Merville Barracks, Colchester, CO2 7UT We are passionate about Smarter Working and believe that a combination of flexible working practices, digital technology and modern workspaces will give you the opportunity to enjoy a healthy work-life balance, while ensuring you deliver your outcomes effectively and efficiently – we expect you to know where to be to have the most impact, balancing your individual needs with that of your team and the organisation. However, recognising the benefits of face to face working, especially for new joiners, there is an expectation that you would be in the office at least 60% of the time (3 days a week). Job Summary The Ministry of Defence employs over 50,000 Civil Servants. Within that, with responsibility for an annual budget of over £10bn, the Army is a major part of the Ministry of Defence and one of its largest operating centres who employ around 12,000 Civil Servants located at over 300 locations supporting the 110K regular and reserve soldiers across the Army. This Civil Service workforce is diverse, with many different functions and professions ranging from police officers, security guards, trainers, human resources, teachers, and psychologists to storekeepers, financiers, project and programme managers, and policy secretariat staff. 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team (16 AA BCT) is the Defence’s Very High Readiness organisation specifically trained to deploy on operations at short notice worldwide. Headquarters 16 AA BCT is looking for an outgoing and motivated individual, with strong inter-personal skills and an eye for detail, to be part of an innovative and high-performing team with a focus on providing outstanding customer service to join us a Grade 2 Staff Officer. The vacant post is a full-time position and advertised at 37 hours per week. Job Description The Staff Officer Grade 2 Military Secretariat (MS) is the focal point within the Brigade for advice to Service Personnel, line managers and the chain of command with regards to appraisals and Honours and Awards. As the Staff Officer Grade 2 Military Secretariat you will be the lead on all aspects of military career management for Service Personnel within the Brigade working in close liaison with higher formations. You will provide timely advice and guidance to the Brigade Commander and subordinate Units, to ensure all Service Personnel are provided with the best career opportunities. Your Responsibilities Will Be: Lead Staff Officer for the Brigade on State and Honours and Awards. Raise timetable for submission into the HQ; undertake accuracy checks on nominations; provide feedback; deliver secretariat duties to the Brigade Assurance Board; in order to ensure nominations are submitted on time Ownership and coordination of mid-term and annual appraisals processes across a wide range of ranks (Regular and Reserve) within 16 AA BCT. Raise timetable for boards and report submissions; convene, set up and deliver secretariat duties for gradings boards; raise reports and conduct detailed assurance and compliance checks throughout; provide advice and guidance as required; in order to ensure reports are submitted for finalisation on time Work closely with 16 AA BCT Org Branch on workforce planning. Forecasting and elevating risks of staff gapping to Brigade Command in a timely fashion. Lead for managing future staffing within the HQ in consultation with the chain of command and higher authority Lead for maintaining the Workforce Tracker to reflect upcoming changes in personnel. Ensure Pre-Employment Training Requirements are met or in hand Custodian of Job Specifications library. Work with job owners to ensure responsibilities are updated to reflect changes to roles and are mirrored in appraisals Provide timely submissions to higher authority for appointment boarding Work closely with 16 AA Brigade Org Branch and higher formations to manage all aspects of Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) recruiting and extensions to contract Lead on the processing of Honorary Colonels, keeping track of correspondence between MS Honours Branch and Brigades for the appointment and extension of Honorary Colonels Line Manager for the MS Admin Clerk The Staff Officer Grade 2 Military Secretariat (MS) is the focal point within the Brigade for advice to Service Personnel, line managers and the chain of command with regards to appraisals and Honours and Awards. As the Staff Officer Grade 2 Military Secretariat you will be the lead on all aspects of military career management for Service Personnel within the Brigade working in close liaison with higher formations. You will provide timely advice and guidance to the Brigade Commander and subordinate Units, to ensure all Service Personnel are provided with the best career opportunities. Your Responsibilities Will Be: Lead Staff Officer for the Brigade on State and Honours and Awards. Raise timetable for submission into the HQ; undertake accuracy checks on nominations; provide feedback; deliver secretariat duties to the Brigade Assurance Board; in order to ensure nominations are submitted on time Ownership and coordination of mid-term and annual appraisals processes across a wide range of ranks (Regular and Reserve) within 16 AA BCT. Raise timetable for boards and report submissions; convene, set up and deliver secretariat duties for gradings boards; raise reports and conduct detailed assurance and compliance checks throughout; provide advice and guidance as required; in order to ensure reports are submitted for finalisation on time Work closely with 16 AA BCT Org Branch on workforce planning. Forecasting and elevating risks of staff gapping to Brigade Command in a timely fashion. Lead for managing future staffing within the HQ in consultation with the chain of command and higher authority Lead for maintaining the Workforce Tracker to reflect upcoming changes in personnel. Ensure Pre-Employment Training Requirements are met or in hand Custodian of Job Specifications library. Work with job owners to ensure responsibilities are updated to reflect changes to roles and are mirrored in appraisals Provide timely submissions to higher authority for appointment boarding Work closely with 16 AA Brigade Org Branch and higher formations to manage all aspects of Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) recruiting and extensions to contract Lead on the processing of Honorary Colonels, keeping track of correspondence between MS Honours Branch and Brigades for the appointment and extension of Honorary Colonels Line Manager for the MS Admin Clerk Person specification The ideal candidate will be well organised and will possess strong communication skills in both written and verbal form. They will be able to quickly build good working relationships with a variety of partners, both internal and external to the organisation and be able to provide support to a wide range of people of different backgrounds. You will have good Information Technology skills, including basic Microsoft Office 365, and have excellent time management skills. You can use your initiative to prioritise work with minimal direction whilst maintaining an excellent attention to detail. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Managing a Quality Service Changing and Improving Delivering at Pace Seeing the Big Picture We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form: Managing a Quality Service 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. The Army prides itself on being a supportive employer and where possible encourages flexible working, helping you to maintain a great work/life balance. Other Benefits For Army Civil Servants Include: 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service Highly competitive pension scheme Personal and professional development of skills Alternative working patterns for many roles Access to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), a free service that assists you with achieving a productive, healthy environment that is conducive to a healthy lifestyle Enhanced parental and adoption leave 6 days special leave per year which can be used for volunteering activities Learning and Development We believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference and you will be supported to help you learn and advance in your career. This includes working towards membership of a professional body and/or undertaking a modern apprenticeship as part of your role. A modern apprenticeship is a combined package of work and training. Through the schemes available you will gain a professional qualification, practical experience, and the broader skills required to develop in your current role and pave the way for your future career. 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, Ability and Experience. At Application: Candidates will be required to complete an online Civil Service Judgement test. The Civil Service Judgement Test is not bankable and therefore must be taken on every vacancy where it is applied. Should you be invited to complete the online tests, please allow sufficient time to complete the tests and the remainder of the full application form; only candidates who are successful at the test stage will be invited to complete the remainder of the application by clicking ‘Submit Application’. Your application must be completed by 23:55 on the closing date of the vacancy. Late submissions cannot be accepted. The tests are not timed, as they work by giving you harder questions if you answer the previous question correctly, and easier if you get it wrong. You should allow up to an hour for each test, and each test must be completed before you will be invited to complete the second part of your application. Internet access will be required for the duration of the test. Please refer to the attached Candidate Guidance for further information. Candidates That Reach The Minimum Required Pass Mark Will Have Their Results Saved As a Banked Score Against The Following Tests: New Civil Service Verbal Test New Civil Service Numerical Test When a candidate has a banked score they’re not asked to re-take the same test providing it is set at the same level. Scores will be banked for a 6 month period from the date of test completion. If a candidate is invited to take the same test against multiple vacancies, the banked score will be recognised against all vacancies and all active applications will progress. CSJT scores cannot be banked as each test is generated from the behaviours required for a specific role which will vary between recruitment campaigns. If you require any particular arrangements (for example due to a disability or health problem) to be made in order for you to complete the online test you MUST contact the DBS Enquiry Centre on 0800 345 7772 BEFORE accessing the online test. Opening times Mon -Friday 0800- 1600 hrs. If successful, you will then need to provide a CV and a personal statement of no more than 500 words demonstrating your suitability for the role providing evidence of your skills in making effective decisions, communicating, organising, time management and building relationships with customers. At sift, you will be assessed against your CV,Statement of suitability and the following behaviour: Managing a Quality Service At interview you will be assessed against the following behaviours: Changing and Improving Delivering at Pace Managing a Quality Service Seeing the Big Picture Application sifting will be scheduled to take place within 7 days of the application closing date. Interview dates are to be confirmed but these will be held in person at Merville Barracks. We endeavour to keep to these time frames, but these are subject to change around business needs. 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 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, Ability 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 : Claire Kerr Email : Claire.Kerr102@mod.gov.uk 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.