Our Operations Managers play a vital role in delivering justice. This is a high-profile leadership position. You will proactively lead service delivery, providing teams with clear direction, ensuring that business activities are well-coordinated to increase productivity and deliver high-quality services. We are seeking an experienced leader who will lead by example, champion change, and cultivate a culture of resilience and adaptability, empowering teams to thrive while building strong, collaborative relationships with all stakeholders. The role of a manager is at the heart of HMCTS operations, shaped by the Civil Service Line Management Standards. It’s rewarding, challenging, and essential to our success. We’re looking for managers with the experience and desire to develop high performing teams, providing clear direction on performance and attendance and creating a culture of fair reward and recognition. This role sits within HMCTS’ Southeast region. You will support your Deputy Head of Operations to meet operational needs and deliver performance objectives by translating national priorities into local plans. The role provides visible leadership across operational areas, driving service delivery and team productivity. Your presence supports engagement, accountability, and alignment with organisational goals. You will give clear direction and focus and align and co‑ordinate activity to increase productivity and deliver a quality service across Surrey and Sussex.
Occasional Travel to Other Courts
Whilst you will be assigned to a designated office base, there may be a requirement to work at other local HMCTS courts and sites on either an ad hoc or regular basis to meet business needs. Where applicable, travel time and expenses will be reimbursed in line with HMCTS policy. For this role, travel will be required to courts across Brighton, Hastings and Lewes, with travel across Surrey and Sussex and to London when required to meet business needs.
New recruits to the Civil Service joining MoJ are expected to join at the band minimum. These operational roles are customer facing, requiring successful applicants to be office based to provide HMCTS services to the public. This is a business-critical role requiring full‑time hours. The post is for 37 hours per week, worked Monday to Friday.
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 roles: 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).
Flexible working hours
Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ 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 MoJ’s Flexible Working policy.
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.
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’. MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.
Technical Questions
Interview stage assessments Interview Dates Interviews are expected 3rd December at Brighton Family Hearing Centre. Subject to change.
Behaviours Leadership Communicating and Influencing Strengths. Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here.
Please explain why you are suitable for this role by demonstrating how your skills and experience match the essential criteria outlined in the job advert and role profile. Your response should include clear, personalised evidence, using specific examples to show how you meet each requirement and why your experience makes you a strong candidate for this position. You may use examples from work, education, volunteering, or other relevant experiences. To achieve the highest scores, we strongly encourage you to use the full word count (750 words) and provide personalised, real‑life evidence, clearly linking your evidence to the essential criteria.
Technical Could you tell us what relevant leadership or people skills you bring to this role? This question will be probed further at interview. Your experience and achievements will be assessed against the role requirements at interview.
Level of security checks required DBS Basic
Responsibilities and Requirements
- Proven experience in a challenging operations or management role with the ability and willingness to adapt and learn at pace.
- Demonstrable people management and coaching skills, leading, developing and managing teams to drive performance in a service‑focused environment to deliver measurable results.
- A strong leader, with the ability to manage resource allocation, lead teams through change with the confidence to make informed and timely decisions and drive continuous improvement.
- Ability to build relationships and manage key stakeholders at all levels, able to negotiate, persuade and influence.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to create a collaborative and inclusive culture.
- Confidence to make independent decisions and resolve complex problems. This includes learning and using data driven tools to identify trends and challenges to generate solutions.
- Ability to collaborate across the business to deliver local priorities and HMCTS and MOJ strategic objectives.
HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is responsible for the administration of criminal, civil and family Courts and Tribunals in England and Wales as well as the reserved unified tribunals across the United Kingdom. Our roles support our service users and colleagues within HMCTS, where people and businesses access potentially life‑changing justice. We’re looking for individuals who are committed to public service and making a difference in people’s lives to deliver justice.
Benefits
- Annual Leave: Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service. There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell
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