Salary: £28,598 to £29,540 per annum
Hours: 37 Hours per week
Location: Workington
Contract: Fixed-Term (12 Months)
About this opportunity
We are looking to recruit a full-time Coroners Support Assistant to join the busy team who support the work of HM Coroner in Cumbria.
The role is to provide high quality, efficient and effective administrative and business support to the HM Coroner and the wider coroners service team, and to contribute to the effective and timely delivery of Coroner’s services to the residents of Cumbria and the wider community.
You will be part of the team providing the necessary support to enable His Majesty’s Coroners in Cumbria to fulfil their legal and statutory responsibilities as a Judicial Officer holder.
The role will require a ‘can do’ attitude, and commitment and enthusiasm. You will need to be able to work with accuracy to tight timelines, as well as multi-tasking and balance a number of different priorities and have a ‘right first time’ approach.
You will need to be conscientious and hardworking and have the desire to provide high quality support to HM Coroner, and importantly, to the families / bereaved at what is one of the most difficult periods in their lives losing a loved one.
Previous experience dealing with difficult subject matter, distressed individuals and/or the bereaved is desirable, and you must have tact and diplomacy, and the ability to have conversations with families and stakeholders about difficult, sensitive, and confidential information.
Experience providing enhanced administrative and business support in one of the following areas would be an advantage:
- Legal
- Medical
- Technical / regulatory framework
Or experience in a similar or related field to the work of HM Coroners would be an advantage.
The role may, at busy periods or covering leave also involve assisting with the hosting of inquests, including the possibility of assisting in Court.
Ultimately, the role is interesting and extremely rewarding as it supports the staturory role of HM Coroner, and crucuially it helps families, the bereaved and next of kin at what is a difficult time in their lives having lost a loved one suddenly.
This role is available on a fixed-term basis.
Note to all potential applicants:
It is important to stress that in this role you would be working directly for HM Coroner (as an ‘Independent Judicial Officer’) and dealing with matters relating to sudden and unexplained deaths on a daily basis.
As such the subject matter and some of the information you may see will include details, information and/or images which are very confidential and may be of a difficult, distressing and/or graphic nature.
The role also includes talking to families and the next of kin of the deceased about matters which can be a very sensitive, such as their loved one’s death, so they may be emotional, unsure of what is happening, or in some cases even angry.
The service must operate to tight deadlines, with conflicting demands and priorities, so the role involves time bound activities.
It is important that we highlight the above, as this area of work is not for everyone, and it is therefore important you understand this prior to applying and only apply if you are able to operate within such a working environment and within this unique type of service.
Who we’re looking for
We’re looking for individuals who embody our organisation's core values: ambitious, collaborative, compassionate, empowering, and innovative. We believe in the power of these values to drive positive change, deliver excellent public services and shape a better future for our communities.
Please ensure any application fully demonstrates how you meet the essential (and desirable) criteria, and the core requirements as detailed above and within the job decription.
Contact
For more information about the role or to arrange an informal chat prior to your application, please contact Christopher Fleming by email at [email protected]
Guaranteed Interviews
We offer a guaranteed interview to the following applicants as long as your application can demonstrate you meet the essential criteria for the role.
- Those who consider themselves disabled as defined by the Equality Act 2010
- Those in care or who have left care and are aged 24 and under
- Those who identify as a member of the British Armed Forces community (service leavers, veterans, their partners or spouses, reservists, cadets).
If you meet one or more of the criteria above, and wish to be considered for this scheme, select 'yes' to the appropriate question during your application. Find out more.
Diversity, Inclusion & Adjustments
We’re dedicated to enhancing the diversity of our workforce and we encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds. That’s why we’re a proud Disability Confident Leader and also an Age Friendly Employer – to provide opportunities for everyone to thrive.
If you need any reasonable adjustments to participate in the recruitment process, please let either the hiring manager or our Resourcing Team know by emailing [email protected]. While adjustments aren’t always guaranteed, we’ll always listen and we’ll try our best to accommodate your needs.
Application and Interview information
- Closing date: 03/07/2026
- Interview date: 22/07/2026 – Interviews to be held face to face at HM Coroners Office’s Workington.
If you experience any difficulties logging in to apply for this role, please contact the HR Systems team at [email protected].
Please note this role may close early subject to demand. If you’re interested in applying, you should apply well before the advised closing date. We cannot accept applications once the role has closed.
Please read the supporting information:
Please also refer to our Careers site to find out more:
- Our Staff Benefits
- Candidate Support
- About Cumberland Council
