Knowledge Management Exploitation Data Operations

Job summary

The Defence Safety Authority (DSA) is responsible for the regulation of Defence Health, Safety and Environmental Protection, operating under a Charter from the Secretary of State for Defence (SofS). The DSA provides independent assurance, directly to the SofS, that the law is complied with and the policy on safety in Defence is being promoted and implemented whilst Defence activities are conducted. This regulation is achieved through proportional and appropriate evidence-based assessment of the activity that supports Defence’s operational imperatives. The DSA hosts Defence safety regulators across all operating environments, the Defence Accident Investigation Branch (DAIB) and a HQ into a single independent organisation led by a 3* military officer.

The Defence Land Safety Regulator (DLSR) is responsible for safety and environmental protection regulation across 4 specific areas of predominantly land domain activity: Land Systems, Movement and Transport, Fuel and Gas, and Adventurous Training. DLSR delivers against this remit by: tracking, assessing and influencing forthcoming technology and legislative changes; setting Defence Regulations, Codes of Practice and Guidance; conducting independent assurance audits and inspections; licensing high-hazard activities; and if required, taking enforcement action to ensure compliance and support the delivery of operational capability.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

If you’re interested in data and motivated by improving how information is managed and interpreted to support effective, data‑driven decision making, we have an exciting opportunity for you to join the Knowledge Management and Exploitation (KME) team in our Data Operations role.

We are seeking someone to lead on robust data management and reporting, ensuring DLSR works with clean, reliable and well‑structured information. You will design, build and maintain Power BI reports and dataflows, manage end‑to‑end data capture and validation, and ensure internal and external datasets are accurately processed and documented. Your work will provide colleagues across DLSR with clear, dependable data and reporting products to support risk‑based assurance.

As the lead for 2nd Line of Defence Assurance (2LoDA) data gathering, you will manage the flow of information into DLSR systems, maintain key reporting products, and ensure data is handled in line with agreed standards. You will oversee core data sources, support colleagues with data queries, strengthen data governance, and act as the DLSR lead for GDPR matters. You will use Microsoft tools such as Excel, Power BI, SharePoint and other Microsoft 365 platforms to improve data quality, consistency and accessibility across the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

The successful candidate will:

• Lead on the capture, cleansing, validation, and management of external datasets and 2LoDA data used across DLSR.
• Work with external data providers to obtain accurate, timely data and resolve data quality issues.
• Integrate data into DLSR systems in a consistent, compliant manner, maintaining clear documentation.
• Manage and develop internal and external facing Power BI reports and data flows, ensuring outputs are accurate and up to date.
• Monitor dataset refreshes, troubleshoot issues, and liaise with data suppliers and stakeholders.
• Act as the lead for GDPR within DLSR, promoting good practice in handling personal data and ensuring compliant processes.
• Work with the DSA Data Protection Officer to maintain documentation, address risks, and strengthen data protection controls.
• Use Excel, Power BI, SharePoint, and Microsoft 365 tools to improve how data is collected, stored, and accessed.
• Identify opportunities to streamline processes and improve the efficiency and reliability of data flows.
• Communicate clearly with colleagues about data issues, provide advice and support, and contribute to the continuous improvement of data practices across DLSR.

Person specification

The successful candidate will be confident working with data from multiple sources, with the ability to cleanse, validate and manage information accurately. They should be comfortable using Excel, SharePoint and Power BI, have strong attention to detail, and be able to identify and resolve data issues. Good communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively are important, along with an understanding of GDPR and how it applies to handling data. Experience with regulatory data or low‑code tools is helpful but not essential.

Essential Skills:

• Experience working with and managing data from different sources.
• Confident using Excel for data manipulation and Power BI for managing datasets or report refreshes.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to identify data quality issues.
• Good communication skills and ability to work well with others.
• Understanding of GDPR principles and how they apply in practice.

Desirable Skills:

• Experience working with regulatory or assurance‑related data.
• Familiarity with data governance processes.
• Some exposure to low‑code tools such as Power Apps or Power Automate.

Behaviours

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

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture

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.

• 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%
• Alternative working practices such as working from home
• 25 days annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
• Ability to roll over up to 10 days leave per year
• In addition to 8 public holidays per year you will also receive leave for HM The King's birthday
• Enhanced parental and adoption leave
• Employee Assistance Programme to support your wellbeing
• Learning and development tailored to your role
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• Special paid leave for volunteering up to 6 days per year
• Employee Assistance Programme to support your wellbeing - a free service that assists you with achieving a productive, healthy environment that is conducive to a healthy lifestyle
• On-site gymnasium (for a small monthly fee for membership of Civil Service Sports Club)
• Loan to purchase a Bicycle (Advance on Salary)
• Defence Sports & Recreational Association (DSRA)
• Access to Defence Discount Service & Blue Light Discount
• On-site Nursery (Abbey Wood, Bristol)

Hybrid working will be supported on an informal, non-contractual and voluntary arrangement, blending a balance of expected attendance in the workplace (at permanent duty station) and working from home to meet business needs and with management approval.

At the DSA, we are committed to equal employment opportunities and building a diverse and inclusive workforce. As an Equal Opportunities Employer recruiting solely based on merit; we strive to eradicate bias and search for all types of talent. We work diligently to ensure every social group can feel included; our dedication to diversity is evident across our organisation and reflects our vision of fostering an inclusive workforce that harnesses the power of difference to safeguard our nation's security and stability.

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 and Experience.

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history and previous skills and experience.

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability in no more than 1250 words.

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

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture

In the event of a high volume of applications, an initial sift will be based on the Personal Statement. Where the required standard is met, you will continue to be sifted on the remaining behaviours/CV, in the event your application is successful at the initial sift.

At interview, you will be assessed against your Experience based on your CV and Statement of suitability and the following Behaviours:

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture

Interviews are expected to take place at MOD Abbey Wood North.

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.

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

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 : Rosie Massingham
• Email : Rosie.Massingham100@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

MOD Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)Candidate Information Pack Opens in new window (docx, 31kB)