland and Northern Ireland. The JO is an interesting and unique place to work. Everything we do is in support of upholding the independence and impartiality of the judiciary. We work closely with HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS), the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and others across Government as well as with the legal professions.

Overview of the team

The Senior Presiding Judge (SPJ) is a senior member of the judiciary of England and Wales. They are appointed for a fixed two-year period. The SPJ’s responsibilities and remit include:

• Providing support, leadership and guidance for courts judiciary and magistrates, particularly to leadership judges;
• Acting as ‘Chief of Staff’ for the Lady Chief Justice, dealing with the day–to–day issues affecting the judiciary, across a wide-ranging field including diversity, HR casework, and judicial appointments;
• Representing the Lady Chief Justice on the HMCTS Board and attending a number of other high-profile boards;
• The effective and efficient operation of the courts, including regular meetings with those involved in the work of the courts, and working with judges to understand and improve performance.

The SPJ is supported in these responsibilities by the Deputy Senior Presiding Judge (DSPJ). The Private Office team is responsible for providing strategic support, advice, and coordination for the SPJ and DSPJ on all areas of their portfolio.

Hybrid Working Requirement

This position is eligible for hybrid working (current minimum requirement for time spent at base location is 60%, which is subject to business requirements).

Summary of the role

In 2024, the government asked Sir Brian Leveson to undertake an independent review of the criminal courts and produce recommendations for how to reduce demand on the Crown Court, tackle the outstanding caseload, and improve efficiency of the system. Parts I and II of the report have been published, with the judicial response published in July. We are recruiting an Assistant Private Secretary (APS) to join the Private Office of the Senior Presiding Judge. The role will primarily be focused on supporting the SPJ and DSPJ in their responsibilities in relation to the implementation of reforms stemming from the Independent Review of Criminal Courts (IRCC). The role is a fixed term loan until 31 March 2029 and is open to current Civil Servants applying for a temporary promotion or level transfer. This is a frontline role working directly with members of the senior judiciary to deliver their priorities across issues which impact judges across England and Wales. The role involves close working with teams across the Judicial Office, HMCTS, Ministry of Justice, and other partners across the justice system. Please be aware that Private Office roles can be unpredictable and may require working long hours and, very occasionally, at weekends. It may be necessary to support the SPJ and DSPJ on visits across the country and therefore some travel will likely be required.

Responsibilities, Activities & Duties:

Key responsibilities will include:

• Building and maintaining an understanding of matters related to the IRCC reforms, the role of the SPJ / DSPJ, and the teams involved with different aspects of the work.
• Monitoring live issues, actions and forward plans. Taking steps to ensure issues are resolved, ensuring the judiciary are kept informed and escalating matters as required.
• Managing processes for submissions to the SPJ on matters relating to the appointment and deployment of magistrates and of District Judges who sit in the Magistrates’ Courts. Working with Judicial HR to improve processes to ensure timely decision-making.
• Working with MOJ and HMCTS teams on the development and implementation of reward and recognition initiatives for magistrates.
• Developing evidence-based recommendations to enable the SPJ and DSPJ to make decisions on a variety of subjects.
• Supporting the SPJ and DSPJ’s engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, including judges, magistrates, and partners across the criminal justice system.

Please note that portfolios are subject to change in the SPJ Office, and you may be required to take on other areas of responsibility depending on changing priorities.

Essential Knowledge, Experience and Skills

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to condense large volumes of information into high quality briefings.
• Strong organisation skills.
• Ability to work at pace and deliver high-quality outputs.
• Ability to manage your own workload, prioritise tasks effectively and adapt to changing circumstances.
• Ability to build strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels.

Desirable Knowledge, Experience and Skills

• Knowledge of the Criminal Justice System.
• Experience of working in a Private Office.
• Experience working with the judiciary and / or the magistracy.

Behaviours (for Recruitment/Success Profiles):

• Delivering at Pace (lead behaviour)
• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Security clearance required: Select one of the below. (this will be determined by the location)

• DBS
• CTC
• SC
• DV

Please note: Central Government policy dictates that applicants for National Security Clearance must be a resident in the UK for these minimum periods:

• CTC - 3 years
• SC - 5 years
• DV - 10 years

Additional 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.

Benefits

• Annual Leave: 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.
• 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.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles.