Team Leader (Court Services) - Exeter

Join to apply for the Team Leader (Court Services) - Exeter role at Citizens Advice

Location: The postholder will need to be on-site and oversee the Witness Service across Exeter Crown Court, Exeter Magistrates' Court, Barnstaple Magistrates' Court, Newton Abbot Magistrates Court, and the Remote Live Link Site (base will be Exeter)

Salary: £28,671 per annum

Employment type: Permanent

Hours per week: 36 hours and 15 minutes per week

Citizens Advice offers confidential advice online, over the phone, and in person, for free. Through our national network of charities, we give people the knowledge and the confidence they need to find their way forward – whoever they are, and whatever their problem.

Do you want to work for an organisation that makes a difference, every single day, to people from all walks of life? The people that turn to Citizens Advice need help overcoming an obstacle in their lives – from debt to evictions to trouble at work – and you can be key to them getting the support they need in the quickest, easiest, and most effective way.

About us

The Witness Service has over 260 staff and 3000 volunteers and offers free, independent, impartial and confidential support and information to 15,000 witnesses each month to give evidence in every criminal court in England and Wales.

Last year, Citizens Advice helped 2.6 million people face‑to‑face, by phone, email and webchat, and we received 25 million visits to our digital advice content. We solve 7 in 10 clients' problems, and 4 in 5 tell us that advice improved their lives.

Important note: The Witness Service is due to transfer out of Citizens Advice in April 2026. This is an exciting time for the Witness Service and for you to be part of shaping our future with a new provider.

The Role

As Team Leader (Court Services) you will be in a crucial role, responsible for the effective delivery of the Witness Service within Exeter Crown Court, Exeter Magistrates Court, Barnstaple Magistrates Court, Newton Abbot Magistrates Court, and Remote Live Link Site.

You will manage, motivate and develop a team of volunteers who support witnesses in their journey through the criminal justice system. You will also line‑manage a Deputy Team Leader who will support you with ensuring effective delivery of the Witness Service across the courts.

You will also develop and maintain key local stakeholder relationships with a view to promoting partnership working, and enhancing service delivery standards and effectiveness.

Who we are looking for

We look for people to help us improve and transform our organisation. We can offer you the opportunity to make a genuine impact and create lasting change within an organisation that makes a difference in the lives of millions of people every year.

Are you an experienced manager of staff or volunteers looking for a new opportunity? We are looking for someone who is a great motivator and thrives on leading teams to deliver positive outcomes.

We are looking for someone with excellent management and communication skills, who can adapt to and manage change. Experience of working to agreed targets is essential for this role along with working to tight deadlines.

To apply

The 'Apply' button will take you to our advert and you can submit your application from there. To apply please submit an anonymous CV and anonymous cover letter that addresses how you meet the criteria below:

• Proven experience of effectively managing and developing performance of a team of volunteers and/or staff, including recruitment, and supporting staff and/or volunteers in dealing with difficult situations.
• Proven experience of monitoring and maintaining service delivery of a team against agreed targets, identifying opportunities for improvement and implementing change to achieve this improvement through effective planning.
• Evidence of having built and developed effective and beneficial working relationships with external and internal stakeholders.

This post is subject to enhanced vetting and barring check. Some roles may require a Counter Terrorist Check.

The National Citizens Advice operates from offices in England and Wales, with 4 regional offices based in Cardiff, London, Birmingham and Leeds, therefore all successful applicants must be based within England or Wales.

Please be aware that Citizens Advice is not a sponsoring organisation. Therefore the successful applicant must already possess the right to work in the UK or be able to secure the right to work in the UK independently.

We have been awarded the top charity in Third sector's employer index, where it's recognised that Citizens Advice is an organisation that not only prioritises the people we serve but also values the wellbeing of its employees.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is of strategic importance within the organisation and recognised as integral to all we do as a service. Central to pursuing our EDI mission is building diverse and inclusive teams in which everyone has a sense of belonging. We believe inclusion is a social justice issue - a principle that underpins all our EDI work. To that end, we particularly welcome applications from people we would like to see better represented in our organisation and sector - people of colour, LGBTQ+ people and disabled people. We follow the social model of disability. We will offer an interview to disabled candidates who indicate they wish their application to be considered under our Disability Confident Interview Commitment where they meet our selection criteria in their application. Some of our roles attract a high volume of applications and in some circumstances where it is not practicable or appropriate, we may limit the number of interviews offered to disabled and non-disabled candidates. We will provide reasonable adjustments as needed.

Please note, in the event of a high number of applications, we reserve the right to close the application early.

Seniority level: Mid‑Senior level

Employment type: Full‑time

Job function: Legal, Customer Service, and General Business

Industries: Non‑profit Organisations, Civic and Social Organisations, and Government Administration

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