Senior Business Support Team Manager - United States Visiting Forces Support Group

Job summary

This is an excellent opportunity to play a critical and pivotal role in a high-profile post, drawing on and developing leadership and line management behaviours and skills, engaging with a diverse workforce which includes Air Command Civil Servants and US Line Managers, and other stakeholders, working towards implementing a consistent and enduring framework in supporting the USVF’s Air Command civilian workforce. The USVF (United States Visiting Forces) refers to American military personnel who are stationed at bases across the UK, due to close military alliance and historical relationships between the US and the UK.

The post will be based at RAF Mildenhall with a requirement for regular travel to USVF sites where Air Command Civil Servants are working in support of the US Mission (and in one case a joint US and UK Mission).

This role will work closely with the Senior Engagement Manager for USVF and Station Commander RAF Marham, who is dual hatted as the USVF Support Group Commander. The Support Group includes RAF Commanders, who act as a military liaison at each USVF station, Community Relations Advisers, who assist in maintaining and developing the British American relations within the local communities and Business Support, Business Management and Engagement Teams, who are responsible for administrative support to the civil servants embedded within the US workforce at each of the stations and directly supporting the USVF mission.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

To manage and lead the remote Business Support Teams (BSTs) based at RAF sites at Menwith Hill, Croughton, Lakenheath and Mildenhall, including the provision and co-ordination of advice from SMEs in supporting circa 360 civil servants based on 9 USVF sites. The role requires a good understanding and application of MOD policy in the management of the civil servant workforce – supporting both individuals and their line managers, who will be either US military, US Government or Local National Direct Hire. The successful applicant will have overall lead on all casework activity in terms of tracking and monitoring progress to provide assurance of policy to DBS and the Air Command HR Business Partner team, as appropriate, to then support the BSTs.

With the implementation of Phases 1 and 2 of MyHR the role will take the lead and become the subject matter expert on working with DBS to find delivery solutions, to reflect the diversity and constraints presented to the civil service workforce working on USVF sites. This role will also be required to engage on a regular basis with the US Civilian Personnel Office, who are responsible for oversight, assurance and approvals of US civilian workforce management (both UK MOD and Local National Direct Hire).

Specific responsibilities include:

• Lead on the implementation and assurance of civilian HR policy and strategy affecting all Air Command assigned MOD civilians employed on behalf of the USVF through liaison with the US Civilian Personnel Office, Defence Fire and Rescue HQ, Civil Service HR departments, Air Cmd Employee Relations and TUs.
• Liaison with US and Air Cmd to produce and manage strategic workforce plan.
• Lead on the development of consistent and coherent working practices covering all Business Support activity, to provide assurance and governance.
• Co-ordinate and lead monthly meetings with DBS Customer Team on all matters affecting the employees on USVF sites, escalating and communicating impact and solutions.
• Casework support: In conjunction with DBS, provide functional and policy support to BSTs including mentoring, coaching, tracking and monitoring cases.
• Co-chair monthly meeting with US Civilian Personnel Office.
• Attend quarterly TU engagement meeting (formerly known as Whitley Committee Meetings) chaired by USVF Spt Gp Cdr.
• Single POC for all GDPR compliance issues relating to BST and provision of Data Protected information to USVF.
• Provision of key workforce MI to stakeholders.

The person employed will report to the Senior Engagement Manager USVF, who is based at Air Command in High Wycombe.

Person specification

The successful candidate will be an experienced line manager with an understanding of MOD policy, an awareness of MyHR, and the ability to manage remote teams.

An ability to build positive and productive relationships, working across Air Command HR, and with USVF stakeholders is essential.

They will possess a strong team ethic and be a self-starter with the ability to work in a culture of change, being adaptable and able to review priorities to meet current and future needs.

They will possess strong communication skills, with a track record of working with and influencing a wide range of stakeholders.

They will be able to work independently with autonomy, with the capacity to work at pace and under pressure to be able to complete tasks within short time frames.

The successful candidate must hold a full valid UK driving licence, as there is a requirement to travel regularly to the USVF sites across the UK and some of these are a relative distance from public transport links.

Licences

Full UK Driving Licence

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions
• Changing and Improving

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.

• 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%

• Benefits include, but are not limited to:

  • Flexible working
  • Training and personal development opportunities, including Apprenticeship training where appropriate.
  • A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
  • 25 days paid annual leave rising to 30 days on completion of 5 years’ service
  • In addition to 8 public holidays per year you will also receive leave for HM The King’s birthday
  • Highly competitive civil service pension scheme
  • Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave
  • Café and shop on site.

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. Office attendence requirements may vary subject to buisness needs. 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.

Interviews will be conducted upon conclusion of the sift and successful candidates will be given at least 5 working days’ notice.

Applicants will be sifted for interview based on their CV, experience, statement of suitability and the stated Behaviours.

Statement of Suitability: 500 words. Please use this section to describe why you would be suitable for this post, and what skills and attributes you would use to deliver the outputs of this post including leading on the implementation and assurance of civilian HR policy and strategy and consistent and coherent working practices and casework support.

At sift, you will be assessed against your CV, Statement of suitability (500 Words) and the following:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Changing and Improving

If a high number of applications are received, the sift will be based on the CV, Statement of Suitability and Communicating and Influencing only.

At interview, you will be assessed against the following behaviours:

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Changing and Improving

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Interviews will take place face to face at RAF Mildenhall.

See here for a guide to Civil Service applications.

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

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 : Karen Davidson
• Email : karen.davidson585@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

EXTERNAL PACK Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)Air Command's Applicant Guide Opens in new window (pdf, 485kB)Candidate Information updated_ Opens in new window (docx, 32kB)