Asia Pacific and Americas Geospatial Information Team Lead

Job summary

As part of the National Centre for Geospatial Intelligence, the Defence Geographic Centre (DGC) provides geographic information, services, and liaison support to UK Defence and the wider intelligence community. The organisation delivers comprehensive production, collection, information management, and dissemination capabilities, staffed by specialist Defence Geographers.

The Information Branch ensures the Ministry of Defence’s global Geospatial Information (GEOINF) holdings are assessed, managed, maintained, and supplied to meet DGC research, analysis, contingency, and Request for Information (RFI) needs, as well as wider MOD and cross-government requirements.

This role leads the Asia Pacific and Americas Area Team, with responsibility for evaluating incoming GEOINF, integrating it into global holdings, maintaining data integrity, and providing specialist GEOINF expertise.

This role is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

Main Responsibilities:

• Manage DGC GEOINF hardcopy and digital holdings for the Asia Pacific and Americas regions in line with established policies and business processes.
• Provide specialist geospatial advice on MOD Geospatial Library holdings to support and fulfil RFIs.
• Conduct quality assurance to ensure accurate and consistent cataloguing of geospatial materials.
• Guide team members on procedures, data management practices, and metadata standards.
• Work with key stakeholders to identify gaps in DGC holdings and inform future collection strategies.

This position has line management responsibility for four staff.

In Defence Intelligence (DI) our people solve problems, create understanding and give perspective to the diverse and complex Defence threats and challenges in a rapidly changing world. Together our civilians and military personnel inform decision making in Defence, manage complex finance programmes and develop new technology.

In DI we believe your unique experiences, view and understanding of the world could provide a vital perspective and contribution to our work. We recognise that great minds do not think alike and are striving to increase our diversity representation at all levels. As an equal opportunities employer we hire, train and promote people based on merit and inspire to create an inclusive workplace free of discrimination. We also offer flexible working arrangements such as flexi-time, job share and compressed hours.

Please note: DGC, MOD Feltham is permanently closing and relocating to RAF Wyton, in line with the scheduled site closure, 31 October 2026. Existing DGC MOD Feltham candidates that currently have a permanent duty station at MOD Feltham applying on level transfer or promotion will be entitled to relocation allowances. If the successful candidate is non-mobile, a request must be submitted to the PRIDE2 Change Panel before accepting any provisional offer made.

This position does not come with relocation allowances / support for any non-DGC, MOD Feltham based candidates, or Cross Government candidates or External candidates.

The permanent duty station of this role is RAF Wyton. MOD Feltham is relocating to RAF Wyton under PRIDE 2, with relocation ongoing until 31 Oct 26. Due to the nature of this role, the successful candidate will be required to travel to MOD Feltham and be in the office 100% of the time until approximately October 2026 and will be allowed to claim Travel and Subsistence.

All jobs advertised in DI are subject to fair and open competition.

Person specification

We are seeking a highly organised and motivated Geospatial Information Team Lead with the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria:

• Experience of working within a geospatial environment and with Foundation data.
• Experience of working with GIS tools.
• Excellent communication skills, both in person and via virtual platforms.
• Proven ability to prioritise tasks and adapt to meet organisational requirements.
• Attention to detail and ability to undertake quality assurance checks.
• Ability to work independently and collaborate effectively with a broad range of stakeholders.
• Proficient IT skills, particularly in MS Word and Excel.

Desirable criteria:

• Knowledge of the Parsons Map Classification System.

Behaviours

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

• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions

Technical skills

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

• Defence Geographer 1 - Understanding Foundation GEOINT - Practitioner
• Defence Geographer 3 - Managing Foundation GEOINT - Practitioner

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

• Defence Geographer 1 - Understanding Foundation GEOINT - Practitioner

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.

We offer a range of excellent benefits including but not limited to the following:

• All successful candidates will be eligible to join the Civil Service Pension Scheme with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
• Leave entitlement - 25-day annual leave allowance per year increasing by 1 day per year (maximum 30 days per year). In addition, 8 statutory Bank Holidays and 1 privilege day per year.
• Complementing our generous annual leave allowance, we also have a flexible working scheme.
• Additional working pattern options – we have a strong culture of flexible working and encourage all employees to have a healthy work/life balance. We offer a wide range of potential working patterns, including part time, job share and compressed hours. These need to be balanced with business needs so they will vary from job to job. If you would like to know more, please speak to the Recruiting Line Manager.
• Professional Development - We are committed to your continued professional and personal development with learning as one of our core values.
• Health and Wellbeing – We offer the staff the use of the site gymnasium facilities.
• We also offer an excellent range of family-friendly benefits, for example, enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave.
• Special Paid Leave to volunteer up to 6 days a year.
• Free car parking; and other facilities such as a Sports & Social Club.

Please note: DGC, MOD Feltham is permanently closing and relocating to RAF Wyton, in line with the scheduled site closure, 31 October 2026. Existing DGC MOD Feltham candidates that currently have a permanent duty station at MOD Feltham applying on level transfer or promotion will be entitled to relocation allowances. If the successful candidate is non-mobile, a request must be submitted to the PRIDE2 Change Panel before accepting any provisional offer made.

This position does not come with relocation allowances / support for any non-DGC, MOD Feltham based candidates, or Cross Government candidates or External candidates.

Please Note:

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.
• 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, Experience and Technical skills.

Applicants should apply for this role online, via the website.

Assessment at sift and interview will be based on meeting any defined skill/qualification requirements along with a Success Profile element assessment, as detailed in the job advert. The Success Profile elements to be assessed will be outlined within the job advert. The Civil Service Success Profile Framework is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles

At sift, applicants will be sifted against the following Technical skill:

Technical skill:

• Defence Geographer 1 - Understanding Foundation GEOINT - Practitioner

Experience:

Candidates will also be sifted against the following experience criteria:

All applicants will need to provide a personal statement, of no more than 750 words, including evidence of the essential and desirable criteria requested within the job advert.

When completing your personal statement, please read and understand the requirements described in the Person Specification section thoroughly, as this is what your written evidence will be assessed against.

Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc. You may choose to address each criteria separately or have examples that cover and evidence several criteria. Please ensure you evidence the requirements and what you have done that relates to the requirements. You don’t have to explain the whole process, focus on what you have done and the skills and experience you have used. Share with us what makes you suited to this role and why, what you can do and the technical and behavioural skills you have that correspond to the requirements, and life experience or passion you have that are linked to this role.

At interview, applicants will be sifted against the following Civil Service Behaviours and Technical skills

Behaviours:

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills:

• Defence Geographer 3 - Managing Foundation GEOINT - Practitioner

Further information:

We would generally expect Behaviour examples to follow the STAR structure and encourage candidates to use this throughout their application.

The sift should take place within two weeks of the job closing and candidates will be informed of the results, at all stages, via the website. Interview dates are to be confirmed.

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

If the successful candidate does not hold the necessary clearances, they will be made a provisional job offer and asked to undergo our vetting procedures. Once the relevant clearances have been obtained a formal job offer will be made and start dates can be discussed. Should the candidate fail to obtain the relevant clearances the provisional job offer will be rescinded. It should be noted that this process can take several months

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 developed vetting (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 : NCGI Recruitment Team
• Email : ukstratcom-di-ncgi-recruitment@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

NCGI Candidate Information Pack - NCGI STN Opens in new window (pdf, 437kB)Defence Geography Competency Framework 2019v1 Opens in new window (pdf, 2531kB)Candidate Information Opens in new window (docx, 32kB)Defence Civil Service Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)