Defence Risk and Assurance (DRA) - Risk and Assurance Professional

Job summary

Work at the centre of Defence, helping to strengthen how risk and assurance support strategic decision-making, prioritisation and delivery across the Department.

This role sits within Defence Risk and Assurance (DRA), Defence’s Risk Centre of Excellence. DRA supports the Chief Risk Officer in strengthening risk management, assurance and governance across Defence and provides advice, challenge and insight to senior leaders.

As a Risk and Assurance Professional, you will manage a portfolio of Defence business areas, using analysis, judgement and business partnering to help senior stakeholders understand their risk exposure, assurance needs and opportunities for improvement. You will translate complex information into clear insight and contribute to reporting for senior governance forums, including Executive Committee, the Defence Board and the Defence Audit, Risk and Assurance Committee.

This is a stretching opportunity for a high-performing SEO or experienced HEO ready to operate with greater autonomy, build senior stakeholder confidence and develop expertise in risk, assurance and governance at the centre of Defence.

You do not need to be a risk or assurance specialist to apply. We are looking for someone with strong analytical ability, sound judgement, clear communication skills and the confidence to work constructively with stakeholders on complex issues.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

As a Risk and Assurance Professional within DRA, you will own a portfolio of Defence business areas and help provide a clear, evidence-based view of risk, assurance and control effectiveness across the Department. You will work closely with senior risk owners, risk teams and colleagues across DRA to identify key issues, strengthen the quality of risk information and support better-informed decisions.

A key focus of the role will be turning complex information into clear, practical insight for senior leaders. You will use evidence from business partnering, reporting cycles and assurance activity to identify trends, gaps, interdependencies and areas where action or improvement may be needed.

You will also contribute to the development of Defence’s Risk Centre of Excellence by helping improve risk and assurance policy, guidance, tools and ways of working. The role offers strong exposure to senior governance and is well suited to someone looking to build the skills and experience needed for future leadership roles in risk, assurance, governance, policy, finance or corporate delivery.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Manage a portfolio of Defence business areas, building effective relationships with senior risk owners, risk teams and other stakeholders to understand their priorities, risks and assurance needs.
• Provide proportionate challenge and practical advice to improve risk assessments, mitigations, assurance activity, governance arrangements and the quality of risk information.
• Analyse and quality assure risk, control, mitigation and assurance information, identifying themes, gaps, interdependencies and issues requiring escalation or senior attention.
• Use evidence and judgement to produce portfolio assessments and contribute to clear, timely and decision-focused reporting for senior governance forums.
• Support stakeholders to improve the maturity and consistency of risk management, drawing on Defence policy, wider government good practice and practical insight from across the Department.
• Contribute to the development of Defence’s Risk Centre of Excellence by supporting improvements to risk and assurance policy, guidance, tools, learning products and ways of working.

Person specification

When giving details in your employment history and personal statement, you should highlight your experience in line with the essential criteria. You do not need to be a risk or assurance specialist to apply. We welcome applications from candidates with transferable experience in policy, finance, governance, assurance, audit, performance, project delivery, strategy or corporate roles.

We are looking for someone who can analyse complex information, build strong relationships, communicate clearly and provide constructive challenge. You should be comfortable working with ambiguity, managing competing priorities and producing high-quality advice and insight for senior audiences.

Essential criteria:

• Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills, with the ability to assess complex evidence, identify key issues and draw clear, balanced conclusions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce clear, concise and influential advice, briefing or reporting for senior, technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to build collaborative relationships, influence stakeholders and provide constructive challenge in a professional and proportionate way.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, work across organisational boundaries and deliver high-quality outputs at pace.
• Experience of using evidence, data or management information to support decision-making, reporting, governance or problem-solving.
• An interest in developing professional knowledge in risk, assurance, governance or a related discipline.

Desirable Qualifications:

A relevant risk, audit, assurance, accountancy, governance or finance qualification would be helpful, but is not essential. We welcome candidates who are qualified, working towards a qualification, or able to demonstrate equivalent professional experience. Relevant qualifications may include:

• Qualified, or willing to work towards, the IRM Certificate in Enterprise Risk Management, or an equivalent risk qualification.

• A relevant audit, accountancy, governance or assurance qualification, such as a CCAB or CIMA qualification, or equivalent.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service

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

• Communicating and Influencing

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).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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.

Candidates will be required to complete an online Verbal test and Civil Service Judgement test.

The Civil Service Judgement Test is not bankable and therefore must be taken on every vacancy where it is applied.

Should you be invited to complete the online tests, please allow sufficient time to complete the tests and the remainder of the full application form; only candidates who are successful at the test stage will be invited to complete the remainder of the application by clicking ‘Submit Application’. Your application must be completed by 23:55 on the closing date of the vacancy. Late submissions cannot be accepted. The tests are not timed, as they work by giving you harder questions if you answer the previous question correctly, and easier if you get it wrong. You should allow up to an hour for each test, and each test must be completed before you will be invited to complete the second part of your application. Internet access will be required for the duration of the test. Please refer to the attached Candidate Guidance for further information.

Candidates that reach the minimum required pass mark will have their results saved as a banked score against the following tests:

• New Civil Service Verbal Test

When a candidate has a banked score they’re not asked to re-take the same test providing it is set at the same level. Scores will be banked for a 6 month period from the date of test completion. If a candidate is invited to take the same test against multiple vacancies, the banked score will be recognised against all vacancies and all active applications will progress.

CSJT scores cannot be banked as each test is generated from the behaviours required for a specific role which will vary between recruitment campaigns.

If you require any particular arrangements (for example due to a disability or health problem) to be made in order for you to complete the online test you MUST contact the DBS Enquiry Centre on 0800 345 7772 BEFORE accessing the online test.

Opening times Mon -Friday 0800- 1600 hrs.

At sift, you will be assessed on the following:

• A CV
• Personal Statement (750 words maximum) to include evidence of the essential criteria
• Communicating and Influencing

In the event of a high number of applications, the initial sift may be conducted on the Personal Statement only.

At interview,you will be asked to deliver a short presentation, with the topic and any supporting information shared in advance. You will also be assessed against the following Success Profile Behaviours:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service

Further information:

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 : Danielle Atkinson
• Email : danielle.atkinson105@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

Candidate Information Opens in new window (docx, 32kB)Defence Internal Brief notice Opens in new window (docx, 43kB)Defence Civil Service Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 1563kB)