Court Centre Manager

Are you a confident leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment?

Do you want a role where you can make a real difference to the service provided to victims and witnesses?

Do you enjoy leading teams, developing people and working collaboratively with key partners across the Criminal Justice System?

If so, the Reading Court Centre Manager role could be the opportunity for you.

Based at court, you will be the key CPS presence at Reading Crown Court, building strong working relationships with the Judiciary, HM Courts & Tribunals Service and other Criminal Justice System partners.

You will take responsibility for the effective running of CPS cases at the Court, while also providing management oversight to Court Managers at two other court locations. You will make important deployment decisions, oversee Paralegals working on site and support your teams to deliver an efficient, professional and high-quality service.

At the heart of the role is ensuring that victims and witnesses receive the best possible service, while supporting the smooth running of the court and wider Criminal Justice System.

Why this role?

This is an opportunity to:

• Lead and develop people, helping your teams perform at their best.
• Make operational decisions that have a real impact on court delivery.
• Build influential relationships with the Judiciary and CJS partners.
• Champion a high-quality service for victims and witnesses.
• Be the onsite presence for the CPS at court and help bring CPS values to life every day.

If you are looking for a varied leadership role where no two days are the same and where your decisions can make a genuine difference, we would love to hear from you.

The Crown Prosecution Service is based in England and Wales. If you’re applying for this role and live in Scotland or Northern Ireland, you must let us know when accepting this offer as you need permission to work from your home address if hybrid working is part of your role. There’s no guarantee that we will grant this approval.

You must be aged 18 or over at the point of starting in this role. The expected start date is approximately 8–12 weeks after the application closing date. You are expected to commence employment as soon as possible following the expiry of your notice period. Requests for significantly later start dates may not be accommodated.

Your roles and responsibilities include:

• You are responsible for the deployment and coordination of Paralegal Officers and Assistants to support the day-to-day running of the court centre, ensuring court coverage and operational delivery are maintained in line with national standards and the national agreement.
• You will lead and manage B1 Court Managers within the same Area, alongside another B2 Court Centre Manager, ensuring that they provide an effective quality service.
• You proactively build and maintain good working relationships with external agencies to ensure smooth operation and effective delivery of CPS business; troubleshooting emerging issues.
• You are responsible for identifying emerging issues in Court that would otherwise unnecessarily delay justice by intervening with the relevant Prosecutor, assigned advocate or appropriate official and then resolving them where practical or escalation where issues are more complex.
• You proactively liaise with the judiciary to resolve casework issues and act as a focal point for judiciary enquiries and ensure any issues raised are resolved in a timely manner to avoid unnecessary delay in court.
• You meaningfully engage representatives from other agencies within the CJS to ensure the smooth operation of CPS business at court, resolving issues in a timely manner (either personally or via escalation) and ensuring a proactive approach to case progression is maintained.
• You provide support and guidance so that all advocates, lawyers and paralegals are able to fulfil their responsibilities and act in accordance with the Speaking to Witnesses at Court CPS Guidance
• You are responsible for Quality Assurance monitoring of the Case Management System (CMS), dealing promptly with any issues arising from these reviews and ensuring cases progress through to finalisation ensuring CMS is used by all staff at all stages of the prosecution process in line with digital working.

A full copy of the job description is attached.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Recruitment Process

The recruitment process consists of an online application, assessment and interview.

Behaviours

You are asked to complete a statement of no more than 250 words for each of the following behaviours, setting out how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience match the specified behaviours and requirements:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating & Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service

You also need to demonstrate the Crown Prosecution Service or Civil Service values.

The panel has the right to assess the lead behaviour 'Making Effective Decisions’ first. If the standard on this behaviour isn’t met, the other behaviours won’t be considered and your application won’t progress. The panel also has the right to raise the minimum standard pass mark. The panel may also refer to the lead behaviour at the interview stage to determine merit order.

CV

You’re not required to upload your CV. However, when submitting your application there is a ‘CV section’. You are required to provide information about your employment and/or academic history for the past three years. The CV section will be used as supporting evidence, it won’t be assessed.

It’s your responsibility to provide the specified information in the requested format to ensure that you're considered for the post.

If you're unable to cover three years through employment or academic history, you must provide a character reference for clearance purposes.

Interview / Assessment

The interview and assessment are expected to take place week commencing 07 December 2026 at our CPS Reading office.

A member of our recruitment team will be in touch with guidance. If you have any queries about this, contact jonathan.fairclough@cps.gov.uk.

You should keep this week free or notify us if you're not available. We'll make every effort to accommodate your date preferences but we can't guarantee it.

We ask you to complete an assessment as part of the recruitment process for this role. We will provide details immediately before your interview.

We use behaviours to help us understand your experience, to see if you're a good fit for the role. You are assessed against (HEO) in the Civil Service success profiles behaviours framework. We are assessing 5 behaviours at interview and assessment stage:

• Making Effective Decisions (Interview & Assessment)
• Communicating & Influencing (Interview)
• Managing a Quality Service (Interview)
• Delivering at Pace (Interview)
• Leadership (interview)

Essential Experience - assessed at interview.

Other

This is a full-time post. We do consider requests for flexible, part-time working and job share, always considering the operational needs of the department.

Please note that the CPS is unable to offer visa sponsorship. If you require visa sponsorship to work in the UK, you will not meet the eligibility criteria for this role.

Clearance

If successful, you are required to secure a Disclosure and Barring Service check, for which you must have a current valid UK address.

If successfully appointed, we ask you to complete a character enquiry form, and nationality and immigration questionnaire,

If you're a Crown Prosecution Service member of staff, you won’t need to do a Disclosure and Barring Service check as you already hold this clearance.

The job you’re applying for is covered by Article 3(a) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975, consequently Section 4(2) of that Act doesn’t apply. You’re required to disclose all previous convictions and cautions including spent convictions. Failing to make a full declaration will result in withdrawing your offer of employment if our checks reveal convictions that haven’t been disclosed.

Reserve list

If you're recommended by the selection panel but not appointed to the current vacancy, you’re put on a reserve list for 12 months. You may be offered another Court Centre Manager post in the CPS if a vacancy comes up during this period. We may also approach candidates on the waiting list to fill other roles that require similar knowledge and experience.

Civil Service Commission

If you’re dissatisfied with the recruitment process and wish to make a complaint, please contact Strategic.Resourcing@cps.gov.uk with your concerns.

If you remain dissatisfied and wish to make a further complaint, please click on the following link to the Civil Service Commission complaints page Recruitment Complaints - Civil Service Commission

Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles can be found at https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/

Details of the Civil Service Nationality Rules are located at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

Candidates are subject to UK immigration requirements. For the most up-to-date information on the requirements of working in the UK, please go to the UK Visas and Immigration website at https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.