Operational Support Officer - Runcorn

Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working

Location: Runcorn, Region: North West

Closing Date: 01-Jun-2026

Post Type: Permanent, AO

Number of jobs available: 4

Reserve List: 12 Months

Job ID: 17717

Operational Support Officer – Criminal Fines Collection and Enforcement

Proud to serve. Proud to keep justice going. Our HMCTS Operational Support Officers within Criminal Fines Collection and Enforcement (Enforcement) provide excellent customer service, administrative support and decision-making to recover criminal fines and financial penalties imposed by the Courts.

About us

Enforcement is a key function within HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) and plays a central role in delivering justice by working alongside the criminal courts in England and Wales to ensure convicted parties comply with fines and other financial penalties imposed by the courts. We are also responsible for compliance of Confiscation Orders imposed by the Crown Courts and the payment of Fixed Penalty tickets issued by police forces.

Your role

HMCTS uses a variety of means to ensure the recovery of criminal fines and financial penalties and does everything within our powers to trace those who do not pay. You will be responsible for creating and updating records on our in‑house computer system and will contact relevant parties to give advice on the completion of forms or court procedures, providing excellent customer service. You will make decisions on the most effective method of enforcement within the current guidelines, and will use telephone and text message chasing and tracing tools. You will have the confidence to engage with Managers, Courts and other internal and external stakeholders to collect information, check facts, communicate or enforce judicial decisions.

Your skills and experience

• Strong customer service skills with the confidence to support our customers via the telephone, webchat and email
• Experience of working in an administrative role in a customer‑focussed environment
• Proficient with IT and Microsoft Software packages
• Excellent communication and organisational skills
• Exceptional attention to detail

Working arrangements

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; 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. Standard full‑time working hours are 37 hours per week (Monday to Friday). HMCTS welcomes part‑time, flexible and job‑sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs and are agreed prior to appointment. All applications for part‑time, flexible and job‑sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ’s Flexible Working policy. The Runcorn office offers a service between 09:00 – 17:00 Monday to Friday and you will be required to work between these times on a scheduled basis.

Occasional travel

Whilst the post holder will be allocated to a specific office base, there may be a need for flexibility to work on an ad‑hoc basis at other local HMCTS offices.

Immigration status

This role is not eligible for new Skilled Worker visas in accordance with the current immigration rules. From 22 July 2025, the Government introduced changes to the Skilled Worker visa route. The department cannot consider sponsoring you for this role unless you have held a Skilled Worker visa prior to the 22 July 2025 changes. 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 have not held a Skilled Worker visa prior to the 22 July 2025 changes, 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.

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 directly to senior management.
• 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. Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave. Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Equality and Inclusion

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.

Security checks

DBS Standard 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).
• 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.

Reserve list

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