Head of Electronic Systems Certification – Military Aviation Authority

Job summary

Part of the Defence Safety Authority (DSA), the Military Aviation Authority (MAA) is the organisation responsible for the regulation, surveillance, inspection and assurance of the Defence Air operating and technical domains. It ensures the safe design and use of military air systems.

As the single regulatory authority responsible for regulating all aspects of Air Safety across Defence, the MAA has full oversight of all Defence aviation activity. Through independent audit and continuous surveillance of military aviation, the MAA aims to provide the Secretary of State for Defence (SOS), through Director General DSA (DG DSA), the necessary assurance that appropriate standards of Air safety are maintained in delivering operational capability.

The Certification Division (Cert Div) has responsibility for: developing the regulation and undertaking certification of all new military air systems and Major Changes as defined by regulation to type designs; developing the regulation for and undertaking assurance of aircraft structural, propulsion and systems integrity; the sponsorship, management and maintenance of UK aircraft design and airworthiness standards; and developing the regulation for and undertaking assurance of ships’ aviation facilities and capabilities, acting as the Naval Authority – Aviation as defined in JSP 430.

This post is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

We are seeking an experienced and motivated leader to head our Electronic Systems (ES) Branch within the Military Aviation Authority (MAA). This is a senior role at the centre of aviation safety and regulation, responsible for shaping how critical air systems are assured across the military air environment.

As Head of Branch, you will lead a multidisciplinary team providing regulation, certification assurance, and expert advice across avionics systems, aviation software, air traffic management equipment, aircraft weapons integration, and systems integrity. You will play a key role in ensuring that these complex systems meet the highest standards of safety, performance, and compliance.

You will set direction, manage resources, and develop your team to deliver high-quality outputs while ensuring value for money. Alongside this, you will act as the Project Certification Lead for Electronic Systems, scrutinising technical evidence and providing recommendations to support airworthiness certification decisions. You will contribute to the development and maintenance of regulation relating to systems integrity and air traffic management within the military aviation domain.

This is an opportunity to influence policy, lead technical assurance at scale, and work at the forefront of military aviation safety.

Person specification

You will be a credible technical leader with a background in engineering or system safety, and experience in airworthiness or aviation systems. You should be comfortable operating across multiple disciplines and engaging with a wide range of stakeholders.

Essential Criteria

• A degree (or equivalent qualification) in a relevant field such as electronic, aerospace, or software engineering, or system safety is essential.
• To meet the requirements for Chartered Engineer (CEng) status. If you are not yet CEng, you will be expected to achieve it within 12 months, with full support provided.

Desirable Criteria

• A master's degree (or equivalent qualification) in a relevant field such as electronic, aerospace, or software engineering, or system safety is essential.
• Knowledge and experience of the MAA Regulatory Publications.
• Have had recent engineering experience with military aircraft or employed in their support.
• Experience in Engineering Project Management.

Qualifications

A degree (or equivalent qualification) in a relevant field such as mechanical, electronic, aerospace, or software engineering.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

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

• Airworthiness Competence Set - ACS1 Core Function

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £61,630, Ministry of Defence contributes £17,854 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 average employer contribution of 27%
• 25 days annual leave increasing to 30 with each year of service, plus public holidays

Subject to MOD policy and annual review, this post is likely to attract a Recruitment and Retention Allowance (RRA). Please note that this post does not automatically receive the RRA as this is a discretionary allowance and the post holder must meet the eligibility criteria.

RRA will not start on your commencement date.

Once you have met the requirements to be assessed as SQEP and you have been provided with a Letter of Delegation (LoD), you will be considered for RRA. The RRA Panel meet 4 times a year, so there can be a delay between being assessed as SQEP and getting the 1st payment.

RRA is reviewed annually, and whilst there is considerable support to keep it, it can be removed. The current value is £5,000 per year, paid monthly; again this is subject to annual review.

The MAA will encourage and support your Continued Professional Development. Training and development opportunities will be provided relevant to your role once in post. The role will include opportunities for overseas travel and engagement with our international partners, particularly within NATO.

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 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.

If you wish to apply for this vacancy, you must submit your application by 23:55 on the closing date.

The initial application will consist of your CV and statement of suitability.

If this interests you, click on the link to apply and submit your CV which demonstrates your Career History, Qualifications and Key Achievements.

A statement of suitability is also required (no longer than 750 words) which demonstrates the below criteria;

Essential Criteria

• A degree (or equivalent qualification) in a relevant field such as mechanical, electronic, aerospace, or software engineering, or system safety is essential.
• To meet the requirements for Chartered Engineer (CEng) status. If you are not yet CEng, you will be expected to achieve it within 12 months, with full support provided.

Desirable Criteria

• A master's degree (or equivalent qualification) in a relevant field such as electronic, aerospace, or software engineering, or system safety is essential.
• Knowledge and experience of the MAA Regulatory Publications.
• Have had recent engineering experience with military aircraft or employed in their support.
• Experience in Engineering Project Management.

Once submitted your application will be acknowledged by the Government Recruitment Service.

A panel will then assess your application (CV and statement of suitability) to see if you are a good match for the role.

Failure to address any or all of the Essential/Desirable criteria specified in the advert may affect your application.

Sift results are expected to be released 2 weeks from closing date.

If successful at sift, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed against the following Success Profiles elements;

Behaviours:

• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace

Experience:

• CV
• Statement of Suitability

Technical:

• Airworthiness Competence Set - ACS1 Core Function

Interviews will take place no later than 4 weeks after the closing date, details to be confirmed.

Full details of the assessment process will be made available to shortlisted candidates.

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.

There may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all DCS candidates that meet the minimum criteria for the job. For example, in certain recruitment situations such as a high volume of applications, seasonal demand, or peak periods, the employer may wish to limit the overall number of interviews offered to both DCS and non-DCS applicants.

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.

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. Please refer to the attached Candidate Information guide.

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

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 : Capt Paul Johnson (RN)
• Email : paul.johnson724@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

Airworthiness_Competence_Set Opens in new window (pdf, 397kB)Defence Civil Service Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)Defence Internal Brief notice Opens in new window (docx, 43kB)Candidate Information Opens in new window (docx, 32kB)