The Legal Operations Team sits within the Policy, Research, Analysis and Legal Operations Directorate (PRAL), and supports the Solicitor and Counsel to the Inquiry, and their teams, to deliver their work and fulfil the Inquiry’s terms of reference.
Working to the HEO Witness Lead, the Witness Support Officer will assist in organising the attendance of witnesses at public hearings.
About the Role
This is a dynamic and front-facing role at the centre of the Inquiry’s operational delivery.
Some of the key responsibilities include and are not limited to: -
Working with the Inquiry’s legal teams to coordinate the attendance of witnesses at the Inquiry including issuing correspondence on behalf of the legal teams to government departments and nationwide organisations.
Organising and conducting calls with witnesses and their legal representatives to make arrangements for their attendance.
Meeting and greeting witnesses on the day of their attendance, including senior ministers and officials, conducting familiarisation at the hearing centre and supporting witnesses when they attend to give oral evidence.
Work flexibly across the Legal Operations team to provide support and assistance to other teams where necessary, being prepared to work outside of core hours when required.
Person specification
Essential requirements
The successful candidate will be flexible and adaptable, with the ability and willingness to work at pace. They will be comfortable working with staff at senior levels and from a range of different professional backgrounds.
You will be confident and able to adapt a professional approach whilst dealing with high profile witnesses and senior members of the team.
You will have excellent oral and written communication skills and an ability to maintain a high-quality of work in a fast-paced environment.
You will be highly organised and have a can-do attitude.
You will be a self-starter and once up and running, can deliver without significant oversight.
Desirable skills
Previous experience working on a public inquiry would be advantageous.
Experience working with barristers or solicitors and their clerks would be an advantage but not essential.
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Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident .