RCJ Coordinator job description and person specification – Jan 2015
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job title: PSU Coordinator, Royal Courts of Justice
Reporting to the Head of Service of the PSU
Purpose of the job
To oversee, coordinate and develop the Personal Support Unit services at the Royal Courts of Justice (RCJ), incorporating cases at the Rolls Building; the Central Family Court (CFC) at First Avenue House (FAH), Holborn; the County Court at Central London (CCCL), in the Thomas More building at the RCJ; and Wandsworth County Court (WCC).
To support the Head of Service and Director in developing the PSU national network.
To support an existing team of volunteers, and continue to recruit and induct new volunteers.
To recruit, induct and manage up to three members of staff.
To maintain and, where appropriate, to set up new, efficient administrative office systems and procedures.
To develop and maintain links with all key staff and agencies at the Royal Courts of Justice and associated locations.
To evaluate the service and develop plans for improvements as required.
To support the Director and other staff in running the charity.
To contribute to raising funds in a period of development.
Main duties
- Volunteer related
1.1.Recruit and select volunteers, and organise and participate in their induction and training.
1.2.Provide support for the team of volunteers at the Royal Courts of Justice and associated locations.
1.3.Review, update, and improve training content, material, and methods.
1.4.Travel to other PSUs to provide and/or support regional training.
1.5.Organise a rota of volunteers, to ensure the provision of a daily service for litigants, witnesses, relatives and other supporters.
1.6.Deal with client enquiries and cases, and delegate them to the team of volunteers.
1.7.Ensure that the service is offered and provided to its users in a supportive, helpful, and friendly way.
1.8.Refer litigants to other agencies; build up and maintain a database of information on appropriate services throughout the area.
1.9.Ensure that accurate records of all contacts with service-users are maintained.
- Management and Development
2.1.Supervise and line manage up to three other staff members.
2.2.Ensure that all the work of the service is carried out in accordance with the PSU’s policies and practices, and especially the Equal Opportunities policy.
2.3.Implement the PSU’s Health and Safety Policy, especially relating to personal safety for volunteers.
2.4.Ensure that all volunteers maintain a strict policy of confidentiality in their dealings with litigants and their supporters.
2.5.Maintain working relations with court staff and other relevant agencies to promote the service and to further develop these as the service progresses, and to liaise at all levels, including judges and court staff. Where necessary, negotiate to achieve improvements for litigants and their supporters.
2.6.Develop and maintain relationships with organisations in London, such as pro bono advice services, law centres, the Citizens Advice Bureaux etc.
2.7.Maintain administrative systems, including systems for appropriate record keeping and the production of regular statistics and reports.
2.8.Develop and implement the annual operational plan at the beginning of each financial year, and monitor and keep it under review.
2.9.Working to agreed fundraising targets, organise and support fundraising events for the PSU at the Royal Courts of Justice and associated locations.
- Administrative
3.1.Ensure that there are efficient and effective office systems and procedures to support the service.
3.2.Be responsible for the health and safety of volunteers in all locations covered by the PSU RCJ services (as above).
3.3.Collate and evaluate evidence about the service, in order to recommend and implement relevant actions for improvement and development.
3.4.Prepare budgets and accounts as required, and maintain appropriate financial records and budgetary control.
3.5.Monitor PSU petty cash at the RCJ, CFC and WCC, including volunteers’ expenses and office requirements.
3.6.Prepare regular reports on the PSU service at the Royal Courts of Justice and associated locations, for the PSU Leadership Team, the Trustee Board and others, and attend Board meetings if required.
- Promotion and policy
4.1.Maintain and develop - both in advance of hearings and on the day - referral procedures to ensure that all litigants and their supporters have access to the service.
4.2.Support the PSU’s development of social media for purposes of communication with and promotion to the legal community, potential referring agencies and clients.
4.3.Raise awareness of issues in the court system that affect litigants and, where appropriate, make proposals for change.
- General
5.1.The PSU is undergoing a period of development and this job description will change and develop.
5.2.This job description is not exhaustive. You will be expected to undertake such other duties as the Head of Service and/or Director may from time to time reasonably require.
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Salary up to £26,000 depending on experience
Up to 6% employer’s contribution to pension (matched to employee’s contribution) backdated after 12 months continuous service
Annual leave entitlement 28 days, plus public holidays
35 hrs per week
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential requirements
Experience and qualifications
- At least 3 years successful experience in a service based organisation
- Experience of working in the public or voluntary sector, or a demonstrable aptitude for doing so
- Graduate calibre or equivalent experience
- Experience of working with volunteers
- Experience of delivering training
Skills and Abilities
- Persuasive, authoritative, confident and decisive
- Enthusiastic, flexible, energetic and committed
- Ability to deal with competing demands, calm and reliable under pressure, demonstrating sound judgement
- Diplomatic and tactful, concerned to maintain good relationships even when there are disagreements
- Ability to deliver a supportive service to vulnerable people
- Excellent writing and speaking skills suitable for a wide range of audiences
- Excellent computer skills, including word processing, spreadsheets and email
- Proven ability to recruit, train and support a team of volunteers
- Ability to work collaboratively and on own initiative
- Willingness to adhere to the PSU’s equal opportunities and confidentiality policies
- Ability to work effectively in partnership with other agencies
- Ability to plan and undertake evaluation
- Willingness to work occasional unsocial hours
Desirable requirements
- Experience of fundraising
- Knowledge of the judicial and court process
- Knowledge/experience of online training mechanisms
- Experience of using social media in a work environment
- Comfortable working over different physical sites
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