Admin Officer

Ministry of Justice; Liverpool; Hybrid; GBP 23,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A governmental agency in the UK is seeking responsible and customer-oriented individuals for the role of Magistrates Court Admin staff. The position involves managing criminal digital files and providing administrative support in a busy court environment. Successful candidates will demonstrate excellent attention to detail and effective communication skills. The Ministry of Justice supports flexible working arrangements and encourages applications for part-time roles, ensuring a balanced work-life environment.

Benefits

25 days annual leave increasing to 30

Pension scheme options

Training and development opportunities

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Must have a friendly and approachable manner.
• Experience in customer service and administration.
• Ability to prioritize efficiently.

Responsibilities

• Manage criminal digital files in preparation for hearings.
• Book interpreters and host video links.
• Provide administrative support to progress cases.

Skills

Excellent attention to detail

Good written and verbal communication skills

Organizing time effectively

Ability to multi-task

Customer service

Tools

Various software packages

Job description

Magistrates Court Admin staff are responsible for the management of the criminal digital files in preparation for hearings. Other duties can include booking interpreters, hosting video links, typing orders and answering queries whether over the phone, by post or email from the judiciary, professionals or the public. You will be assigned to teams to carry out a variety of general administrative duties to progress cases through the court/tribunal system or provide support to other functions within HMCTS.

Your skills and experience: With a friendly and approachable manner, you'll have excellent attention to detail and good written and verbal communication skills. You have a desire to deliver proactive and effective support to customers by phone and email. You'll be skilled in organising your time, prioritising efficiently, able to multi‑task and adapt to using various software packages. You'll enjoy working in a busy environment and helping court users navigate the justice system.

These operational roles are customer facing, requiring successful applicants to be office based to provide HMCTS services to the public.

Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. 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 MoJ’s Flexible Working policy. This is a business‑critical role requiring full time hours only.

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.

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 role: 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. 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 to its respective pay scale. 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.

You may draw on examples from work, education, volunteering or other relevant experiences. To achieve the highest scores, we strongly encourage you to use the full word count (500 words), provide personalised, real‑life evidence, clearly link your experience to the essential criteria. Please ensure that all information provided is truthful and factually accurate. Important: Submitting content that is copied or plagiarised, including material generated by others or by artificial intelligence, may result in your application being withdrawn.

Statement of Suitability & Technical Questions: 1) Using your CV as a reference, please provide a summary of the key responsibilities from your previous experience that is most relevant to the Admin 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). 2) This question is intended to help us understand where and how you gained experience in: Customer service, administration, IT systems, and applying attention to detail. 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 you’ve done and the context in which your experience was gained.

Interview stage assessments: Interviews will take place via Teams on a date to be confirmed (Expected to be wc 2 February 2026). Behaviours assessed: Communicating and Influencing, Managing a Quality Service, Delivering at Pace, Strengths. Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. Level of security checks required: DBS Basic.

Please tell us why you are suitable for this role. Demonstrate your transferable skills, knowledge, and experience in relation to the essential criteria outlined in the job description: customer service, administrative and IT experience, attention to detail, communication, and organisational skills.

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. We’re looking for individuals who are committed to public service and making a difference in people’s lives to deliver justice. If you are interested in developing a career with a real purpose, please apply.

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.

A Great Place to Work for Veterans: The “Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans” initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into a Civil Service environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces. For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans.

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 directly to senior management. Currently networks exist for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees. 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.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).
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team ([e-mail]).
• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here).

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ is 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.