Army - Discipline Executive Officer

Job summary

The Discipline Team within HQ London District (Army) is a small team of 4 comprising of both military and civilian personnel. The team is responsible for ensuring the effective tracking and monitoring of Warning Sanction, Service Law and Service Complaint matters across the units which come under London District in accordance with extant policy and Key Performance Indicators. It is also responsible for ensuring incoming casefiles and applications from units are quality assured and staffed up the Chain of Command accordingly, along with undertaking the administration and casework required of the Service Complaint cases in which HQ London District are responsible for.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

This role provides essential administrative and casework support within the HQ London District Discipline Team, helping to ensure the effective management of Service Law, Warning Sanction and Service Complaint matters across the District. Maintain case records, quality assure submissions, manage key administrative processes and liaise with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. Working with sensitive and often complex information, you will contribute to the timely progression of disciplinary and complaints casework, support reporting and performance monitoring, and help ensure compliance with Army policy, information management requirements and key performance indicators.

Main Role Responsibilities:

• Provide high quality administrative and casework support to Discipline Higher Executive Officer (HEO) and the wider team. This will at times involve handling both disciplinary and Service Complaint casefiles, ensuring their timely expedition in line with extant policies and timeframes. Given the nature of the work, discretion is key, and the successful applicant will be expected to be competent in handling sensitive information.
• Responsible for regularly maintaining the Discipline Diary and ensuring its weekly promulgation to key individuals. You will also be expected to act as a point of contact, responding to and following up any enquiries.
• Responsible for ensuring day-to-day administrative activities are carried out and maintained. Such duties include ensuring files are submitted to APSG for archiving in a timely manner, ensuring the effective management of the shared mailbox and carrying out in depth quality assurance checks regarding incoming casefiles and applications.
• Be responsible for updating and maintaining the HQ LONDIST Discipline SharePoint site, ensuring information contained on it is extant and relevant, and is in line with information management and security policies and procedure.
• Undertake all areas of Service Complaint casework where required in accordance with extant policy, guidance and timeframes. Such tasks include putting together requests for 0IS Investigators and staffing them up accordingly, assisting in the production of Terms of Reference for Decision Bodies, ensuring monthly updates and update notes are completed accordingly, carrying out the redaction and disclosure of documents and acting as a point of contact for both internal and external stakeholders.
• Act as a point of contact for all units and provide high quality guidance and support where required regarding all aspects of Service Law, Warning Sanction and Service Complaint matters in line with extant policy and procedure.
• Responsible for engaging with both internal and external stakeholders to obtain updates regarding ongoing criminal cases where required.
• Responsible for the management and expedition of discharge matters in accordance with policy and relevant deadlines. Support in production of statistical data and analysis and briefings is part of this role.
• Be the point of contact regarding information management matters, ensuring that they are proactive in keeping up to date with any developments and or updates in this area and briefing Discipline accordingly. Responsible for carrying out any related actions required of them such as ensuring their training is in date, and that relevant logs are kept up to date and completed.
• Assist in the timely production of the Discipline Matrix ahead of the monthly Discipline Matrix meeting and which will be used to brief the Chain of Command.

Person specification

Essential Skills Required:

• It is a busy team in which you will need to be resilient
• Well organised and can balance conflicting priorities.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills
• Given the nature of the work, discretion is key, and you will be expected to be competent in handling sensitive information.
• Good IT skills are essential. MOD In House systems are used in this role and training will be provided if required.

Desirable Experience:

• Previous experience in a similar environment would be an advantage but not essential as training will be provided.

Behaviours

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

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

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £30,740, Ministry of Defence contributes £8,905 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).

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.

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 Behaviours and Experience.

Before submission of your application you will be required to complete an online Civil Service Judgement test.

Candidates will be required to proivide a statement of suitability in no more than 500 words detailing how you meet the essential skills criteria.

At sift, you will be assessed against your Statament of suitability and the following Behaviours:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Where a large number of applications are received, an initial sift may be conducted against the Communicating & influencing only. The remaining evidence submitted at the application stage will be assessed only if you are successful at this initial sift.

At interview, you will be assessed against the following Behaviours:

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

Application sifting will be scheduled to take place within 7 days of the application closing date. Interview dates are to be confirmed and will be held in person. We endeavour to keep to these time frames, but these are subject to change around business needs.

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.

There may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all DCS candidates that meet the minimum criteria for the job. For example, in certain recruitment situations such as a high volume of applications, seasonal demand, or peak periods, the employer may wish to limit the overall number of interviews offered to both DCS and non-DCS applicants.

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.

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.

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 : John Forde
• Email : John.Forde444@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

EVP Army TLB Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 3851kB)MOD Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)Defence Internal Brief notice Opens in new window (docx, 25kB)Candidate Information Pack Opens in new window (docx, 31kB)