Communications Information Systems Engineer

Job summary

The MOD's digital teams ensure we remain among the most technologically advanced Armed Forces in the world. We develop and lead in cutting-edge data science, automation and cyber security solutions to protect the UK and its interests, at home and abroad.

Our mission also goes beyond the battlefield by leading humanitarian efforts and driving innovation that impacts lives across the globe.

▶ Watch to find out more about what we do.

Passionate about using your skills to make a critical difference? Your next career move could be here!

The tour length is 4 years, with a possible extension for an additional year.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

The Communications Information Systems Engineers (CIS ENG) consists of a small group of engineers responsible for end-to-end connectivity and local network management, for all fixed communication systems delivered to Headquarters British Forces Gibraltar (HQBFG).

As a Communications Information Systems Engineer, you’ll work to support the delivery of Defence Digital (DD) core outputs, whilst enabling the delivery of military capability, defence operations and business operations for the HQBFG community.

Responsibilities

• Provide full technical service and support for all DD supported fixed telecommunications systems, within HQ British Forces Gibraltar, by ensuring end to end connectivity and availability, in accordance with the HQBFG site agreement.
• Support the installation of new systems in accordance with the request for change process. Ensure all installations are completed to the standards set in MOD policy and the full Coordinating Infrastructure Design Authority (CIDA) and Electronic Change Request (ECR) process is adhered to.
• Maintain close working relationships with all stakeholders (system users, the primary customer, delivery teams and DD community) by:
  1. Supporting and providing advice for customer change, new requirements and DD driven change.
  2. Providing Subject Matter Expert (SME) advice on all fixed network/systems issues.
  3. Communicating CIS incidents that are affecting HQ British Forces Gibraltar.
  4. Provide notification and updates of any future circuit disruptions, using the official DD planned outage notification process, if there is a requirement to take a system offline for any period of time.
• As crypto user for CIS ENG supervisor account, be familiar with cryptographic handling instructions, ensuring all processes meet MOD policy standards.
• Be part of an on-call roster, which forms a 24/7/365 support service in accordance with the DD - HQBFG site agreement.

If you need to contact Defence Business Services (DBS) regarding this vacancy, please indicate that your vacancy is being handled by Resourcing Team 1. If you experience any technical difficulties with the CS Jobs system, please contact the Support Team at candidate@support.oleeo.com

Person specification

Please ensure that your CV and application meet the essential criteria below:

• We would expect to see a strong background in fixed telecommunications, with demonstrable experience in this domain.
• You’ll need knowledge of Communication and Information Systems (CIS) and experience of planning and managing CIS services, managing customer expectations and understanding customer needs in line with CIS delivery.
• The ability to build and maintain strong working relationships.
• Great communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Ability to quickly assess information and make credible recommendations at pace.

Additional information

A full UK Driving Licence is essential, due to regular travel between the Defence sites in Gibraltar, many of which are remote and not easily accessible via public transport.

We have fantastic learning and development programmes to gain externally recognised qualifications and if not held already, opportunity may be provided to gain the following when in post:

• ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) v4 Practitioner

Dependent on the business need, there may be a requirement to travel to meetings and/or training in the UK and potentially to other overseas locations.

If not already held, successful candidates will be required to obtain DV clearance prior to taking up employment.

Due to the security requirements this position is open to sole UK nationals only.

Gibraltar – British Forces

British Forces Gibraltar is in place to demonstrate UK sovereignty of Gibraltar and its territorial waters through a combination of presence and posture in order to reassure the Gibraltarians and to enable the maintenance of a Forward Mounting Base (FMB)

British Forces Gibraltar is a community of service personnel, UK based civilians and locally employed civilians. Working as part of a diverse team in a military environment will allow you to develop personal and professional competencies over and above the norm for Defence.

Gibraltar – The Package

In order to provide the optimum balance of opportunity to serve overseas, as well as stability and certainty of role in a changing organisation, the posting to Gibraltar will be for 4 years.

Gibraltar – The Country

Gibraltar is an overseas territory of the UK with a separate Constitution granted to it by the British Parliament. The Government of Gibraltar exercises self-government except in matters of defence, internal security and foreign affairs, which are reserved to the UK, exercised through the Governor.

Gibraltar is situated at the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula. It is strategically positioned at the western end of the Mediterranean, forming one of the ancient Pillars of Hercules. The surrounding countries are Spain on the north and Morocco (North Africa) south, on the opposite side of the strait 24 kilometres (15 miles) away. Gibraltar adjoins the southern coast of Spain. The Rock is composed of Jurassic limestone more than 200 million years old. The official language is English, although Spanish is widely spoken.

If you need to contact Defence Business Services (DBS) regarding this vacancy, please indicate that your vacancy is being handled by Resourcing Team 1.

Licences

Full UK Driving Licence

Evidence will be required at interview.
All qualifications, licences or memberships declared must be held at point of application and if applicable be in date. Equivalents will not be accepted.

Behaviours

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

• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

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

• Technical Understanding

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.

Discover My Benefits:

Please follow the link to visit the Discover My Benefits site which showcases the benefits and discounts offered when working as a civilian for the MOD. https://discovermybenefits.mod.gov.uk/civilian/

Our benefits include:

• Learning and development tailored to your role with a dedicated minimum of 5 days per year.
• 25 days paid annual leave rising (by 1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of five years’ service.
• Ability to roll up to 10 days annual leave per year.
• In addition to eight public holidays per year, you will also receive leave for HM The King’s birthday.
• A Civil Service pension.
• Parental and Adoption Leave.
• Discounts on a range of services within and external to the civil service – Defence Discount Service, Civil Service societies for Sports and Leisure, Healthcare, Insurance, Motoring, Company discounts with Virgin, Vodafone, and Microsoft Office.
• In year rewards and ‘thank you’ schemes such as vouchers and gift cards.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.

Equality and Diversity

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. It’s vital that our workforce reflects the diversity of both our audience and the wider society in the UK, so we’re proud to be an equal opportunities employer and we actively seek candidates from diverse backgrounds and communities.

Defence operates an organisation model in which every individual belongs to a Government Profession. The successful applicant will be posted into one of the defined Government Professions on Standard Terms of Reference for the grade. Defence reserves the right to move individuals between roles, within their allocated profession, to meet the needs of the business and in support of agile resourcing.

Defence is going through a significant transformation programme which aims to improve the way it conducts its business and delivers for Defence and the nation. As a consequence of this, all posts are/will be subject to review and potential changes, as we continuously improve across the period of the transformation programme. These changes may be minor or could be more substantive and will generate new opportunities. Throughout the transformation programme, Defence is committed to following the MOD’s framework on managing and supporting people through the change process and places an emphasis on early and open consultation and engagement with personnel and Trade Unions.

This post offers full relocation allowances subject to availability. Cost of Living Overseas Allowances is payable based on personal circumstances and marital status.

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.

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.

To apply please complete the CV template provided on the CS Jobs dashboard, ensuring it highlights your relevance to the essential criteria listed in the person specification. The sift will be conducted on your CV and personal statement only.

It is essential that all applicants provide a personal statement (1250 words), to be assessed against your responses to the questions listed below. Each one will be scored and make up part of your overall score to assess your suitability to be invited to interview:

1. Describe your experience of simultaneously leading on, or managing, a diverse range of complex Information and Communication Technology (ICT) issues.

2. Demonstrate your experience of working and delivering within an engineering environment, providing first line support for ICT systems.

3. From your own knowledge and experience, demonstrate how you have worked collaboratively across a wide range of stakeholders.

Interviews

We’ll assess you against these behaviours and technical skills during the interview process:

Behaviours

• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

• Technical Understanding

The Digital, Data and Technology Profession Capability Framework used in this vacancy can be found at: Business relationship manager - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework

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.

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. The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and 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 mitigation's can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

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 Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

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 : Defence Digital Talent Acquisition Team
• Email : ukstratcomdd-hr-talentacqdel@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-ResourcingTeam1@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please see Further Information document attached.

Attachments

Candidate Information Pack - Defence Digital Opens in new window (pdf, 10MB)DDat Framework Opens in new window (docx, 12kB)Defence Civil Service Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)20241009 - Further Information - External Opens in new window (docx, 34kB)