case administrator

Ministry of Justice; Barnsley; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A government agency in the United Kingdom is seeking a Case Administrator to provide essential administrative support within the Probation Service. The ideal candidate will be skilled in maintaining databases, organizing case files, and effectively communicating with various stakeholders. This role promotes a commitment to equality and offers a starting salary of £23,583 with opportunities for annual pay progression. Hybrid working arrangements may be available based on business needs.

Benefits

25 days annual leave, increasing to 30 after five years

Local Government Pension Scheme

Training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience in administrative support roles.
• Ability to manage sensitive information confidentially.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative support within the Probation Service.
• Maintain accurate databases for people on probation.
• Organize and support meetings and take minutes.
• Handle enquiries from various stakeholders efficiently.

Skills

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Ability to use databases

Proficiency in MS Office

Numerical skills

Job description

Overview of the job

The job holder will provide administrative support within the Probation Service (PS), ensuring that staff and people on probation are supported through efficient processes, maintaining administration systems within specified timescales in order to promote the achievement of team and Divisional objectives. In line with PS policies and procedures, the job holder must at all times demonstrate a commitment to equality and inclusion and an understanding of their relevance to the work they do. This role may involve some out of hours work. The post holder must adhere to all policies in respect of the sensitive/confidential nature of the information handled whilst working in this position.

Responsibilities, Activities & Duties

• Responsible for setting up and maintaining accurate people on probation and victim information on relevant approved databases.
• Ensure the effective administration of referrals to and relationships between offender management, victims, interventions, service providers and external agencies and partnerships to enhance positive outcomes, manage risk, and reduce reoffending.
• Prepare, maintain and collate case and other records, files and management information, in accordance with the standards required.
• Receive and distribute information and communications in an appropriate manner, e.g. telephone, paper, e‑mail.
• Provide cover for an effective and efficient reception and telephone enquiry service.
• Act as single point of contact within unit for specialist area of work as required.
• Deal fairly, effectively and firmly with a range of people on probation, some of whom may be in crisis, distress or who may display inappropriate or aggressive behaviour, and to seek appropriate support in accordance with the circumstances and office procedures.
• Make practical arrangements such as appointments, directions, etc., for the implementation of the Sentence Plan.
• Carry out enforcement administration as required.
• Where necessary, issue petty cash/vouchers/warrants for travel costs etc, maintaining appropriate records in line with local office financial procedures.
• Organise the availability of appropriate equipment, materials, and facilities for activities relating to the management of cases.
• Report faulty equipment and/or materials to Manager and arrange for replacement/repair as agreed.
• Maintain appropriate systems to ensure the effective use of general unit resources and make recommendations for improvement as necessary.
• Undertake specific Visor administration tasks in accordance with the procedures.
• Attend meetings as appropriate. Provide support to meetings as required including organising agenda, taking and distributing notes/minutes and action points.
• Ensure all activities are conducted in accordance with Health and Safety policies and procedures, undertake equipment tests as required.
• Provide cover within the unit and to other units within the LDU and Division as appropriate.
• Carry out safeguarding children duties in accordance with the PS statutory responsibilities and agency policies.
• Demonstrate pro‑social modelling skills by consistently reinforcing pro‑social behaviour and attitudes, challenge anti‑social behaviour and attitudes.
• To work within the aims and values of PS and HMPPS., Successful applicants may be based a wide variety of office, court, team, or prison locations within the Probation Service region. Allocations will be made according to business need.

To find out more about working as a Case Administrator please click here About the Recruitment Process

To apply to this role you will be required to complete a short application form and detail responses to Civil Service Behaviours and Experience based question. As part of this application, you will also be required to sit the Civil Service Judgement test (CSJT). The CSJT is a two‑part test which looks at your ability to make decisions in relation to specific civil service behaviours. The CSJT is stage one of your application process and you will have the option to complete a practice test immediately before taking the test, to give you an insight of what to expect before you start. If you would like more information relating to reasonable adjustments and the CSJT, please see more details here. You can also watch a short a video here. You can find out more about the CSJT and complete a practice test now here. If you are successful in passing this stage, your full application will be sifted once the application deadline has closed. You will then receive further instruction on the progress and outcome of your application. If you are successful in passing both the CSJT and application sift process you will be invited to interview.

Take a look at a short video about the Case Administrator Role here.

About the role

Case Administrators are required to work within a variety of settings. There may be opportunities for positions within Probation Delivery Units (PDU), courts, prisons, etc. depending on business requirements. These posts will be based in PDUs across the region and the following Probation Service functions.

Settings

• Accredited Programmes, Structured Interventions & Attendance Centres
• Community Integration and Contracts
• Contracts
• Courts
• Integrated Offender Management
• Performance & Quality
• Personality Disorder Projects
• Prisons
• Public Protection (Custody)
• Public Protection (Community)
• The Homeless Prevention Taskforce
• Unpaid Work (community payback)

Case administrators play an important role in the Probation Service, supporting probation staff to work with people on probation. As a case administrator, you'll ensure: all processes run efficiently, systems are maintained properly, probation information is collated and prepared for case files. You'll use your strong communication skills to handle enquiries from colleagues, agencies and people on probation in a busy environment.

Additional Information: Where applicants provide multiple location preferences, reserve lists 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. All offers of employment will be made strictly in merit order, based on your performance throughout the recruitment process. Candidates at the top of the merit list will be offered vacancies as they arise in their chosen locations. The addresses listed in the job advertisement are not an exhaustive list of potential base locations, they give an indication of some of the potential locations you could be based at. We will therefore endeavour to offer you a vacancy within a 60‑minute commute of your home location.

New entrants to the Civil Service will be expected to join at the entry point salary for the advertised band. Existing Civil Servants will have their salary calculated in accordance with the Departments pay on transfer / pay on promotion rules.

The post is currently advertised without VISOR Vetting to enable appointment to take place as soon as possible, however, VISOR vetting will be required to completed in due course.

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). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Likewise, 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 roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre‑employment checks. 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.

Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid. HMPPS 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 HMPPS' Flexible Working policy.

An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English or (where specified in Wales) Welsh.

Civil Service Success Profile Criteria

Behaviours

• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing

Ability

• Ability to use databases
• Good keyboard and IT skills including proficiency in MS Office Word, and basic skills in Excel
• Possess basic numeric skills

Experience

• Using word processing and spreadsheet software
• Communication skills (verbal and written) and ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of individuals
• Use and work on own initiative

By managing offenders in the community, the Probation Service protects the public from the effect of crime and gives offenders the chance to turn their lives around. Join us and you'll be part of a supportive team that thrives on sharing knowledge and expertise. Case Administrators play a vital support role in probation teams, helping to keep the public safe. Giving people the chance to turn their lives around. Building a rewarding professional career.

We're looking for empathetic, patient, and organised people to join us in this varied role, which offers the chance to make a difference, gain new skills and build a rewarding career within the Probation Service. If this sounds like you, apply now. If you are successful in the recruitment process and join the Probation Service, your starting salary will be £23,583. The Probation Service offers the opportunity for annual pay progression through a Competency Based Framework (CBF), which if eligible, will see your pay increase. CBF is designed to enable you to move up through the pay band range as your competence grows. New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band. Probation Service also increase their pay band ranges annually in line with Civil Service Pay guidance, which will also apply an increase to band pay ranges where applicable.

Benefits

Annual Leave: Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years' service, plus public holidays. Leave for part‑time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro‑rata basis.

Pension

The National Probation Service is covered by the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) run through the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF). Please visit www.gmpf.org.uk for further information. Please note: Any current Civil Servant who is a member of the PCSPS, by accepting an offer of employment to the National Probation Services will be opted out of the PCSPS and auto enrolled into the Local Government Pension Scheme.

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 direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.

Eligibility

All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post.

Support

• A range of 'Family Friendly' policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
• Access to flexible benefits, 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 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail [e-mail]); To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team ([e-mail]); To the Civil Service Commission (details available here).

Disability Excellence

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are 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. You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team. For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long‑term condition, please watch our animated videos.

Diversity & Inclusion

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.

Veteran Support

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.

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.