Defence Business Services (DBS) - Senior Operations Manager

Job summary

Are you a dedicated person who is passionate about making a difference?

Would you like to work for the Ministry of Defence?

Defence Business Services (DBS) is one of the largest shared service organisations in Europe that provides a wide range of corporate services, to over 1.2 million end users, including serving and past military and families, as well as MoD civil servants and industry. DBS delivers large scale administration and smaller specialist services to enable the wider MOD to focus on its core aims, maintaining the UK’s Defence and Security. Services include Human Resources, Pay, Veterans, Finance and Procurement.

• Our Vision - To support UK defence customers with outstanding service every time.
• Our Mission - Together we will proudly support Defence, continuously improving and delivering flexible, timely, sustainable and value for money services that underpin the whole force and enhance operational capability.

DBS is committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues. We are building an inclusive culture and respectful environment that reflects the diversity of the society.

We want to maximise the potential of everyone who chooses to work for us through opportunities to develop your skills and experience. We also offer a range of flexible working patterns and support to make a fulfilling career accessible to you and offer a Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%. Where your role permits, we support a blended working approach alternatively known as hybrid working.

Come and join the DBS community today!

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

What do Armed Forces & Veterans Services (AFVS) do?

Work with delivery partners to provide a range of trusted and efficient services to both service personnel and Veteran’s communities. For current serving members of the Armed Forces this includes:

• Personnel support processes;
• Pay, Pensions and Allowances;
• The Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre;
• The MoD Medals Office.

For service Veterans and their dependants we provide support by administering the Armed Forces Pensions Schemes, compensation payments for those injured or bereaved though service, and providing a package of welfare for Veterans. We also provide information and support to service leavers and their families as they leave the Armed Forces and transition to civilian life. We also manage the Ilford Park nursing home for Polish Veterans and their families.

We are an organisation which strives to deliver exceptional customer experience, robust Operational Delivery, Leadership and Management skills, which underpin our ways of working. This role is for a Senior Executive Officer, in Compensation Operations in Armed Forces and Veterans Services leading and managing operational end to end delivery of the War Pensions Scheme (WPS) against agreed KPIs. You will lead c.100 Civil Servants (grades AA-HEO).

Knowledge of the War Pension Scheme (WPS) or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) is desirable.

Responsibilities:

• Proactively lead and manage the operational delivery of all War Pensions or Compensation Scheme based work, ensuring resources are motivated, trained and focused on the best customer experience;
• Provide accurate, timely advice and information to make critical business decisions to ensure competing deadlines are met;
  Support DBS business governance protocols, including interpreting MI to optimise performance against KPIs, as determined within the DBS Operating Model and adherence to agreed process models;
• Build and maintain effective relationships with internal business stakeholders, OGDs, Third Sector partners and wider DBS and MoD to enable AFVS objectives to be delivered;
• Co-ordinate Continuous Improvement Programmes to ensure an effective contribution to drive better joined-up working, realising more efficient and improved customer experiences.
• Lead and inspire people through a significant change portfolio e.g. WPS Transformation and Recovery of acceptable holding levels ‘back to green’. Champion CI and wider change initiatives with energy and pace to assure positive customer experience.
• Support Senior Leaders in AFVS Operations, being flexible to changing demands.
• Adherence to DBS Policy and Procedure, timely and where appropriate effectively managed e.g., Supporting Attendance, Reward and Recognition, Performance Management, and Development to build capability.

Person specification

Applicants must be able to demonstrate:

• Experience of managing a large team and significant change in a complex organisational environment.
• Excellent Leadership Skills.
• Have highly effective written and oral communications and develop effective rapport with colleagues and representatives at all levels, including presenting to all levels.
• Excellent problem solving and analytical skills.
• Experience of strategic level Operational Delivery.
• Experience working in a customer facing organisation.
• We are looking for OpDel professionals who are confident and capable of leading, at the strategic level, to deliver through others, who can build and maintain effective working relationships, who enable an environment to motivate and empower and who are aware of wider business goals

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions

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

• Leadership
• Changing and Improving

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 (opens in a new window).

• 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 His Majesty The King’s birthday
• Hybrid working where role permits
• An opportunity to be considered for Reward and 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 average employer contribution of 27%

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.

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.

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.

Please ensure that at the application and interview stages of the campaign you review the Success Profiles Framework to assist you in the demonstration of your skills and experience.

Your suitability for the role will be assessed using the Success Profile elements that have been chosen for this campaign. Each element will be scored accordingly, and the successful candidate will be appointed on merit.

Applications will be sifted on all Success Profile elements, but in the event of a high number of applications, an initial sift will be conducted on the following success profile elements:

Primary: Career - Personal Statement

Secondary: Behaviour - Leadership

At application stage you will be assessed against the following:

Behaviours:

• Leadership
• Changing and Improving

Experience:

• CV
• Personal Statement Please provide information of how you meet the criteria set out in the job description. You may wish to further include examples of how you have tackled similar tasks or demonstrated the skills outlines in the job advert. (750 Word max)

Shortlisted candidates at application stage will be invited to an assessment centre at Tomlinson House, Norcross. We’ll assess you through individual and team exercises, including an interview, aligned to our behaviours listed below. There will be no reimbursement of any travel expenses for the assessment centre.

Assessment Centre:

Behaviours:

• Leadership
• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions

Priority order - Interview

In the rare case where individuals have exact matching scores, the order of merit will be determined based on the behaviour scores at interview in the following order:

1 - Career - Job History
2 - Career - Qualification Details
3 - Career - Previous Skills
4 - Behaviour - Leadership
5 - Behaviour - Changing and Improving
6 - Behaviour - Communicating and Influencing
7 - Behaviour - Managing a Quality Service
8 - Behaviour - Making Effective Decisions

Priority order - Application

If candidate scores are still exact, the merit order will then be determined on the sift score in the following order:

1 - Career - Job History
2 - Career - Qualification Details
3 - Career - Previous Skills
4 - Career - Personal Statement
5 - Behaviour - Leadership
6 - Behaviour - Changing and Improving

Sift and interview timeframes

Sift start date: Mid September

Assessment Centres are currently taking place via the following method: Face to face

Assessment Centre: Late September

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.

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 basic (or equivalent) 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 : Adam Monk
• Email : adam.monk105@mod.gov.uk
• Telephone : 07929399431

Recruitment team

• Email : DBS-EnhancedRecruitmentTeam@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles and would like to raise this, please contact DBS-EnhancedRecruitmentTeam@MOD.gov.uk in the first instance. If the role has been advertised externally (outside of the Civil Service) and you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitm…

Attachments

Candidate Information 2025 Opens in new window (docx, 31kB)MOD Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)Defence Internal Brief notice Opens in new window (docx, 43kB)