Crown and Civil & Family Positions available at: Peterborough Combined Court Centre, PE1 1EJ
Employment Tribunals Position available at: Cambridge County Court, CB1 1BA
Candidate preferences will be explored during the interview stage in conjunction with the application selection process.
Proud to serve. Proud to keep justice going.
Our Operational Support Officers play a critical role, providing excellent customer service and administrative support to court and tribunal users, judiciary and management.
About us
HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is responsible for the administration of criminal, civil and family Courts and Tribunals in England and Wales. Our roles support our court users and colleagues within HMCTS, where people and businesses access potentially life-changing justice. Were looking for individuals who are committed to public service and making a difference in peoples lives to deliver justice. If you are interested in developing a career with a real purpose, please apply.
Your role
The role is primarily based within the courtroom, supporting the smooth running of court proceedings. Administrative duties will also be incorporated into the post.
Working as part of a team, you will contribute to the overall operational, performance and service standard targets across your area of work. You will progress cases through the court/tribunal system and provide customer service and administrative support to functions within HMCTS. You will have regular contact with court / tribunal users, which could include members of the judiciary and the legal profession.
You will be adaptable, able to multi-task and effectively carry out a variety of duties, both office-based and in a court, which will include:
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Preparing papers and files for court, tribunals, hearings and meetings including processing and handling sensitive information and accurately resulting outcomes.
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Creating and updating records digitally, interpreting information required on a court file accurately.
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Communicating with the public, the judiciary, other court and tribunal users and representatives of other agencies and organisations
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Supporting the smooth running of court proceedings, preparing court /hearing rooms and ensuring court runs efficiently.
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When required, you will be an essential first point of contact for all the court users; meeting members of the public, which may include vulnerable witnesses, and their legal representatives.
Your knowledge, skills and experience
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Strong customer service skills with the ability to work in a service-led customer-facing environment.
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Good digital and administrative skills; with excellent attention to detail.
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Effective communication and organisational skills. Able to communicate confidently in person, over the telephone, digitally and in written communications.
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Resilient and empathetic to be able to deal with sensitive information and situations.
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A team player; able to work collaboratively and flexibly to deliver HMCTS objectives.
Court Specific Duties
Duties undertaken within the Court may include, but are not limited to, the following:
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Speak publicly and manage courtroom proceedings.
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Court usher duties which include preparation and management of a courtroom by communication with court users (members of the public).
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Ensuring court video link technology is prepared and working correctly.
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Communication with stakeholders and professionals including Police, Probation Service and Solicitors.
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Administration work including pre and post court functions.
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Supporting court hearings, this role requires a professional approach when dealing with sensitive and sometimes complex casework.
Employment Tribunal Clerk Duties - Cambridge County Court
Please note that the position based at Cambridge County Court is specifically for an Employment Tribunal Clerk role.
By selecting this location during the application process, you acknowledge and agree that the role includes the additional responsibilities outlined below.
Hearing Clerk Duties
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Act as Hearing Clerk during Employment Tribunal hearings, supporting Employment Judges and panel members.
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Manage hearing documentation, record outcomes, and ensure hearings run efficiently and effectively.
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Liaise with parties, representatives, and the judiciary throughout hearings to resolve administrative issues and facilitate the smooth running of proceedings.
Employment Tribunal Case Management
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Support case progression by processing tribunal applications, correspondence, judicial directions, and hearing outcomes in accordance with Employment Tribunal procedures.
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Maintain accurate records on case management systems and ensure the timely progression of cases.
Digital and Hybrid Hearings
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Support the delivery of in-person, remote, and hybrid hearings.
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Test and operate video hearing technology and provide assistance to parties experiencing technical difficulties.
Stakeholder Engagement
Employment Tribunal Clerks regularly interact with a wide range of stakeholders, including:
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Claimants
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Respondents
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Solicitors and other legal representatives
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Employers and employees
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Trade Union representatives
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ACAS representatives and officers
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Members of the judiciary
Additional Skills and Experience
Essential
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Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced hearing environment while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
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Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage professionally and effectively with judiciary, legal representatives, and unrepresented parties.
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Ability to work independently while contributing positively as part of a wider team.
Desirable
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Knowledge of Employment Tribunal procedures, case management processes, and hearing administration.
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Experience supporting judicial office holders within a court or tribunal environment.
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Experience using HMCTS digital case management systems and video hearing platforms.
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Understanding of the challenges faced by a diverse range of tribunal users and stakeholders.
Please refer to the role profile attachment for more information.
Lead criterion at application stage: Statement of Suitability. An initial sift based on the statement of suitability may be held if a large number of applications are received.
Further details:
These operational roles are customer facing, requiring successful applicants to be court based to provide HMCTS services to the public.
Crown Position: 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 MoJs Flexible Working policy. Applications for part-time working would be considered however due to the nature of the role the minimum of 3 days is required.
Civil and Family and Employment Tribunals Position: Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week (Monday to Friday). This is a business-critical role requiring full time hours.
Occasional travel to other courts
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 or regular basis at other local HMCTS sites/courts. Where applicable, associated travel cost/time will be applied in line with organisational policies. While you will have a designated base location, the role may require travel to other courts within a reasonable commutable distance:
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Crown Position: Occasional travel may be required to Huntingdon Law Courts, E29 3DW and Cambridge Crown Court, CB1 1BT
Base Location and Reserve list information
Base locations and reserve lists for this campaign will be managed in accordance with location preference/s, as indicated in your application. We will appoint in merit list order for each location outlined in the vacancy and hold a separate locational reserve list for each of these locations. After appointments have been made using this locational appointment process, any remaining candidates who met the benchmark for the role will remain on a locational reserve list in accordance with their preferences for 12 months.
Please only indicate preferences where you are prepared to work. If you are subsequently offered a role from the reserve list for a location preference indicated in your application and decline it, you will be removed from the reserve list for the vacancy, across all locational preferences.
Please note that there are vacancies within both Crown and Civil and Family at Peterborough Combined Court Centre, PE1 1EJ. Due to system limitations, these do not appear as separate options in the Location Preferences section. If you would like to be considered for either of these vacancies, please select Peterborough Combined Court Centre, PE1 1EJ as your location preference.
Please note that the position based at Cambridge County Court, CB1 1BA is specifically for an Employment Tribunal Clerk role. By selecting this location during the application process, you acknowledge and agree that the role includes the additional responsibilities outlined below.
Skilled Worker Visa
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.
The Department will continue to comply with UK Immigration Rules applied in the UK and Civil Service. You can read more about Skilled Worker visas and the eligibility criteria here.
Technical Skills
Using your CV as a reference, please provide a summary of the key responsibilities from your previous experience that is most relevant to the Operational Support Officer position. Begin with your most recent experience and work backwards. For each position, include the job title, duration of employment, and a concise overview of your main duties. (Maximum 250 words).
This section is intended to help us understand where and how you gained your experience.
Please avoid repeating content from your Statement of Suitability. That section should focus on what you can do, supported by specific examples. This question, by contrast, is about what youve done and the context in which your experience was gained.
