Are you ready to lead a dynamic, high-performing team within Defence? Join us at Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) in this challenging and rewarding opportunity to make a significant impact on our mission to protect and defend our Armed Forces. This is one of two Head of Establishment roles we are currently recruiting for, one based in DM Beith and one based in DM Glen Douglas.
The Head of Establishment is a key strategic and operational role in which you will hold primary responsibility and accountability for the safe running of the establishment, operating in a highly regulated and potentially high risk environment.
You will play a vital role in leading and overseeing strategic plans, ensuring safety processes, and providing operational support vital to Defence outputs. Defence Munitions is at the forefront of safeguarding the supply, storage, maintenance, and disposal of munitions. Youll drive operational excellence in fast-paced environments, foster continuous improvement, and deliver positive results. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with stakeholders across the Military, Defence Regulation, and wider teams within DE&S to ensure compliance and the successful delivery of strategic plans.
Please note that travel to other Defence Munitions and MoD sites across the UK will be expected dependent on organisational requirements. Regular in-person attendance is required (this is expected to be approximately 100% of your working week) to promote the benefits of face-to-face collaboration alongside flexibility of hours to support work-life balance and business need.
What youll be doing
* Lead and development site personnel and utilise resource effectively to deliver operational outputs and requirements in a timely manner.
* Lead, direct, manage and control all activities carried out within specified areas of control in a manner that ensures the safe, secure, efficient, effective, and economic use of all resources.
* Manage, Receive, Store, Maintain and Issue the range of General Munitions, General Commodities, Equipment and Complex Weapons.
* Manage a full spectrum of stakeholders within the organisation, authorised customers, wider DE&S) and the Delivery Team community.
* Responsibility for controlling the site activities to ensure, the health, safety, security and welfare of employees and any stakeholders involved.
* Serve as Delivery Duty Holder with responsibility for the safe operation of the site, systems and facilities, including authorising Safe Systems of Work, managing and providing input to Safety Assurance.
* Responsible for all senior stakeholder engagement with customers, suppliers, including DE&S, wider MoD, and Other Government Departments, to deliver operational outputs and requirements.
* Ensure safety assurance and site compliance with of all relevant legislative and internal/external regulatory requirements.
Person specification
To be successful with your application, you'll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria :
* Experience of operating at a senior management level in a large, highly complex organisation.
* Strong knowledge and understanding of operational management environment.
* Strong experience of leadership and staff development.
* Strong knowledge and experience of risk management application.
* Knowledge and understanding of Occupational Safety Health and Environment (OSHE) in a hazardous environments.
* Must hold a valid Full UK Driving Licence.
In addition to the responsibilities above, the following technical competences and behaviours will be assessed at interview:
* Core Behaviour 1: Leadership
* Core Behaviour 2: Changing and Improving
* Technical Competence 1: Managing support, supplier, and customer networks Practitioner
* Technical Competence 2: Making evidence-based decisions Practitioner
Benefits
Alongside your salary of 61,100, Ministry of Defence contributes 17,700 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
* 25 days annual leave +1 day a year up to 30 days, 8 bank holidays and a day off for the Kings birthday
* Market-leading average employer pension contribution of 28.97%
* Annual performance-based bonus and recognition awards
* Access to specialist training and funded qualifications
* Support for progression
* Huge range of discounts
* Volunteering days
* Enhanced parental leave schemes
Improving innovation and enriching our culture, diversity of thought is vital to our success. So whether youre looking for a new opportunity, a next step, or a helping hand as you return from a career break, bring your experiences and help deliver for the defence of tomorrow. Here youll find a supportive, family-friendly organisation to be a part of - and if you need any assistance with your application, just let us know.
#LI-Onsite
Further Information
* Civil Service Recruitment Principles: Recruitment Principles - Civil Service Commission
* Candidate Information Pack: https://bit.ly/DES-Candidate-Information-Pack
* Terms and Conditions: https://bit.ly/DES-Terms-and-Conditions
* Civil Service Code: The Code - Civil Service Commission
Any personal data that you provide during the Recruitment process will be treated in accordance with the MOD Privacy Notice which can be accessed here .
Disability Confident:
Please note as a Disability Confident Leader we want to ensure you receive any reasonable adjustments that you need throughout the recruitment process. If you do require any reasonable adjustments, you can let us know on your online application under the section Please indicate and give details of any reasonable adjustments you may require during the recruitment process.
Conflicts of Interest:
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.
Things you need to know
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
Your application will go through the following stages of assessment:
1. Pre-sift - We will check that you meet any essential or eligibility criteria that are listed in the Person Specification section of this advert. On your CV, please clearly show how you meet the essential criteria.
2. Sift - Your CV will be assessed against the following categories, using a simple numerical scoring system: Key Achievements; Relevant Experience; Applied Knowledge and Skills. Please follow our guidance on CV writing for best chance of success.
3. Interview - If you're invited to interview, you'll be assessed against the Sift categories listed above, as well as the Technical Competences and Behaviours listed in the Person Specification section of this advert.
Please Note : In the event of a tied score at interview, the Order of Merit will be distinguished based on the ranking of the assessed behaviours and competencies below:
* 1st: Core Behaviour 1
* 2nd: Core Behaviour 2
* 3rd: Technical Competencies
* 4th: CV Review
In the event of a further tie using the method above, we reserve the right to utilise the Lead criterion, and/or an additional assessment.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.
If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance you should contact department via email: DESHR-WSC-PMOCOMPLAINTS@mod.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Recruitment Complaints - Civil Service Commission
Offering at a lower level
If youre not successful at interview, we may offer you a role at a lower level if this is a match for your skills and experience. If this applies to your application, youll be scored against criteria for the lower-level role and offers will be made in merit order. If you accept this position, youll be able to take advantage of opportunities to develop your career as part of our team.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (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
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
* UK nationals
* nationals of the Republic of Ireland
* nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
* nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
* nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
* individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
* Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
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.
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) .
Apply and further information
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 : Jade Kirby
* Email : Jade.Kirby117@mod.gov.uk
Recruitment team
* Email : Jade.Kirby117@mod.gov.uk
Attachments 20250527 Success Profile Behaviours 2025 document v1-O Opens in new window (pdf, 704kB) 20221128-Operational Delivery Technical Competences FY22-23 Opens in new window (pdf, 9MB)
Apply at advertiser's site