Army - Performance and Relationship Management Officer (ACTS)

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.

The Land Warfare Centre (LWC) plays a pivotal role in ensuring the British Army is ready to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. As the hub for military trade and collective training, both in the UK and overseas, the LWC is dedicated to preparing our personnel to deliver operational excellence in response to the evolving needs of the Field Army.

At the heart of the LWC’s success is its Business Centre, which ensures a cohesive and strategic approach to all aspects of the organisation’s operations. The Business Centre provides critical oversight, governance, and performance management, enabling the effective delivery of LWC’s diverse portfolio of programmes, projects, and business outputs. By driving efficiency and ensuring alignment with strategic objectives, the Business Centre is integral to maintaining the LWC’s reputation for excellence.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

Are you ready to take on a pivotal role in supporting the delivery of Army training? This is an exciting opportunity to join the ACTS Management Team, working alongside both military and civilian personnel to oversee contract performance and ensure the effective delivery of training that under-pins the Army’s operational success.

The successful candidate will gain valuable insight into military training operations and how contractual deliverables directly support these critical activities. This role offers a unique chance to make a tangible impact while developing your expertise in contract management and performance over-sight.

This role involves overseeing the strategic performance of the Army Collective Training Service (ACTS)—a £2.5 billion, fifteen-year programme designed to deliver the future collective training solution in partnership with an industry Strategic Training Partner. The successful candidate will ensure contractual obligations are met, drive continuous improvement, and build strong, collaborative relationships with suppliers and stakeholders.

Key responsibilities:

• Provide strategic oversight of the ACTS contract, ensuring performance aligns with contractual obligations and organisational objectives.
• Act as the primary point of contact for performance-related matters, liaising with internal and external stakeholders to ensure alignment.
• Analyse performance data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities, providing regular reports and actionable recommendations to senior management.
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with the Service Provider (SP) to ensure effective contract delivery and issue resolution.
• Engage with stakeholders to assess and improve customer satisfaction, addressing their needs and concerns effectively.
• Conduct regular assessments and analysis of contract performance, identifying gaps and implementing remedial actions where necessary.
• Review and propose enhancements to performance measures, including Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and the Output Specification.
• Monitor supplier performance using Management Information, KPIs, visible checks, and customer satisfaction feedback.
• Ensure the Asset Register is updated to reflect asset condition and criticality, capturing any impacts on performance.
• Lead or support change initiatives to drive performance improvements and adapt to evolving business needs.
• Contribute to formal Learning from Experience (LFE) reviews throughout the contract lifecycle, ensuring lessons learned are captured and applied.
• Provide subject matter expertise (SME) input and support future procurement activities.
• Manage governance processes and ensure compliance with contractual obligations.
• Conduct financial management and scrutinise contract usage to ensure value for money.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, fostering collaboration and trust.
• Confidently manage challenging discussions and drive continuous improvement in contract delivery.
• Chair or attend relevant meetings, ensuring adherence to organisational policies and promoting an inclusive working environment.
• Carrying out line management responsibilities.
• Developing yourself and your team members and sharing your knowledge with others.

Person specification

We are seeking a proactive and skilled professional with expertise in performance management, supplier coordination, and stakeholder engagement.

Essential skills required:

• Contract Management Qualification (or willingness to work towards)
• Demonstratable experience in performance management, supplier management, and stakeholder engagement.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and drive evidence-based decision-making.
• Proven leadership skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels.
• Self-motivated, confident in decision-making, and capable of working independently or as part of a team.
• A flexible and a collaborative attitude to team working, adapting to changing priorities and workloads and supporting the wider team as required.

Desirable skills required:

• Demonstrated ability to manage complex contracts and drive continuous improvement.
• Familiarity with public sector contracts.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving
• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £46,040, Ministry of Defence contributes £13,337 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.

We actively seek to provide an inclusive working environment which gets the best from every member of our team. We recognise team members for their dedication and integrity and encourage diversity of thought, background, experience, and approach.

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
• Gymnasium, with correct Insurance
• Free onsite parking

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.

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history and previous skills and experience.

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability in no more than 500 words detailing your relevant experience in performance management, supplier management, and stakeholder engagement

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

• Communicating & Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Bigger Picture

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

Your CV, Personal Statement, Communicating & Influencing, and Seeing the Bigger Picture evidence will only be reviewed if you are successful at this initial sift.

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

• Changing & Improving
• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together

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 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.

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 : Joanne Swabey
• Email : Joanne.Swabey100@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)Candidate Information Pack Opens in new window (docx, 31kB)