RAF Career Management Admin Support Officer

Job summary

Would you like a job where your work makes a genuine difference to the lives and careers of RAF personnel and their families?

This is an exciting opportunity to join a friendly, energetic and supportive team at the heart of Royal Air Force People. We manage the careers of 30,000 RAF personnel, supporting those who deliver Defence outputs in the United Kingdom and around the world.

You will work alongside military personnel and fellow civil servants in a busy but rewarding environment where no two days are quite the same. Your contribution will help ensure that RAF personnel receive timely, accurate and professional career support throughout their service.

You will be joining an inclusive team that values good ideas, welcomes different perspectives and believes that people perform at their best when they feel supported, trusted and able to enjoy coming to work.

The role offers variety, responsibility and the opportunity to build valuable experience within the Ministry of Defence. You do not need to arrive with detailed knowledge of the RAF or military Career Management. We will give you the support and training needed to develop your confidence and succeed in the role.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Alternative Working Arrangements such as Flexible and Remote working available in discussion with Line Management.

Job description

As an RAF Career Management Admin Support Officer, you will help the team deliver a professional and responsive service to RAF personnel and their managers.

Your work will be varied and may include:

• supporting a range of Career Management activities and processes;
• using digital systems to process information and support team outputs;
• preparing and maintaining accurate records, correspondence and documentation;
• communicating with RAF personnel, military managers and civilian colleagues;
• responding to routine enquiries and directing people to the right source of advice;
• supporting activities relating to assignments, appraisals, promotions and amendments to Terms and Conditions of Service;
• identifying opportunities to improve the way the team works; and
• providing flexible support across the wider Career Management team when priorities change.

We are a dynamic team seeking to continually modernise and improve the service we provide to our people. As such, the exact balance of work may evolve according to the needs of the team, giving you the opportunity to influence your activity and gain experience across several areas, rather than being limited to one repetitive function.

Person specification

We are more interested in your attitude and potential than in whether you have worked in Defence before.

You could be a great fit for the role if you:

• enjoy being part of a team and helping others succeed;
• communicate clearly and professionally, both verbally and digitally e.g. emails;
• can organise your workload and manage competing priorities;
• take pride in producing accurate, high-quality work;
• are comfortable using, or willing to learn, digital systems;
• remain calm and helpful when the team is busy;
• are willing to ask questions, learn and take responsibility for your work; and
• bring a positive, inclusive and flexible attitude.

Previous administrative experience may be helpful, but detailed knowledge of the is not required.

Full role-specific training and support will be provided.

Essential Criteria

You must be able to demonstrate:

• effective electronic and verbal communication;
• ability to work collaboratively as part of a team;
• good organisation and attention to detail; and
• familiarity with Microsoft 365 applications, particularly Outlook, Word, Excel and Teams.

Desirable Criteria

The following would be useful but are not essential:

• experience of providing administrative or customer support;
• experience of handling records or sensitive information accurately and securely;
• experience of using artificial intelligence to assist with basic, every day tasks.

Behaviours

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

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

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £27,866, Ministry of Defence contributes £8,072 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.At the application stage, you will be assessed against the following criteria, listed in priority order:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing

Where are large number of applicants are received, candidates will be sifted at the application stage using these two behaviours.

At the interview stage, you will be assessed against the following criteria:

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

Application sifting will be scheduled to take place within 7 days of the application closing date. Interview dates are to be confirmed and will be held in person. We endeavour to keep to these time frames, but these are subject to change around business needs.

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 : Wg Cdr Pete Casey
• Email : peter.casey317@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

Air Applicant Guide Opens in new window (pdf, 522kB)MOD Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1563kB)Defence Internal Brief notice Opens in new window (docx, 25kB)Candidate Information Pack Opens in new window (docx, 31kB)