Operational Support Officer

Brook Street; Chatham; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

Brook Street is recruiting for an Operational Support Officer at Medway Magistrates Court in Chatham. The role is office-based, 37 hours per week (9am–5pm), Monday to Friday. DBS clearance is enhanced and provided for successful candidates. Assignment runs until 29/01/27 with potential extension; travel training to Maidstone may be reimbursed.

You will welcome court users, assist proceedings and deliver practical administrative support in a busy public-facing environment.

Qualifications

• Front-of-house communications and customer service focus.

Responsibilities

• Welcome and assist court visitors including judiciary, juries, solicitors, barristers, police and the public.
• Call people into court and hearings in priority order, coordinating with Court Clerks and Legal Advisers.
• Provide information about proceedings and updates on courtroom changes and hearing times.
• Escort users in and out of the building and support oaths procedures.
• Prepare files and bundles for judiciary and clerks, ensuring papers are available.
• Set up court/meeting rooms for hearings and assist with end-of-day clear down.
• Support hearings, including video-linked hearings on-site or remotely as needed.
• Handle general inquiries and day-to-day administrative tasks including typing and filing.
• Draft standard letters and documents and update internal records.
• Assist with court paperwork for hearings, tribunals and meetings.
• Clerking duties for Civil and Family Courts as required.

Job description

Operational Support Officer (including usher duties)

Location: Chatham (Medway Magistrates Court, The Brook, Kent ME4 4JZ)

• Pay is £12.86 per hour for 12 weeks, then £13.25
• Fully office-based, Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm (37 hours per week)
• Enhanced DBS clearance is required (Provided by Brook Street for successful candidate)
• Assignment runs until 29/01/27, with potential extension
• Training is provided and will be ongoing while you're in post
• Travel to Maidstone Combined Court for training may be required (reimbursed)
• Pre-booked leave may be approved during training if not excessive

If you're someone who enjoys putting people at ease and keeping things running smoothly in a busy public-facing environment, this is a brilliant opportunity to support the day-to-day work of our client at Medway Magistrates Court. You'll play a key role in welcoming court users, assisting proceedings, and delivering practical administrative support.

What you'll be doing:

• Welcome and receive all court visitors, including judiciary, juries, solicitors and barristers, the police, witnesses and members of the public
• Call people into court and hearings in priority order, coordinating with Court Clerks and Legal Advisers
• Provide helpful information about proceedings, including keeping parties updated on changes to courtrooms and hearing times
• Escort court users into and out of the building and support arrangements around swearing oaths
• Collect, deliver and organise files and bundles for judiciary and clerks, ensuring the right papers are available
• Prepare court/meeting rooms for hearings and help clear down at the end of the day
• Support hearings, including navigating hearings via video link (onsite and remotely) where required
• Provide general help to members of the public attending hearings, alongside day-to-day queries
• Carry out general administration such as filing, printing, data entry and typing
• Draft standard letters and documents, and create/update records on internal systems
• Support standard court paperwork preparation for hearings, tribunals and meetings
• Clerking duties for Civil and Family Courts, tribunals and hearings as required

What you'll bring:

• Confidence in a front‑of‑house, professional environment where communication matters
• A calm, organised approach to supporting multiple priorities across the working day
• Strong attention to detail for handling documents, records and court paperwork
• Good interpersonal skills-able to explain processes clearly and support people appropriately
• Comfort with administrative tasks including typing, filing and data input

Brook Street is proud to support the Armed Forces Covenant and as such, we guarantee to interview all candidates who are veterans or spouses/partners of military personnel, and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy.

As a Disability Confident Leader, and holder of the Gold Award status from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, Brook Street, as a supplier to the Public Sector Resourcing Framework (PSR), will offer you a guaranteed interview with a PSR Sourcer.

In cases where we have a high volume of ex‑military candidates/military spouses/partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, Brook Street will interview the best candidates from within that group.