Full job description20981 - Operational Support Officer - North West Regional Support UnitGeneral InformationSalary

£29,303 - £31,061

Working Pattern

Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share

Vacancy Approach

External

Location

Ashton-under-Lyne, Barrow-in-Furness, Birkenhead, Blackburn, Blackpool, Bolton, Bootle, Burnley, Carlisle, Chester, Crewe, Lancaster, Liverpool, Manchester, Preston, St Helens, Stockport, Warrington, Wigan, Workington

Region

North West

Closing Date

25-Aug-2026

Post Type

Permanent

Civil Service Grade

EO

Number of jobs available

2

Reserve List

12 Months

Job ID

20981
Descriptions & requirementsJob description
Background
HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is an agency of the Ministry of Justice. We provide support for the legal system across England and Wales, ensuring justice works for everyone.
Our justice system defends our fundamental rights and freedoms. It is a cornerstone of our modern society and it must serve all those who call on it, when they call on it. From some of the most vulnerable people in our society, to families in crisis, claimants, and commercial businesses - we have a responsibility to deliver a Justice system that is accessible to everyone and operates efficiently.
Role Purpose
The Operational Support Officer will work as a pooled resource within the Regional Support Unit (RSU) to provide consistent, high quality, effective administrative and personal support for the regional Senior Leadership Team (SLT). The role is varied and challenging and will provide administrative and technical support to other functions in the RSU. This will include progressing regional business, collation and analysis of operational and people related information across the region to help inform service improvement and staff engagement.
What you will bring to the role
*Interpersonal skills to deal with queries on behalf of SLT members, and engage with stakeholders internally and externally, including the judiciary at all levels.
*Organisational and planning skills to support the work and diary commitments of the Regional Delivery Director, Heads of Operations, Service Improvement & Performance Lead, and to help support the activities of the Head of RSU, People Lead and Performance Lead.
*Project delivery skills to help support the delivery of ad hoc regional projects.
*Analytical skills to analyse and interpret regional data and provide useful insight to help drive operational delivery across the region.
*Good understanding of the operation and region is desirable to be able to provide operational context to delivery of plans etc.
*Good communications skills, written and verbal, with knowledge of Microsoft office (training will be given).
Please refer to the Role Profile document for further information on this role.
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.
Applications for part-time working would be considered however due to the nature of the role the minimum hours would be 30 hours per week over 5 days.
Location
Any NW location can be used subject to seating capacity. There will be occasional travel within NW region.
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. All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity).
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 its location’s respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).
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...