Approvals and MI Coordinator

Job summary

About the Role

Strategic Finance Investment Approvals (SFIA) supports Defence's most significant investment decisions through the provision of independent advice, approvals coordination, and management information. SFIA is also a key part of the emerging Approvals & Scrutiny Centre of Excellence, bringing together approvals and scrutiny expertise from across Defence.

We are looking for an organised and proactive Approvals and MI Coordinator to support Defence's investment approvals process, coordinate decision-making forums, and develop management information that supports effective oversight of the approvals portfolio.

This is a unique opportunity to gain exposure to some of Defence's highest-profile and most strategically important programmes while working with a wide range of stakeholders across Finance, Military Capability, Project Delivery, Requirements, Scrutiny, and Assurance.

What You'll Gain

• A detailed understanding of how Defence's major investment decisions are made.
• Regular engagement with senior civilian and military leaders.
• Experience supporting high-profile investment and business case decisions.
• Opportunities to develop expertise in approvals, management information, and decision support.
• Experience contributing to the development of the new Approvals & Scrutiny Centre of Excellence.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

Key Responsibilities

• Support the planning and delivery of decision-making forums, including the Investment Approvals Committee (IAC) and IAC Nuclear.
• Maintain oversight of the approvals pipeline and support forward planning of approvals activity.
• Produce and analyse management information and performance reporting for senior leaders and stakeholders.
• Build effective relationships with approvals stakeholders across Defence to improve reporting and information sharing.
• Support the development of the Approvals & Scrutiny Centre of Excellence and continuous improvement of approvals processes.
• Identify opportunities to improve ways of working through better use of data, digital tools, and emerging technologies.
• Contribute to Parliamentary Questions, Ministerial Correspondence, and Freedom of Information Requests where required.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities to challenging deadlines.
• Experience of analysing, managing, or reporting data and management information.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to produce accurate, high-quality outputs.
• Proactive and adaptable, with a willingness to identify and implement improvements.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of providing secretariat, business support, or business administration to senior meetings or boards.
• Experience of working with management information, reporting tools, or data visualisation products.
• Knowledge of approvals, assurance, governance, or project delivery processes.
• Experience of using digital tools to improve processes and ways of working.
• Knowledge of Defence or wider Government business case and approvals processes.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,720, Ministry of Defence contributes £10,927 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• 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%

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and working from home as part of a non-contractual hybrid working arrangement. All office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to site capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD workplace, will also count towards this level of office attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this and other flexible working arrangements 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.

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

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Strengths, Ability and Experience.

Stage 1 - Test

Prior to submitting your application, you will be asked to complete both a Verbal and Numerical ReasoningTest. The Success Profile we use for this is Ability, which helps us to understand your aptitude for a particular type of work and predict future performance.

The tests are scored automatically. You will be told if you have achieved the pass benchmark. If you have, you will then be invited for complete the remainder of the application.

Stage 2 - Sift

An initial sift of applications will be carried out to create a shortlist. This will be based on the evidence provided for the following Success Profile element: Experience.

In your application form we'd like you to:

Write a CV: tell us about your employment history, including key responsibilities and achievements.

Write up to 250 words on how you meet the Desirable Criteriaas listed in the Person Specification. This is not essential for the role but we may consider it where candidates have the same score at interview.

Write a Personal Statement of 500 words: tell us, using specific examples, how you meet the Essential Criteria as listed in the Person Specification.

We'd encourage you to use the full word count, and to give us clear examples and evidence of the different elements of the essential criteria.

We're committed to being diverse and inclusive, so please make sure your application is anonymous by removing all identifying personal information (such as your name and age) from your personal statement.

Once the advert has closed, we will sift applications - this involves reading through them all, so please bear with us as this can take some time.

We may raise the score required if we receive a high number of applications.

At sift we may choose to take through the highest performing candidates to the next stage. If, after the final stage is completed and roles are unfilled, we will proceed to invite lower scoring candidates to interview.

Stage 3 - Interview

We use a blended interview technique, allowing us to find out more about you. We use the Success Profile framework and at interview we will use Success Profiles assessing the Experience listed in the advert, and Strengths.

Strengths are not shared in advance as we want to see your first, natural response.

Successful candidates form the sift stage will be invited for a virtual interview, which will be conducted using Microsoft Teams.

Dates (these are indicative only and could be subject to change)

Closing date: 14th October 2026

Sifting: from w/c 15th October 2026

Interview: from w/c 2nd November 2026

Further information:

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.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into 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.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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

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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil 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 : Jelle Polhout
• Email : Jelle.Polhout100@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.

Attachments

MOD Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1563kB)Defence Internal Brief notice Opens in new window (docx, 25kB)Candidate Information Pack Opens in new window (docx, 31kB)