10316 - Deputy Private Secretary to the Master of the Rolls, Private Offices Directorate, Judicial Office

General Information

Salary £49,325 - £53,081 Working Pattern Full Time Vacancy Approach Cross Government Location London Region London Closing Date 09-Oct-2025 Post Type Permanent Civil Service Grade SEO Number of jobs available 1 Reserve List 12 Months Job ID 10316

Descriptions & Requirements

Job description

Job Specification

Grade Seo

Deputy Private Secretary to the Master of the Rolls

Private Offices Directorate, Judicial Office

Organisation:

The Judicial Office (JO) is a unique branch of the civil service, independent from the machinery which supports the Government and dedicated to supporting the judiciary as the third arm of the state. We promote and safeguard judicial independence to maintain confidence in the rule of law. We are answerable not to Ministers but instead, through our Chief Executive, to the Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales (LCJ) and the Senior President of Tribunals as we help them to fulfil their responsibilities to the judiciary.

We support c.22,000 judicial office holders, providing policy, legal and handling advice, and operational support. This includes advice on judicial leadership, support with relationships with Government and Parliament, assistance with justice sector reform, judicial education and training, communications, and HR.

Directorate:

The postholder will join the Judicial Private Offices directorate. The business units include operational private offices; jurisdiction and policy private offices; and the Judicial Executive Board Secretariat.

Overview:

A truly unique opportunity to work in a key role at the heart of Justice and the Rule of Law as part the team supporting the Master of the Rolls (MR) and Deputy Head of Civil Justice (DHCJ) in leading the Civil Justice System. 

Civil Justice is wide-ranging and underpins many areas of life. The Civil Justice System provides for people to vindicate their rights and resolve disputes across almost every area of their lives. Examples include Anti-Social Behaviour, Contract breaches, Copyright, Personal Injury, Medical Negligence, and housing rights. This means our work interacts with work happening right across Government. We are an engine of economic growth.

This is an opportunity to do work which will have real and significant impact at the highest level and you will occupy a prominent position alongside judges at the heart of the civil justice system.

Role Summary

Within the Master of the Rolls’ Private Office, you will primarily be responsible for maintaining oversight of operational performance and operational policy in the Civil County Court.

Your responsibilities and tasks will be varied but will include: the production of policy papers and briefing; representing the MR and DHCJ at meetings; and helping to shape the strategic direction of Civil Justice policy.

You will be directly responsible for critical governance boards and executive committees at the most senior level. You will engage across government and the judiciary, in particular with HMCTS, and will be expected to offer guidance, support and appropriate challenge on behalf of the judiciary, often to those at more senior grade than yourself.

You will work closely and directly with the DHCJ. You will be their primary point of contact and dedicated support within the Private Office team. Your work will be of critical importance in supporting them to effectively carry out their role.

You will be part of the Master of the Rolls’ Private Office Team. The team is small, friendly, and social and we prioritise and enjoy supporting each other.

We see development as a critical part of this role. It is an ideal jumping off point into wider management and leadership at a more senior level. The combination of private office functions and responsibilities with wider policy work provides significant levels of exposure as well as opportunities to expand your leadership skills and influence senior decision makers directly.

• Main Activities / Responsibilities
• The main responsibilities of the posts include, but are not limited to:
• ·         Deputising where necessary for the Private Secretary.

Person Specification:

The successful candidate will be organised, strategic and be able to prioritise and handle multiple issues concurrently. They will have excellent and concise communication skills. The post holder must be able to perform independently at a high level.

Part of the enjoyment and challenge of working in a private office is that work is occasionally fast paced and unpredictable. It will be important that the job holder is willing and able to be flexible in the tasks they take on.

The strongest applicants are likely to have proven experience of drafting, committee work, IT skills, communication and influencing skills. Prior experience of working with the judiciary and knowledge of the Civil Justice System is desirable but not essential.

Location:

Based in London within the Royal Courts of Justice. The support provided by judicial Private Offices necessarily involves working before and after court, in keeping with the judge’s diary commitments and sitting patterns. Some early mornings and late evenings can be expected, though every effort will be made to accommodate flexibility where necessary. This role is not suitable for reduced hours working. 

Whilst these posts are eligible for hybrid working and attract a minimum attendance of 60% of working hours to be spent in the office, there is a general expectation that the Deputy Private Secretary will be present when the MR is present.  Visibility is important.  There is greater opportunity for flexibility during judicial vacation.  

How To Apply

This is a Success Profiles based recruitment and Civil Service Behaviours will be considered at application stage along with a candidate CV (not scored). 

Behaviours to be assessed at application stage:  

Seeing the Big Picture, Working Together, Communicating & Influencing, Delivering at Pace

In the event of a high volume of applications, we will sift on the lead behaviour of Communicating & Influencing. 

Candidates invited to interview will be assessed on these behaviours and on Civil Service Strengths. 

We anticipate that interviews for candidates successful at sift will be held during w/c 20th & 27th October 2025. 

If you wish to discuss the role before applying, please contact: Rachel Tocknell (Rachel.Tocknell@judiciary.uk/ 07549937251)  

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 roles: 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.

Flexible Working Hours

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.

Benefits

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

Annual Leave

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.

Eligibility

Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.

Vacancies advertised “cross-government” are only open to all Civil Service employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who were appointed on merit following a fair and open competition; or were appointed to a permanent post through an exception in the Civil Service Commissioners' rules.

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.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.

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. 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 Transformative Business Services (0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk);
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management-office@justice.gov.uk);
• 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.

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.

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

Diversity & Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

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

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

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.

Contact Information

Moj:

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference 10316

Hmpps

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference 10316

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Application Form Stage Assessments

Behaviours A sift based on the lead behaviour, Communicating and Influencing, may be held if a large number of applications are received. If a large number of applications remain after the initial sift, your application will be progressed to a full sift, where all behaviours will then be considered. Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit 250 Communicating and Influencing Working Together Seeing the Big Picture Delivering at Pace Experience We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods CV or Work History Evidence of Experience CV or Work History

Interview Stage Assessments

Interview Dates We anticipate that interviews for candidates successful at sift expected to be held during w/c 20th & 27th October 2025. Behaviours Communicating and Influencing Working Together Seeing the Big Picture 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 Counter Terrorism Check (CTC)