Coroners Court Usher

Role Responsibility

Are you an excellent communicator with a positive team work ethic and strong IT skills? Do you enjoy problem solving and multi-tasking? Are you resilient and composed when working under pressure?

This is your chance to play a key support role within the Coroners' Court for Kent and Medway. You will manage all aspects of inquest hearings in the Coroners' Court and support administrative functions. Diligent in your approach, you will work flexibly and collaboratively with the Coroner, Coroners' Investigation Officer, Coroners' Court Officer, Coroners Court Admin Officer and Court volunteers to ensure effective and continuous services. Liaising with bereaved families in a calm, ethical and empathetic manner to ensure they are fully aware of the court process will be a vital part of your role, as will ensuring inquest hearings are legally compliant.

Fully committed to confidentiality, you will bring a proven track record in a customer service role with strong IT and administrative skills or alternatively in a responsible role within a court setting. You will have the communication and negotiation skills and initiative to engage with people suffering emotional distress and handle situations where cultural or religious observances may be significant. 

With English GCSE grade C or above or equivalent, you will have the ability to gain a sound understanding of relevant legislation, Chief Coroner's and other official guidance, including Kent County Council policies and judicial direction. Training for you will be provided and further development opportunities will be available.

The role of Coroners’ Court Usher is being offered as a permanent relief contract and the Coroners’ office and courts are currently based in Maidstone.  Courts may also be held elsewhere dependant on service needs. You may be required to transport court documents and equipment to other court venues across Kent, so the ability to travel across a wide geographical area in a timely and flexible manner at various times of the day is essential.

This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification.

Please read the Applicant Information Pack before completing the Application Form.

A CV is NOT required for this application and will NOT be reviewed as part of the selection process so include all relevant information in your on-line application form.

As part of the recruitment process, candidates are asked to complete an application form and four mandatory questions.  Shortlisted candidates will then be invited to attend a court location to observe an usher setting up a court room and then observe a coronial inquest.  You will need to complete an on-line IT assessment.  The final part of the selection process for those candidates who have completed this to the required standard will be a 60 minute (maximum) interview/assessment via Microsoft Teams.

Closing date for applications is 23:59 hours on Monday 28th February 2022

Invitation to a court location to observe court set up & a coronial inquest – W/C 7th -11th March 2022

IT Assessment will be held on Tuesday 15th March 2022 (10:00 till 12:00)  

Interviews will be held on Tuesday 22nd or 23rd March 2022 (times to be confirmed)

Contact Details

For any further information please contact:

Ria Machin or Samantha Coombes CoronersCourtSupervisor@kent.gov.uk

About the Company

KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county's working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds and faiths, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

Please note – if you are interested, please apply as soon as possible as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.