The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included. As part of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service commitment to equality and diversity, our recruitment system will automatically anonymise your personal information once your application is submitted and a generic application number is generated. The selection panel will only see the evidence you have provided on how you meet the key capabilities required for the job. Please check your details carefully and answer all required questions as this may affect any potential employment with us.
Joining SCTS means that you are joining an organisation that plays a key role in the administration of justice. We fulfil our purpose by providing the people, buildings and services needed to support the judiciary, the courts, devolved tribunals and the office of the public guardian (OPG). Our work focuses on improving access to justice, reducing delay and cost within the justice system, modernising our services in line with reform, and using leading technology to improve our services for everyone.
Outline Of The Role:
The Supreme Courts in Edinburgh have a number of excellent opportunities to join the team as 'Supreme Courts Support Grade Assistants' on a full time, permanent basis.
The Supreme Courts Support Grade Assistant (SGB2) plays a vital role in ensuring the smooth and efficient running of the court.
Their primary responsibilities include preparing the courtroom, escorting the judge to and from court, and providing support to the judge throughout proceedings.
Working closely with the Clerk, Police, and GeoAmey staff, SGB2s help maintain order, professionalism, and overall court decorum. This is a highly varied role, with duties that can range from acting as Macer, Jury Minder, or Messenger, to setting up live‑streaming equipment or travelling across the country to support circuit cover.
Further details on these duties can be found in the key responsibilities section below and in the attached circuit cover information pack.
This is a unique and dynamic position where no two days are ever the same.
To give candidates an exclusive insight into the role, we will be holding an open evening on Tuesday 8 September 2026 from 5pm until 6:30pm at Parliament House, Door 11 Parliament Square, Edinburgh, EH1 1RQ.
There will be a presentation at 5:10pm, followed by a networking session where prospective candidates will have the opportunity to meet members of the Management Team and speak with current Support Grade Assistants, who will be happy to answer any questions.
Members of the Recruitment & Resourcing Team will be on hand to answer any recruitment queries and give advice on the application process.
The Key Responsibilities Include:
Macer:
- Setting up of Court, including charge of paper and electronic productions and labels
- Collection of and putting out the Judge’s bag
- Calling cases using the public address system
- Maintaining the Judge(s) notebooks and connecting laptop on bench
- Presenting list of day’s witnesses to reception
- Attending upon the Judge(s) for robing
- Escorting the Judge(s) to and from Court
- Managing and presenting witnesses
- Managing jurors
- Operation of the Court Evidence Presentation system
- Retrieving and returning case papers from the Offices of Court
- Support the process of taking evidence on commission
- Travelling on circuit
- Other related duties as directed
Jury Minder:
- Introductory and health & safety briefings to new jurors
- Maintaining the integrity of the jury and acting as escort
- Liaising with Depute Clerk regarding any queries from Jurors
- Preparing and clearing the jury room each sitting day, including setting out and locking away jury folders
- Delivering next day’s menu choice to reception
- Stamping citations and informing reception of any juror absence for electronic recording
- Accompanying Jurors to outside areas at breaks, lunch hour and end of day’s business
- Handing out individual security cards to jurors at end of day’s business
Messenger/Porter:
- Receiving and distributing external mail
- Uplifting confidential waste
- Providing internal mail services by collecting and delivering mail from and to designated points
- Sorting mail for collection by external delivery agencies
- Assisting the receptionist/chamber keeper by directing and escorting solicitors, witnesses, jurors, parties, etc to the appropriate location within the buildings
- Directing telephone enquiries to the appropriate officer
- Assisting the senior paper keeper by retrieving and delivering case papers as requested by the Offices of Court and filing them on return
- Assisting in maintaining indices of records and the transmission of records to the Scottish Records Office
Live Streaming:
- To operate in court camera equipment to enable livestreaming from Supreme Courts to be broadcast including testing of equipment prior to any hearing to ensure the equipment works in advance of any hearing and reporting of any issues with recording equipment in a timely manner
Judges Bag Run – (this will only be on an adhoc basis):
- Securely and reliably collect/deliver Judges Bags to/from their home address and the Supreme Court each day
- Make sure Judges Court papers and mail are put into the correct bag for delivery
- Collect the Lord President and Lord Justice Clerk's bags from their private offices as and when required
The above list is not exhaustive, and the post holder may be required to carry out other reasonable duties that fall within the scope of the role.
To help direct us towards achieving our purpose successfully, we embrace three key values of respect, service and excellence. These guide our behaviour, decisions and actions - in pursuit of fulfilling our purpose to the highest standard.
Our Benefits Include:
- Flexible working arrangements
- 25 days annual leave (rising to 30 days after 2 years’ service) plus 12 public and privilege holidays
- Special leave and paid leave for study or voluntary public service
- Excellent Civil Service Pension Scheme
- Free and confidential Employee Assistance
- A variety of staff discounts and offers with major retailers
- Payment of professional membership fees
- Access to opportunities across all Civil Service departments that are not available to non-Civil Servants
- A supportive and professional induction programme with regular check-ins with your line manager
- Job stability and security with excellent and varied career prospects
- Security of full pay when unwell (up to a maximum of 6 months)
- Learning and development (including digital) opportunities
Applications will be accepted until 11:59pm on the closing date stated on the advert, 21 September 2026.
Please note that you must have completed the online assessment by this time for your application to be considered.
Interviews will be held in person at Parliament House from 30 September 2026 onwards. Due to the nature of this role, we are not able to accommodate remote interview requests.
About SCTS
SCTS is committed to equality and diversity in employment and service delivery. The work of SCTS covers a broader range of issues than you may think. In providing support to Scotland’s courts, devolved tribunals and the OPG, we touch the lives of many people on a daily basis – be that through formal court or tribunal business, fulfilling your civic duty as a juror, paying fees or fines, seeking help in managing the affairs of an incapable adult or dealing with the estate of a loved one who has passed away. SCTS deals with over a quarter of a million cases and applications each year. Behind each one of these is an individual – looking to the system to help them assert their rights, address wrongs or provide support in a time of need. It is this work – which takes place every day in our courts, tribunals and administrative centres across Scotland – that consumes most of the time, energy and skill of our staff. We take pride in working as one team and providing high levels of service to all those who use the courts, tribunals and OPG.
The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service is exempt from the protections of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974). This permits us to ask applicants details of both spent and unspent convictions, along with details of any formal cautions that you may have. Individuals without existing security clearance will always be considered as all successful applicants will require a standard level Disclosure check completed before employment can commence.
Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service recruitment processes are underpinned by the recruitment principles of the Civil Service Commissioner, which outline that selection for appointment be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition - Recruitment - Civil Service Commission (independent.gov.uk)
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the values in the Civil Service Code and/or if you feel the recruitment has been conducted in such a way that conflicts with the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, you can make a complaint, by contacting us at [email protected] in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commissioner.
