Army - Defence Children Services (DCS) Business Manager, Cyprus

Job summary

Defence Children Services (DCS) is a Defence delivery organisation, subordinated under Army Regional Command. Our Vision is that we Educate the Child – Support the Family – Defend the Nation. HQ DCS is UK based at Trenchard Lines, Upavon and has forward deployed staff all over the world. DCS is responsible for the education and care of children of accompanied Service and Defence entitled personnel in MOD schools and settings; provides advice and guidance in respect of education for service families in the United Kingdom and the wider world.

The Schools Interface Service (SIS) is made up of multi-disciplinary teams of functional specialists who support the provision and business of DCS schools and settings. The Service is led by the Assistant Head (Schools Interface Settings). SIS includes teams who specialise in the finance and budgeting for schools and settings, the management and development of buildings, the security and accuracy of our online presence, the development and maintenance of our IT network, the production and analysis of the data available to support education and care. We deliver the Resource Management processes that enable our schools and settings to function efficiently across the world.

The forward deployed Business Manager is based in Cyprus Headquarters and works within the School Business Team (SBT) located in Upavon. The School Business team is made up of school and MOD finance and resources specialists and led by the School Business Team Leader. The School Business Team are responsible for the finance and budgets of DCS schools, settings and Headquarters; procurement and asset management; fees and invoicing and for financial reporting to Regional Command.

The Ministry of Defence employs over 50,000 Civil Servants. Within that, the Army Top Level Budget (TLB) employs around 7,000 MOD Civil Servants located at over 300 locations. Ours is a diverse workforce, with roles ranging from trainers, human resources, teachers, and psychologists to storekeepers, financiers, project and programme managers, and policy secretariat staff. There are many different functions and professions delivering key outputs for the Army. As such using data to aid understanding of our workforce is vital.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week. This is an established MOD post within Cyprus and any Cypriot Nationals will not be eligible to apply as a UKBC (UK British Civil Servant).

This is a 3 year tour, with the option to extend to 5 years.

Job description

The post holder is responsible to the SEO School Business Team Leader, and will also provide locational support and guidance to the Assistant Head, Cyprus. The job holder is a member of the School Business Team and provides a first line support and advice service to DCS teams on non-educational activities.

Key responsibilities:

• Provide the SIS, including School Business Team, with situational awareness of any geographical considerations that may impact delivery of DCS services
• Act as a conduit between HQ Upavon and locational DCS service delivery; whilst working as an integral part of the Cyprus team to provide cohesive advice and guidance to DCS Schools and Settings, Commands and other stakeholders.
• Deliver non-educational team support and guidance to DCS teams based in location, including; Finance & Procurement; HR; Info & Data and Infrastructure and soft FM issues
• Provide advice and guidance to schools and settings on the allocation of resources and spending plans in respect of use of public and non-public funds and ensure resources are procured through recognised MOD sources and enabling contracts and all purchasing is in line with MOD procurement guidelines
• Train new School Business Managers & Setting Managers to ensure they understand the role particularly with regards to financial approvals, reporting, procurement and compliance arrangements
• Provide first level HR advice and guidance, signposting where appropriate
• Support the recruitment process for UKBCs particularly in the on-boarding of newly appointed personnel
• Ensure policy changes are communicated out and accessible for all personnel
• Provide Subject Matter Expert guidance on local arrangements such as claims procedures
• Verify systems are in place to ensure schools and settings expenditure commitments are supported by proper requirement and financial scrutiny checks in line with extant letters of delegation
• Where appropriate, liaise on support service contracts such as catering, cleaning and estate management
• Assist schools to identify/develop new requirements by reviewing business cases to ensure they are robust
• Provide advice on initiating estates procedures and works approvals
• Line management of DCS Early Years Business Co-Ordinator and DCS Cyprus HQ Office Manager
• You will be required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post

If you need to contact Defence Business Services (DBS) regarding this vacancy, please indicate that your vacancy is being handled by Resourcing Team 1. If you experience any technical difficulties with the CS Jobs system, please contact the Support Team at candidate@support.oleeo.com

Person specification

This role will require the successful candidate to have strong finance skills and to be proactive and collaborative. The successful candidate will possess excellent communication skills and be able to develop and maintain good working relationships with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders. You will adopt an innovative and flexible approach to solving problems, be a self-motivator who can demonstrate initiative and be able to manage to strict and demanding deadlines. You will have high standards of professional integrity, be resilient, determined, confident and energetic. You will be committed to the delivery of excellent customer service, with the ability to adapt your approach as the situation demands and be able to develop a knowledge of a range of subjects.

Essential Skills:

• Highly Numerate with excellent attention to detail and accuracy
• Strong analytical skills, able to evaluate information and data to drive continuous improvement
• Good communicator, able to communicate at all levels both with finance and school teams, verbally and written
• Ability to prioritise and deal with complex information and to work to deadlines
• Excellent IT skills including Excel (essential), and O365

Desirable Skills

• Practical experience in a resource allocation or budget management function
• Experience of applying effective analytical and problem solving skills
• Experience of complying with policy and procedures
• Experience of working in an educational environment
• Evidence of commitment to roles undertaken and ownership of the outcomes achieved
• Problem solving skills and the ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands

If not already held, the post holder is expected to achieve the Financial Skills Certificate (Foundation) within 3 months of taking up post.

Licences

Full UK Driving Licence

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

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.

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.

Discover My Benefits:

Please follow the link to visit the Discover My Benefits site which showcases the benefits and discounts offered when working as a civilian for the MOD. https://discovermybenefits.mod.gov.uk/civilian/

This post offers full relocation allowances subject to availability. Cost of Living Overseas Allowances is payable based on personal circumstances and marital status.

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.

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 Behaviours and Experience.

At sift you will be assessed on knowledge, skills and experience of the essential criteria detailed in the Personal Statement and the following Civil Service Behaviours; Making Effective Decisions and Communicating and Influencing.

In the event of a high number of applications meeting the threshold for essential criteria; we will solely sift just on Personal Statement Scores.

At interview you will be assessed on your experience along with the following Behaviours; Leadership, Managing a Quality Service and Delivering at Pace.

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.

This vacancy will be assessed at HEO grade.

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.

The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and 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.

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.

The role currently being advertised has been assessed as business critical. Applications are accepted from candidates who meet the eligibility criteria listed in the advert, including from those who will require sponsorship to enable them to work legally in the UK.

Please note the Civil Service Nationality Rules will also need to be met. The Civil Service Nationality Rules operate independently and in addition to the UK Immigration Rules and must be met before an individual can take up employment in the Civil Service. The Civil Service Nationality Rules do not apply to UK, Irish and Commonwealth nationals, or to those who are eligible to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme but do apply to all other nationalities- including EU/EEA nationals who are ineligible to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.

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 mitigation's can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

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 Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

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.

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 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 : Rebecca Goddard
• Email : Rebecca.Goddard108@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-ResourcingTeam1@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please see Further Information document attached

Attachments

20250908_DCS-SIS-SBT-C2-FDBM(CYP)_School Business Manager Cyprus (00184535)JD-O Opens in new window (docx, 63kB)20241009 - Further Information - External (1) Opens in new window (docx, 34kB)Defence Civil Service Offer (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)