Admin Assistant/Court Usher

Job Introduction

Role Purpose

Are you calm under pressure, highly organised, and passionate about supporting people during difficult times? BCP Council is seeking a dedicated Coroners Court Usher to join our Bereavement, Coroner & Mortuary Services team. This is a unique and rewarding opportunity to play a vital role in the delivery of justice and support for bereaved families across Dorset.

As a Coroners Court Usher, you will ensure the smooth and lawful operation of inquest hearings, working closely with the Coroner, Coroners Officers, and other stakeholders. You’ll be the welcoming face of the court, providing professional and empathetic support to families, witnesses, and interested persons.

Main Responsibilities

• Support the efficient running of inquest hearings in line with Coronial law and statutory guidance.
• Operate and manage court audio/visual equipment and ensure all documentation is prepared and available.
• Provide compassionate and clear communication to bereaved families and court attendees.
• Collaborate with Coroners Officers and administrative teams to maintain accurate records and court archives.
• Work flexibly across court locations to ensure continuity and resilience of service.

The Ideal Candidate

• Essential Qualifications: Minimum of 3 GCSEs at Grade 4/C or above (or equivalent).
• Technical Skills: Proficient in Microsoft 365, case management systems, and AV equipment.
• Experience: Previous work in a court or legal setting is desirable.
• Personal Attributes: Empathetic, detail-oriented, and able to manage sensitive situations with professionalism and discretion.

About BCP Council

BCP Council provides services to a diverse community of 400,000 residents and employs more than 5,000 people. Our area includes over 15 miles of beautiful world-renowned coastline. We can offer career defining roles to transform and improve services. By working with us, you can help deliver a vision of a thriving, word-class, prosperous and inclusive place for generations to come.

Our Benefits

We offer an excellent benefits package to colleagues. Find out more on our website.

As a result of the creation of BCP Council in 2019, we are working on simplifying our terms and conditions of service and will be creating a single pay structure which is to be applicable for all employees. It is important to us that we offer benefits that our colleagues value as part of their total employment package and we are reviewing these to make sure we have it right. We have been in a process of collective bargaining since 2019 and have positively worked forward to reach an agreed position with the unions for the new contractual offer. This has taken longer than we hoped and therefore we are having to consider all alternative avenues available to enable us to remove inequality in the organisation as a result of bringing together 3 councils. 

We are in the process of establishing a timescale for implementation, and all colleagues joining us will be included in these changes. We want to reassure everyone that whichever route is taken to reach the new terms and conditions, we can honour continuous service and there will not be any job reduction as a result of the implementation of Pay and Reward.  If you have any questions at all about this process, please feel free to raise this with the hiring manager.