Army - Military Secretariat

Job summary

Joint Aviation Command (JAC) sits within Army but is a Tri-Service organisation which operates worldwide and has multiple rotary wing aircraft and Uncrewed Aerial Systems. This is a diverse environment that may allow the successful incumbent to visit JAC units around the UK and overseas. Personnel comprise of a mix: Regular service, full-time and part-time Reserve service military personnel from the Royal Navy, RAF and Army and civil servants covering a number of specialisms.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

As SO3 Military Secretariat (MS) you will be a key member of the Joint Aviation Command (JAC) J1 Personnel team charged with the management and coordination of all tri-Service MS activity within the JAC, using JPA as the primary IT system, with particular focus on JAC HQ, AAvn Stds & 22 Sqn.
This post enables regular interaction with a broad range of ranks, especially OF5 and 1* personnel within JAC HQ and across the Command and provides opportunity to gain experience of higher grade tasks by supporting SO2 Military Secretariat (MS). The J1 branch handles a variety of topics, including: Service Discipline and Org - opportunities may also be available to learn about these areas and take on projects relating to these.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide Subject Matter Expert guidance to Reporting Officers, Subject Officers, and administrative staff on policy, procedures and standards pertaining to the military appraisal reporting system.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with: RN, Army & RAF Desk Officers; Force Commanders and personnel.
• Raise and manage appraisal reports (ARs) for all military personnel within JAC HQ, ensuring timely completion and chasing late returns.
  • Also coordinate those from the wider Command which require input from HQ personnel.
• Direct and control the Mid-Period Appraisal Review (MPAR) process for JAC HQ, ensuring timely completion and chasing late returns.
• Manage Chief of Staff JAC’s MS requirements ARs, MPARs, ensuring that they are briefed on relevant changes to policy and completes required actions within the associated timelines.
• Coordinate 3 annual JAC grading conferences including pre-conference admin and distribution of revised grading sheets.
• Manage and update the MS Database for all JAC personnel that are reported on by any JAC HQ Reporting Officers, utilising up to date Assignment Orders to ensure accuracy of reporting requirements.
• Management of Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) Hierarchies and Roles & Responsibilities for personnel in JAC HQ.
• Support with Honours and Awards submissions and provide cover in periods of absence.

Person specification

Essential Skills Required:

• Strong verbal and written communication skills are essential, as you will have regular interactions with a range of tri-service, (Army, RAF & Navy) personnel from across the Joint Aviation Command, directing them to undertake, quite often, time sensitive tasks.
• Knowledge and recent practical experience of the following essential criteria: IT Literate with Microsoft packages, e.g. SharePoint, Excel, Word, Outlook, and Teams
• Ability to clearly convey complex MS policies, procedures and timelines to a wide tri-Service audience.
• Ability to interpret policy, assess information from multiple sources, and apply it accurately.
• Maintains tracking systems to ensure timely delivery and minimise delays.
• Ensure accuracy in personnel records, appraisal documentation, and JPA hierarchy management.

Desirable Skills and in role training:

• Previous experience of JPA is desirable, but training will be given via the essential MS Reps Course which is run by the Army Personnel Centre Glasgow. This is to be completed within the first few months of starting the post and will be attended virtually.
• There is also further opportunity to develop through the development schemes offered to the Civil Service.
• Mandatory training as per current departmental policy.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

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.

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

• Communicating & Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

Where a large number of applications are received, an initial sift will be conducted based on the evidence you provide in support of the behaviour Making Effective Decisions.

The remaining elements will only be reviewed if you are successful at this initial sift.

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating & Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

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.

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 McGiveron
• Email : Rebecca.McGiveron847@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)