Eastbury, East of England, HA6 3HP
Job Summary
The Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) is headed by a 3-Star military officer, the
Chief of Joint Operations. It is the tri-service military headquarters from which UK overseas operations are planned and overseen.
J5 is a joint civilian-military team that sits at the cutting edge of this effort, shaping UK military deployments around the globe. We are responsible for planning, directing and assessing PJHQ-led operations throughout each stage.
J5 is headed by a 1-Star military officer (Assistant Chief of Staff (ACOS) J5), with planning teams which are broken down by geographic region.
Responsibilities
The successful candidate will act as the Business Manager and the Personal Assistant to ACOS J5. The individual will be responsible for the management of the outer office, this includes:
* Managing a busy diary
* Arranging travel
* Organising appointments and office calls on behalf of ACOS J5
* Managing the Division’s budget
* Assisting and advising on business cases
* Managing incoming and outgoing J5 staff administration
* Filing documents
* Supporting the flow of information across the team.
J5 is a dynamic, fast paced division where no two days are the same, the post holder will need to be adaptable, organised, enthusiastic, hard-working and resilient, ready to learn on the job and who are passionate about helping the UK deliver military operations.
In return, the role will provide opportunities to learn more about the Defence Tools and how operations and an operational headquarters works. The successful candidate will become a critical member of a small, but close-knit team.
This is an exciting time to join PJHQ. Over the past couple of years, the team has been involved in significant military operations, including the maiden deployment of the UK Carrier, the military withdrawal from Afghanistan and the evacuation of over 15,000 Afghans, support to Turkey following devastating earthquakes, the evacuation from Sudan earlier this year, and the UK’s ongoing support to Ukraine. Being at the forefront of enabling and supporting these operations is challenging but extremely rewarding.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.
Job Description
Main Objectives
* Management of ACOS J5’s outer office including answering telephone calls, ensuring all visitors are received appropriately and have the necessary security clearances required to enter the Division, and providing a courteous and knowledgeable initial point of contact for J5.
* Management of ACOS J5’s diary, including arranging appointments and office calls and co-ordinating with the 2* and 3* outer offices. Keeping the electronic diary accurate and up to date, co-ordinating and prioritising commitments and internal taskings around regular taskings and anticipating conflicting requirements.
* Coordinate and run internal visits to PJHQ, conferences/formal functions, including budgets, access/security requirements, Command Support Group compliance and hospitality register returns.
* Co-ordinate joining process for J5 joiners, including co-ordination of Commander Joint Operations/ACOS letters, arrivals forms/interviews. Co-ordination of Military Secretariat matters for ACOS J5.
* Manage J5 Business Cases, ensuring all Business Cases are included on the PJHQ Tracker, supervising progress and chasing updates. Advise J5 on the need for business cases and the content required.
* Organise travel arrangements, ensuring they are timely, comprehensive and cost efficient, made in accordance with PJHQ Travel Policy. Co-ordinate with the J5 Executive Officer to ensure briefing materials are produced and handled correctly and in good time.
* Ensuring timely, accurate production of documents and maintenance of an effective filing system.
* Provide secretarial support to ACOS J5 and deputise for the J5 Executive Officer as the need arises.
* Maintaining productive relationships with internal and external personnel, making the best use of available resources within J5 and PJHQ.
* Support the wider team as appropriate.
Main Objectives
* Management of ACOS J5’s outer office including answering telephone calls, ensuring all visitors are received appropriately and have the necessary security clearances required to enter the Division, and providing a courteous and knowledgeable initial point of contact for J5.
* Management of ACOS J5’s diary, including arranging appointments and office calls and co-ordinating with the 2* and 3* outer offices. Keeping the electronic diary accurate and up to date, co-ordinating and prioritising commitments and internal taskings around regular taskings and anticipating conflicting requirements.
* Coordinate and run internal visits to PJHQ, conferences/formal functions, including budgets, access/security requirements, Command Support Group compliance and hospitality register returns.
* Co-ordinate joining process for J5 joiners, including co-ordination of Commander Joint Operations/ACOS letters, arrivals forms/interviews. Co-ordination of Military Secretariat matters for ACOS J5.
* Manage J5 Business Cases, ensuring all Business Cases are included on the PJHQ Tracker, supervising progress and chasing updates. Advise J5 on the need for business cases and the content required.
* Organise travel arrangements, ensuring they are timely, comprehensive and cost efficient, made in accordance with PJHQ Travel Policy. Co-ordinate with the J5 Executive Officer to ensure briefing materials are produced and handled correctly and in good time.
* Ensuring timely, accurate production of documents and maintenance of an effective filing system.
* Provide secretarial support to ACOS J5 and deputise for the J5 Executive Officer as the need arises.
* Maintaining productive relationships with internal and external personnel, making the best use of available resources within J5 and PJHQ.
* Support the wider team as appropriate.
Person specification
Essential
* Excellent organisational skills.
* Confidence dealing with senior officers and officials on a daily basis.
* Committed to diversity and inclusion, living the CS values and working as part of a team.
* Familiarity with handling of hard and soft copies of classified and personnel documents and emails.
* Strong computer literacy: MS Office (primarily Outlook, Word and Excel.
Desired
* Awareness of the requirements of operational planning.
* An interest in working in a mixed civilian/military environment.
* A degree of resilience/experience of working in a high-pressure environment.
* An interest in policy, preferably in a defence or other national or international security context.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Delivering at Pace
* Managing a Quality Service
* Working Together
* Communicating and Influencing
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
* Delivering at Pace
* Managing a Quality Service
Alongside your salary of £29,580, Ministry of Defence contributes £8,569 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
* Learning and development tailored to your role
* An environment with flexible working options
* A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
* A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
Northwood HQ is a well-served site, offering a variety of facilities such as gym, nursery, salon and local shop. Transport links are good with a regular shuttle service to Moor Park tube station and limited access to free on-site parking (subject to capacity and on first come first served basis). There are several catering options and opportunities to join the Northwood Officers' Mess. As a civil servant, flexible working is encouraged and opportunities for professional and personal development are available and tailored to your role. The Permanent Joint Headquarters promotes and values a culture of inclusion and diversity within its 500 staff of military and civil service personnel. Additional benefits include a Civil Service Pension, and an annual leave allowance starting at 25 days, increasing annually thereafter.
Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.
The post does not offer relocation expenses.
External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.
Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.
Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.
Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.
MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Working for the Civil Service.
The Civil Service code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit based on fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request adjustments.
At sift, candidates will be expected to provide a behavioural statement for each of the following behaviours:
* Delivering at Pace
* Managing a Quality Service
In addition, candidates should provide their CV.
When choosing your Behaviour examples, please make sure you use real life scenarios that relate to your own experiences. Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application being rejected.
If there is a large volume of candidates, individuals will be assessed against their CV and Managing a Quality Service.
At interview, candidates will be assessed against the following behaviours:
* Delivering at pace
* Managing a quality service
* Working Together
* Communicating and Influencing
Further details of the interview process will be provided to candidates in advance of the interview. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Things You Need To Know
Strategic Command is going through a significant transformation programme which aims to improve the way the Command conducts its business and delivers for Defence and the nation. As a consequence of this, all posts within Strategic Command Headquarters and in time the wider organisation, are/will be subject to review and potential changes as we continuously improve across the period of the transformation programme. These changes may be minor or could be more substantive and will generate new opportunities. Throughout, the Command’s transformation programme is committed to following the MOD’s framework on managing and supporting people through the change process and places an emphasis on early and open consultation and engagement with the Command’s personnel and Trade Unions.
Nationality Requirements
Open to UK nationals only.
Eligibility
This vacancy is open to all Civil Service employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who were appointed on merit following a fair and open competition; or were appointed to a permanent post through an exception in the Civil Service Commissioners' rules. Candidates in their probationary period are not eligible to apply for vacancies within this department.
The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.
The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk.
As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system.
Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
Open to UK nationals only.
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact
* Name : Kathryn Roach
* Email : kathryn.roach500@mod.gov.uk
* Telephone : 01923 955562
Recruitment team
* Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk
Further information
Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: info@csc.gov.uk. #J-18808-Ljbffr