Business Manager: United States Visiting Forces Support Group

Job summary

An opportunity has arisen to be part of a team that provides corporate and business support to Air Command civil servants and military personnel employed on and in support of nine United States Visiting Forces (USVF) sites in the UK. This team reports into the station commander RAF Marham, who is dual hatted as the USVF Support Group commander. The USVF Support Group’s mission is to support the USVF in achieving their missions. The Support Group includes the USVF headquarters element, with the Senior RAF liaison officer, who line manages the RAF Commanders, who are the UK military liaison at each USVF station, Community Relations Advisors, under a Chief Community Relations Advisor, who assist in maintaining and developing the British American relations within the local communities and Business Support Teams, who are responsible for administrative support to the civil servants embedded within the US workforce at each of the stations.

The post is responsible for business management and financial activities across the USVF Support Group (USVF Spt Gp) organisation. This is a vital and varied role at the centre of our operation in support of USVF activity. This is also a challenging role so we are seeking a dynamic person who will review and deliver the business management activity of the USVF Spt Gp to ensure all aspects meet with Government requirements and are efficient and effective in delivering outputs and supporting the diverse and disparate elements of the USVF Spt Gp. To fulfil this role the incumbent will need to identify, establish and develop a network of partners within the USVF Spt Gp, Air Command, the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, and with our US counterparts to support them in their role.

The role is based at Headquarters Air Command, RAF High Wycombe where you will be working alongside and supporting the USVF Spt Gp Corporate Services and Engagement Manager, and the Senior Engagement Manager. Located near the village of Walters Ash, there are good public transport links with regular bus services to/from Aylesbury and High Wycombe, although free car parking on site is also offered. Some travel to the USVF sites and RAF Marham will be required to carry out this role.

This position has Line Management responsibilities.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

As the USVF Business Manager, you will provide business and resource management advice to support decision making, using the existing Arrangement between the MOD and United States Air Forces Europe (USAFE) as the baseline.

This post is part of the Corporate Services and Engagement Team, but will also have a functional reporting line directed to the Stn Cdr Marham/USVF Spt Gp Cdr on all business and financial management issues. You will be a principal advisor to the Stn Cdr Marham/USVF Spt Gp Cdr and will be part of the USVF Spt Gp Executive Committee.

You may be called on to brief and advise all Execs within the USVF Spt Gp on matters relating to Governance and Assurance, In Year Management and the Annual Budgetary Cycle. You will provide data to and liaise with No 2 Gp HQ, Air Finance Business Partners (FBP) and Finance Ops and the Corporate Governance (CG) team at HQ Air Cmd. You may also be called upon to brief business management updates to our UK embedded civil servants based on USVF sites during the USVF Spt Gp Cdr Town Halls.

You will be responsible for reviewing, implementing and developing policy and processes across the USVF Spt Gp organisation to ensure that the USVF Spt Gp is compliant, assured and robust in its financial and business management. You will also be expected to contribute to the ongoing organisation and governance review to ensure that the USVF Spt Gp can effectively and efficiently support the USVF missions as the UK embedded civil service workforce draws down.

You will maintain awareness of business management and financial policy changes including those affecting workforce planning assumptions and headcount reporting on PB&F, requiring engagement with the FBP workforce.

Person specification

It is essential for the successful applicant to be able to demonstrate:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, as the role involves engagement with a wide range of stakeholders within Air Command, wider MOD and USVF. Experience of working with civil service and military colleagues would be an advantage.
• A proven understanding and application of Microsoft Office suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Sharepoint).
• Effective interpersonal and team working skills and the ability to work with colleagues at all levels, including senior internal and external stakeholders.
• Capable of working independently, with limited supervision.
• Resilience, with the capacity to work at pace and under pressure, often completing tasks within short time frames.
• Flexible, organised and adept at managing competing priorities and willing to apply your skills to a range of tasks across the team.

If not already held, the successful candidate will also be expected to undertake the following training as soon as possible after taking up post (training will be provided)

• Functional Competencies FCF1- Understanding the Principles of Government Finance
• Functional Competencies FCF2- Financial Governance.

It is desirable for the successful applicant to be able to demonstrate:

• Working knowledge of ePC, CP&F and OTC (Order To Cash)
• Previous experience in a finance or business management role.

The successful candidate must hold a full valid UK driving licence.

Licences

Full UK Driving Licence

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Changing and Improving
• Managing a Quality Service

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.

• An environment with flexible working options Monday-Friday
• 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years' service (pro rata). In addition to 8 public holidays per year, you will also receive leave for the King's birthday
• Hybrid working, where role permits
• An opportunity to be considered for Reward & Recognition.
• Family friendly policies including parental leave and adoption leave
• Learning and development tailored to your role
• Professional and personal development of skills
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• Minimum of 15 days special leave in a rolling 12 month period for volunteer reserve commitments
• Special paid leave to volunteer up to 6 days per year
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Subsidised membership to a fitness suite and lunchtime/evening Military led fitness classes
• Café and shop on site
• Free car parking on site

Hybrid working - Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this 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; qualification details and previous skills and experience.

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability (500 word count).

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

• Leadership
• Changing and Improving
• Managing a Quality Service.

If there is a high volume of applications we may only sift on statement of suitability, Leadership and Changing and Improving.

At interview you will be assessed against the following:

Behaviours:

• Leadership
• Changing and Improving
• Managing A Quality Service

Experience:

The panel interview will also comprise of a 5 minute presentation (without the use of visual aids) based on a question to be advised when invited to interview. The presentation will be marked against the Communicating and Influencing criteria.

All applicants will be contacted via Civil Service Jobs to advise of the outcome.

Interview

Interviews will take place in person at RAF High Wycombe.

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.

The interview panel will then assess you against the essential criteria for the role using a blend of Behaviour and experience based questions. The specific Behaviours tested at interview will be Changing and Improving, Managing a Quality Service, and Leadership.

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

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 : Lynne Machray
• Email : lynne.machray100@mod.gov.uk
• Telephone : 03033816524

Recruitment team

• Email : dbscvpers-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

20201013-Air Command Candidate Information Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 316kB)20230201 - Air Command's Applicant Guide (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 499kB)MOD Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)Candidate Information 2025 Opens in new window (docx, 31kB)