Post Room Operative

Job summary

As a Post Room Operative you will based within the Garrison Post Room and will be responsible for administrating the incoming and outgoing mail service on the garrison. You will work within a small team to ensure mail reaches its required destination in a safe, secure and timely manner.

Blandford Garrison Support Unit sits within The Defence School of Communications and Information Systems (DSCIS) under the Defence College of Technical Training (DCTT), which is responsible for delivering all technical training across Defence to meet the operational demands of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force.

DCTT has 2,500 military, civil service and contractor staff based across six locations and we value our diverse and inclusive workforce. We encourage mutual respect, actively foster kindness and fairness, and promote a healthy work-life balance. We invest in our people, offering career and personal development opportunities and recognising staff efforts and commitments.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week Monday to Friday. Due to the nature of this customer facing role, remote/flexible working will not be possible.

Job description

Key duties include (but are not limited to):

• Handle incoming mail, recording tracked parcels and letters into the relevant Form 810. Collating all other mail into the pigeon slots for departmental collection.
• Covering and assisting the Supervisor of the Post Room where possible.
• Chasing individuals on collection of parcels, by email, once the Supervisor has provided a list.
• Drive and deliver/collect mail from designated points of the Garrison. (Van Run)
• Providing a robust and efficient service to the busier Garrison departments, with high levels of incoming and outgoing mail.
• Provide a friendly and efficient over the counter service to Garrison personnel collecting work based and personal mail. Checking identification and signatures to uphold mail security.
• Keeping notice boards up to date and relevant. Keeping staff calendars up to date. Preparing for the yearly audit.

Person specification

We are looking for a proactive and detail-orientated individual who thrives in a small team environment.

The ideal candidate will:

• Be enthusiastic, self-motivated and provide excellent customer service to a wide range of stakeholders
• Be a collaborative team player with an awareness of the importance of supporting colleagues
• Demonstrate strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise workloads
• Possess good attention to detail ensuring accuracy and consistency in all aspects of their work
• Be able to work as part of a team but occasionally without supervision

This role involves being on your feet for the majority of the day, and some lifting and carrying is involved. Manual Handling training will be given and equipment provided for heavy loads.

Licences

Essential :
Full Cat B UK Driving Licence - Happy to drive a small van/car around the Garrison area only.

Behaviours

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £24,549, Ministry of Defence contributes £7,111 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 and career aspirations.
• An environment with flexible working options.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
• 25 days paid annual leave rising by 1 day per completed year of service to a maximum 30 days.
• Eight public holidays per year, plus 1 day’s grant leave for HM The King's birthday.
• Ability to roll over up to 10 days annual leave per year.
• 6 days special leave per year for volunteering activities.
• A wide range of Defence discounts, such as Healthcare, Insurance, Motoring, company discounts with Virgin, Vodafone, and Microsoft Office. Find more discounts at https://discovermybenefits.mod.gov.uk/civilian/all-benefits/
• Advance of pay to purchase travel season tickets or ‘cycle to work’ scheme (upon completion of 6 months service).
• Over 60 growing staff Networks to join.
• Enhanced maternity, parental and adoption leave.
• Employee Assistance Programme to support your wellbeing.
• Gymnasium (contributory membership) with up to date cardiovascular and static weight equipment and Gym classes.
• On-site retail catering outlets offering refreshments as well as subsidised staff canteens.
• Subsidised cinema showing latest releases.
• Free onsite parking.
• Free access to Royal Signals Museum

Please note:

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.

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 qualification details.

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability (500 words).

At sift, candidates will be assessed against their CV and Statement of suitability.

At interview, candidates will be assessed against the following:

Behaviours:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together

Please note:

• If successful at sift, candidates will be called forward for an interview at Blandford Camp, date to be confirmed.

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 : Mrs Sam Tai
• Email : Sam.tai163@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam5@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

20230201 - Air Command's Applicant Guide Opens in new window (pdf, 499kB)Defence Civil Service Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 1563kB)Candidate Information Opens in new window (docx, 32kB)Defence Internal Brief Notice Opens in new window (docx, 39kB)