Northwood Job Summary This role is directly supporting the Assistant Head (AH) JFT and manages the JFT resource demand through planning and assuring financial expenditure, reporting financial performance through the financial year in close collaboration with the Joint Command and Staff Training (JCAST) Contract Manager, and ensuring compliance with headroom and efficiency targets. Maintains oversight of the JFT risk portfolio, providing regular updates to AH JFT. Administrative leadership, including correspondence and document management, further ensures smooth internal operations. Coordinating the weekly schedule of activity and reporting activities, they enable structured information flow across JFT, enabling AH JFT to maintain situational awareness and make timely, informed decisions aligned with operational priorities. Oversight of workforce planning, recruitment, and personnel movements, they ensure that JFT remains appropriately staffed and capable of meeting its training commitments. Supporting the central IWC COS to short notice taskings such as Trawls, Parliamentary Questions, and HR issues, maintaining organisational agility and resilience. This appointment requires a Civil Servant with a sound understanding of the principles of Project Management, who can apply them to the operational delivery of Training outcomes. This role does not require a finance specialist, but they must be confident in managing and understanding financial figures. Secondary tasks require an individual with developed interpersonal skills, who can engage stakeholders effectively. This position is advertised at 37 hours per week. A high calibre generalist with business management experience will excel in this role. The primary place of work is Northwood, in office 3-4 days per week with scope to work flexibly. Job Description Plan and manage JFT expenditure on behalf of AH JFT, including costs related to exercises, contractors, travel, training, and assets, ensuring financial accountability and alignment with budgetary constraints. Collaborate with the Joint Command and Staff Training (JCAST) Manager to ensure the operational delivery of a fully funded and executable programme aligned with Defence priorities. Maintain oversight of Task Allocation Form (TAF) requests, ensuring compliance with headroom limits. Produce monthly returns to demonstrate efficiencies, cost-effectiveness, and value for money. Oversee the JFT risk portfolio, ensuring that risks associated with organisational objectives, workforce, and funding are proactively identified, assessed, and effectively managed. Provide monthly updates to AH JFT. Manage the JFT workforce onboarding, overseeing all personnel assignments into and out of the organisation. Lead on the recruitment and integration of Military Reservists and Civil Servants. Coordinate the weekly schedule and reporting activities. Supporting the central IWC COS to short notice taskings such as Trawls, Parliamentary Questions, and HR issues, maintaining organisational agility and resilience. Plan and manage JFT expenditure on behalf of AH JFT, including costs related to exercises, contractors, travel, training, and assets, ensuring financial accountability and alignment with budgetary constraints. Collaborate with the Joint Command and Staff Training (JCAST) Manager to ensure the operational delivery of a fully funded and executable programme aligned with Defence priorities. Maintain oversight of Task Allocation Form (TAF) requests, ensuring compliance with headroom limits. Produce monthly returns to demonstrate efficiencies, cost-effectiveness, and value for money. Oversee the JFT risk portfolio, ensuring that risks associated with organisational objectives, workforce, and funding are proactively identified, assessed, and effectively managed. Provide monthly updates to AH JFT. Manage the JFT workforce onboarding, overseeing all personnel assignments into and out of the organisation. Lead on the recruitment and integration of Military Reservists and Civil Servants. Coordinate the weekly schedule and reporting activities. Supporting the central IWC COS to short notice taskings such as Trawls, Parliamentary Questions, and HR issues, maintaining organisational agility and resilience. Person specification Evidence of experience working in a fast-paced environment with business management skills experience. Ability to deliver high level workforce forecasts and advice to 1* and AH area. Knowledge of Military and Civilian Workforce policy/process. Able to provide policy advice and guidance to Senior Officials on people and workforce. Able to work as part of a team and individually in a busy, fast-paced role. Strong understanding and experience of current MOD policy and procedures. Strong partnering, collaborating and influencing skills. Excellent analytical and critical thinking skills. Excellent presentation and communication skills, both verbal and written. Strong organisational skills. Ability to prioritise, work under pressure and to meet strict deadlines. Excellent IT skills, including word-processing, PowerPoint, and spreadsheets. Being able to carry out tasks autonomously. Previous experience of working in the Northwood and/or Whitehall environment is beneficial. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Managing a Quality Service Changing and Improving Making Effective Decisions Working Together Communicating and Influencing Alongside your salary of £36,530, Ministry of Defence contributes £10,582 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. Highly competitive pension scheme (28.97% contribution). Flexi-time scheme upon completion of 6 months service or the Line Manager has the ability to adopt flexible working sooner than the 6 month period. With Line Manager agreement move to an alternative Working Patterns (there are 9). 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service. If by chance you have previously completed service in the Public Sector in the past 5 years, you may be eligible to request 30 days leave immediately. (Evidence will be required). In addition to annual leave you will be entitled to 8 Public Bank Holidays per year. Professional and Personal Development of skills with the opportunity to undergo Apprenticeships. Opportunity to join more than one of our many networks (Race, LGBT, Gender, Disability and Faith & Belief). Special Paid Leave for community volunteering up to 12 days a year for Special Constables and 6 days a year for other volunteering. Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave. 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. Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed. 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 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 (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience. It is highly recommended you focus by providing one example for each behaviour. We would also advise you to use examples that best meet the criteria, even if they are a few years old, using the STAR methodology. We are looking for evidence using the Situation, Task, Action, Result (STAR) Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience. Candidates will be required to provide a Personal Statement. (500 max words) At sift, you will be assessed against your CV and or Personal Statement the following : Managing a Quality Service Changing & Improving Making Effective Decisions Working Together Communicating and Influencing If a large number of applications are received, you may only be assessed against your CV and Personal Statement. At interview, you will be assessed against the following Success Profiles Behaviours: Managing a Quality Service Changing & Improving Making Effective Decisions Working Together Communicating and Influencing Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview. 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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use. 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. 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. 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. 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 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. 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 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. 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 : Robert Barnes Email : robert.barnes639@mod.gov.uk Telephone : - 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.