Diary Manager - Legal Aid Agency

We are an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). We are responsible for operationally administering the legal aid fund to provide criminal and civil legal aid advice to people in England and Wales. Our people are at the heart of achieving excellence. Employing around 1,200 colleagues across England and Wales, we feel proud to have some of the best People Survey results in the Civil Service.

The Diary Manager role provides efficient diary management, coordinating schedules and meetings to the Head of Case Management and the Senior Management Team. The role is based in our Case Management Directorate which is the largest department in the Legal Aid Agency. The Case Management team is central to the Agency, it is responsible for handling legal aid applications, processing case payments and dealing with correspondence and enquiries received in both Civil and Criminal Legal aid matters.

Our dedicated staff ensure that 600,000 new clients access justice each year, while ensuring that legal aid lawyers are paid fairly. We listen and engage with all staff in case management, ensuring we always value the 'caseworker voice' and that this is represented when delivering change. We support all staff in our work, recognising success and promoting a positive and healthy work-life balance.

We have a culture where new ideas are encouraged and appreciated.

Finance, Performance and Governance The Finance, Performance and Governance Team in Case Management leads on the delivery of actions relating to Finance matters, Performance Monitoring and Governance against policies and procedures for the directorate.

• Provide proactive diary and correspondence management for the Head of Case Management, effectively prioritising competing demands and resolving scheduling conflicts using sound judgement and initiative.
• Ensure the Head of Case Management is fully briefed and provided with all relevant information and documentation in advance of meetings and engagements.
• Support the Senior Management Team with diary management and organising meetings and events, including booking appointments, arranging venues, travel and accommodation.
• Prepare agendas, attend meetings as required, and produce accurate minutes and records of discussions and decisions.
• Monitor and track actions arising from meetings including Senior Management meetings and Operational Leadership meetings, ensuring deadlines are met and escalating issues appropriately where required.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, including senior leaders and partner organisations.
• Provide administrative and secretarial support to other senior managers within the Case Management Directorate as required.
• Act as Appeals administrator for the Criminal Cases Unit, liaising with Bar counsel and other external stakeholders to schedule appeal meetings. Acting as the point of contact for enquiries from internal and external stakeholders.
• Work collaboratively with the Head of Finance, Performance and Governance to coordinate activity across the Senior Management Team.
• Manage travel bookings for the Senior Management Team and wider Case Management Directorate, ensuring compliance with organisational policies and service level agreements.
• Prioritise and manage routine administrative activities, including handling correspondence and responding to enquiries from internal and external stakeholders.
• Identify opportunities for improvements to practices, contribute to change initiatives and support the implementation of new ways of working.
• Work collaboratively with other Diary Managers to share best practice, improve consistency and ensure resilience across the service.
• Provide flexible diary management and administrative cover to the Chief Executive's Office during periods of peak demand, annual leave and other staff absences to ensure continuity of service.
• Attend LAA offices for face to face meetings, Senior Management support and training as required. 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.

As a Disability Confident organisation, we will offer a guaranteed interview to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for this role.

Under the Equality Act 2010 a disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term…