File Preparation Officer

Role: File Preparation Officer

District/Department: Criminal Justice Department

Location: Snig Hill, Sheffield

Salary: Band C, £28,914 - £31,749

Hours: 37 hours per week

Contract Type: Temporary until 28.11.27 to cover maternity leave.

Closing Date: 3rd November 2026

As a File Preparation Officer, you will support the file preparation process to ensure cases are progressed through the court systems.

Key responsibilities:

• Preparation of either way, indictable only and summary case files for Crown and Magistrates’ Courts

• Ensuring quality and timeliness of completed post-charge files, and pre-charge postal requisition files.

• Applying the provisions of the Director’s Guidance on Charging (DG6) and the Attorney General’s Guidelines on Disclosure (AGGD) to ensure that cases submitted to CPS comply with the current legislative provisions.

• Applying the provisions of the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation, as well as DG6 and AGGD, to ensure that all sensitive and personal/identifying information is redacted from all case material, including digital media, prior to its submission to CPS.

• Liaising with internal/external agencies, including District Officers of rank and CPS lawyers.

• Assisting operational officers and Police staff with enquiries/problems in relation to file preparation matters

• Interrogating and utilising various computer packages, systems, and applications.

Skills and experience:

• Show evidence of effective quality control in relation to work output.

• Ability to identify mistakes and errors, and to summarise information.

• Ability to grasp legal principles.

• Flexibility to work overtime or at other locations, Saturdays and Bank Holiday if required to meet organisational needs (Mon-Fri posts), or willingness to work a shift pattern to provide a 365-day service (weekend-working posts).

For more detailed information relating to the role and the skills and experience required, please click here to view the role profile. If you are having trouble with the hyperlink, please right click, copy, and paste in a separate window.

You should evidence how your skills and experience align with the requirements of the role profile, using explicit examples where possible, in order to be shortlisted for interview. You may wish to use the STAR method to structure your examples.

What we offer:

We offer generous entitlements and supportive policies to enable a better work-life balance, some of which are listed below:

• A highly competitive salary and access to a generous pension scheme

• Generous annual leave allowance

• A wide range of family friendly policies including enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave.

• Flexible working arrangements including flexitime and hybrid working.

• A transparent and collaborative team culture underpinned by our core values of Fairness, Integrity & Trust

• Comprehensive range of development and leadership courses to develop your career with South Yorkshire Police

• Employee Assistant Programme (accessible 24/7) offering confidential support and advice.

• Flexible lifestyle benefits such as: Blue Light Card, Company Shop, Cycle to work scheme.

• Committed to embedding sustainability: South Yorkshire Police Sustainability Strategy 2020-2025 (yhrn.police)

• Membership to the Sports and Social Club

• Access to a wide range of staff support groups and networks

We are a Disability Confident Employer and guarantee an interview for all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role.

South Yorkshire Police’s Key Values:

At South Yorkshire Police we have 3 key values which run through everything we do Fairness, Integrity & Trust, the attached document details the key behaviours we expect all employees to adhere to.

Smarter ways of Working:

South Yorkshire Police is committed to developing working practices which assist staff to balance their personal and professional lives, whilst meeting the needs of the organisation. This in turn enables SYP to provide an outstanding service to the community.

There are 3 different categories as part of this which are: Fixed, Field and Hybrid.

This role has been categorised as a Hybrid role.

Hybrid: Applicable when the work can be undertaken at any location, whether that be a SYP building or from home.

Appearance & Standards:

South Yorkshire Police is committed to striking a proportionate balance between self-expression and the need to maintain professional standards in dress and appearance.

Candidates are permitted to have tattoos visible on the hands, neck, forearms, or face whilst on duty provided these are not considered discriminatory, offensive, or inappropriate. Any tattoos will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Residency and Nationality Requirements:

Applicants must meet the minimum checkable history criteria. This is a vetting requirement and applies to individuals applying to work with South Yorkshire Police in any capacity. You must have resided in the UK for 5 continuous years immediately prior to application. If you have been abroad during the last 5 years while serving in the UK Armed Forces or working for the UK Government, your application will still be considered.

Please note that South Yorkshire Police is unable to provide visa sponsorship.

Vetting:

The vetting level for this role is MV.

Internal applicants, if successful your vetting will be reviewed and uplifted. For further information please contact the Vetting Unit on Force_Vetting_Unit@southyorks.pnn.police.uk

Contact details:

For further information about the role, please contact: Jane Eastwood on 0114 2964701.

For queries about the application process, please contact recruiting@southyorks.pnn.police.uk

Pre-employment Checks:

Should you be successful at the interview stage and before appointment, a number of pre-employment checks are required. Depending on the role, these may include references, medical clearance, vetting clearance, and attendance check.

South Yorkshire Police sets absence criteria of no more than 33 days and / or 5 separate occurrences over the last 3 years. However, this will not be considered until pre-employment check stage. Any period of sickness absence which is as a direct result of a pregnancy will be discounted. Consideration will be given to discounting periods of sickness absence which are disability related.

Diversity & Inclusion:

We are proud of being a truly inclusive organisation which provides fair and equal consideration to all of our applicants. We encourage and welcome applications from people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, nationalities, disabilities, sexual orientation, religions, or beliefs and of neurodivergence.

We’re proud to have a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. Different backgrounds and experiences make us stronger.

If you are from an underrepresented group and want to find out more about the support we can offer, please contact our dedicated team on positiveaction@southyorks.pnn.police.uk

Internal Candidates:

You must ensure that you apply through the internal jobs board (Opportunity Marketplace via Oracle).

As this is a fixed-term vacancy, you must have the support of your current line manager to apply. If you are a permanent member of staff, this would be classed as a secondment opportunity. If you are currently employed on a fixed-term contract, you must contact the Recruitment Team before applying.

Please ensure that you and your current line manager complete the attached consent form. Please email the completed form to the hiring line manager, with the role title and the closing date stated in the subject of your email.

Without support, your application will not be considered any further.

Further Information for Fixed-Term Roles:

This role is offered on a fixed-term basis in accordance with applicable employment legislation and South Yorkshire Police policy.

Fixed-term contracts are used where there is a genuine business need, such as project-based work, temporary cover, or time-limited funding. The fixed-term period is subject to change, linked to the posts requirements and may be subject to extension or early termination in line with appropriate notice period.

All fixed-term employees will receive equal treatment and access to opportunities in line with our commitment to fair and inclusive employment practices.

Where appropriate, fixed-term roles may be made permanent without the need for a further recruitment process.

Documents to Review:

Police Staff Recruitment Vetting Handbook - Please Click here

Application Guidance and Tips - Please Click Here

South Yorkshire Police FIT Values - Please Click Here

Secondment Approval (for internal candidates) - Please Click Here

View our recruitment video: https://youtu.be/2dGn5qti7_c