Job Description (JD)

Group/Directorate/Team: Private Offices Directorate

Role: Assistant Private Secretary - Upper Tribunal

Grade: HEO



Role title:

Assistant Private Secretary - Upper Tribunal/EAT Private Office



Team/Directorate:

Chamber Presidents Private Offices, Private Offices Directorate

Overview of the Judicial Office

This is standardised wording and cannot be amended.

The Judicial Office (JO) reports to, and is accountable, to the Lady Chief Justice (LCJ). It was established in 2006 to provide support to the LCJ and to the wider judiciary in upholding the rule of law and in delivering justice impartially, speedily and efficiently, following the Constitutional Reform Act 2005.

In addition, we support, and are accountable to, the Senior President of Tribunals, whose responsibilities extend to Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The JO is an interesting and unique place to work. Everything we do is in support of upholding the independence and impartiality of the judiciary. We work closely with HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS), the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and others across Government as well as with the legal professions.

We are an Arm’s Length Body sponsored by the Ministry of Justice. This creates an interesting and complex environment in which to work where we agree our priorities with the senior judiciary and receive our funding to deliver them from the Ministry of Justice. The Judicial Office has been through a period of significant growth resulting from an expansion of our remit and responsibilities.

See JO staff talk about working here: https://design102.wistia.com/medias/uhgtmbtnlv

Overview of the team

The postholder(s) will join the Judicial Private Offices directorate. The business units include operational private offices; jurisdiction and policy private offices; and the Judicial Executive Board Secretariat.

This is an exciting opportunity to provide leadership and support to a busy Judicial Private Office, supporting Chamber Presidents of the Upper Tribunal and EAT. This position would suit someone looking for a stretching role working with some of the most senior Tribunals judiciary in the country.

Within the Judicial Office, the Chamber Presidents Private Offices are a series of small jurisdictional teams focused on supporting each Chamber and Tribunal President across all of their leadership functions. Each Private Office provides policy and legal advice, and general secretariat and administrative support to the Chamber and Tribunal Presidents, working collaboratively with expert teams across the Judicial Office.

Hybrid Working Requirement

This is standardised wording and cannot be amended.

This position is eligible for hybrid working (current minimum requirement for time spent at base location is 60%, which is subject to business requirements).

The support provided by judicial Private Offices necessarily involves working before and after court, in keeping with the judge’s diary commitments and sitting patterns. Some early mornings and late evenings can be expected, though every effort will be made to accommodate flexibility where necessary. These roles are not suitable for reduced hours working.

This post is based in the Rolls Building, Fetter Lane, London

Summary of the role

The postholder will be responsible for ensuring that the Private Office provides high quality policy advice and administrative and operational support to the Chamber Presidents. This roles involve the development and implementation of new ways of working within the Private Office(s) and the delivery of efficiencies across the wider CPO and Judicial Office.


The role involves maintaining an overview of developments in Tribunals liaising with and building strong relationships with peers and senior stakeholders across the Justice system, including His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service, the Ministry of Justice, other government departments, and across the Private Office Directorate in Judicial Office.

Responsibilities,

Activities & Duties:

The main responsibilities of the post include, but are not limited to:


  • Supporting the provision of advice for the Chamber Presidents and act as the single point of contact for enquiries on a variety of matters including governance, legislation and policy and signposting to professional support e.g. HR, Communications, Judicial Training, Data, across the Judicial Office.

  • Setting the Agenda and briefing the Chamber Presidents in preparation for set piece meetings, providing and/or commissioning written and oral advice and, noting and chasing action points and implementing decisions.

  • Communicating on behalf of the Chamber Presidents with judges from both the courts and tribunals system and where directed, with officials from MoJ, HMCTS, and OGDs, stakeholder organisations, and members of the public/their legal representatives.

  • Providing advice and support to the Chamber Presidents on specific jurisdictional projects, including arranging and supporting judicial working groups and networks as directed.

  • Supporting the Chamber Presidents in their interaction with the JO Data Governance, Policy and Analysis Team and with the HMCTS Analysis & Performance Team, acting as the single point of contact for those Teams.

  • Playing a key role in both internal and external recruitment and forecasting for the Chamber. Drafting and obtaining the relevant approvals for business cases.

  • Develop and implement/maintain systems, processes and new ways of working to deliver efficiencies within the Private Office as we begin to align CPO with the established Private Offices structures across Judicial Office.

  • Undertake ad hoc requests as required to support the Chamber Presidents, managing conflicting priorities often with tight deadlines. 

  • Providing cover for Deputy Private Secretary during periods of planned and unplanned absence to ensure the smooth running of the office.



The postholder will manage an EO Executive Assistant to the Chamber President and a small judicial support team.

The post-holder will report to the Deputy Private Secretary to the Chamber and Tribunal Presidents of the First Tier and Upper Tier Tribunals.

Essential Knowledge, Experience and Skills

The successful candidate must:

  • be able to influence and manage upwards and speak with authority when dealing with senior officials or judiciary;

  • have excellent communication and leadership skills;

  • be confident implementing and driving forward changes in ways of working and modernisation initiatives

  • have strong organisational skills.

Desirable Knowledge, Experience and Skills

  • experience of working closely with the judiciary, and an interest in the workings of the courts and tribunals system more widely.

Behaviours (for Recruitment/Success Profiles):

This is a Success Profiles based recruitment and Civil Service Behaviours will be considered at application stage along with a candidate CV.

Assessment process at application

Behaviours to be assessed at application stage:

Leadership, Communicating & Influencing, Working Together, Seeing the Bigger Picture, Making Effective Decisions

In the event of a high volume of applications, we will sift on the lead behaviour of Communicating and Influencing.

Assessment process at interview

Candidates invited to interview will be assessed on these behaviours and on Civil Service Strengths.

We anticipated that interviews for candidates successful at sift will be held during w/c 9th February 2026

If you wish to discuss the role before submitting an application, please contact Mark Chander (Mark.chandler1@judiciary.uk) or Emma Killick (Emma.killick@judiciary.uk).

Security clearance required:

Select one of the below.

(this will be determined by the location)

  • DBS

  • CTC

  • SC

  • DV

Please note:

Central Government policy dictates that applicants for National Security Clearance must be a resident in the UK for these minimum periods:

  • CTC - 3 years

  • SC - 5 years

  • DV - 10 years

CTC