Case Progression Officer – Lincoln Crown Court

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.

This is an operational role that is customer facing, requiring successful applicants to be office based to provide HMCTS services to the public. HMCTS offers a flexible working system in many of its offices, subject to business needs being met.

In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return. Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis should be obtained before commencing the application process.

MoJ employees may apply for FTA opportunities in MoJ that are advertised at a higher grade than their current substantive grade. Where an employee accepts an FTA on promotion, this promotion will be temporary, and the employee will revert to their substantive grade upon return to their home business area, as per the loan policy for OGD loans. Before applying, employees must seek approval from their line managers to ensure they can be released for the duration of the FTA and can return to their substantive role at the end. If there is no role available at the end of the FTA, the employee will be subject to redeployment and potentially redundancy procedures.

Background

The Tribunals Service and His Majesty’s Court Service were integrated into a single Agency, Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service on 1st April 2011. Bringing these two organisations together has removed duplication in management functions and increased the efficiency of the administration, which has enabled HMCTS to reduce what it spends away from the front line substantially.

Consequently, there are high expectations of all staff regardless of the job they do and high performance is expected from everybody. The organisation is continuously adopting new or better ways of working to ensure that it focuses on just that which is essential.

EO staff will need to display a commitment to four key principles: Continuous change, LEAN principles, managing uncertainty and improving performance. All those appointed to new roles in HMCTS must be wholeheartedly committed to these principles and evidence this in their application.

Overview

As a new organisation HMCTS is embarking on a period of significant change. Strong leadership is a critical element in this being successful. Jobholders who have responsibility for managing staff will be required to provide clear direction and focus, visibly championing the changes which deliver greater efficiencies. The HMCTS Delivery Directors expects managers in the organisation to operate in a culture of openness and honesty, demonstrating a commitment to change through involvement and empowerment, and by delivering results.

The key purpose of the role is to

• Be responsible for the monitoring and progression of all criminal cases identified for case management from first appearance to disposal, ensuring that Trials proceed to completion without delay.
• Work with others to achieve a reduction in ineffective and cracked trials both nationally and locally to meet national targets. The Case Progression Officer will also monitor effective trial rates to ensure that Court Room utilisation targets are met and improved.
• Demonstrate use of Lean TIBs, SOPs and other continuous improvement tools.

Key responsibilities

Operations

• To capture case progression data from courts and other Agencies.
• To work with others to reduce and prevent ineffective and cracked trials.
• To work with others to improve the effective trial rate statistics.
• To case manage contested criminal proceedings and ensure compliance by parties of directions made by the Court.
• To be a point of contact for all requests to vary directions and/or applications for adjournment, working closely with the Listing Officer.
• Checking with parties as to readiness for hearings as directed.
• Prepare Certificates of Readiness for distribution 28 days before trial date.
• To monitor return of PCMH forms 14 days before hearing and chase any outstanding.
• To identify and review old cases and initiate action to progress them.
• To attend PTR/PCMH Courts when required to advise on case management issues.
• To prepare distribute and monitor automatic direction and PCMH Forms.
• To refer problems with pre-trial preparation to List Officer / Judiciary as appropriate.
• Monitor and proactively report on HMCTS assurance programme and contribute to ongoing development.
• Deputise for the Delivery Manager as necessary.
• Apply LEAN principles, tools and techniques to working practices to improve efficiency of operations.

Team leadership

• Lead a team of staff ensuring that its members are organised, and fully skilled to meet their work objectives. Effectively managing both team and individual performance, addressing any issues as they arise, in line with HR policy.

Processing and managing casework

• Work with staff to ensuring that casework is appropriately managed, providing information / advice where process deviations have occurred.

Calculations and analysis

• Identify and implement solutions to local problems, referring more complex problems to the line manager.

Communicating with the public, juries, the judiciary, other court and tribunal users and representatives of other agencies and organisations

• Maintain effective working relationships with the judiciary, supporting agencies, voluntary and user groups. Working with agencies to improve the level of service offered to users.
• Attend and contribute to court user group meetings, case progression meetings, bench and legal adviser meetings, listing and administrative meetings as required.

Representation

• Represent the function you have been assigned to at an operational level.

Specialisms

• To have a working knowledge of functions undertaken within the Cluster, to support the development and review of policies and procedures.
• To provide specific functions as directed by line management in line with the SOP for providing that service.

Accountability

• Reporting to a Delivery Manager.

Other duties

The post holder is required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post.

Operational Delivery in HMCTS

This role is part of the Operational Delivery Profession. Operational delivery professionals are the outward face of government, providing essential services to the public in a variety of roles. They work in many different departments and agencies across the breadth of the UK, delivering service to customers in

• Face-to-face roles in HMCTS for example a court usher
• Contact Centre roles in HMCTS for example call centre advisers
• Processing roles in HMCTS for example Staff at the County Courts Money-Claims Centre and Courts and Tribunal Administration

Being part of the operational delivery profession means belonging to a cross-government community of people. This will offer you access to information on professional standards, skills development and qualifications to help you continue to improve your development and performance and expand your career options.

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service

• Access to learning and development
• A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• Annual Leave
• Public Holidays
• Season Ticket Advance

For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.

Job contact :

Name :
SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team
Email :
Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com
Telephone :
0845 241 5359

Recruitment team

Email :
Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com