Thematic Research Analyst

Job summary

The Ministry of Defence is a central government department with a mission to protect our country and provide the ultimate guarantee of its security and independence, as well as helping to protect its values and interests abroad.

The Directorate for National Security and Global Themes, within MOD Head Office, is responsible for the policy, strategy, planning and governance of strategic operations, special operations, state threats, global issues and cyber. We are a mixed team of military personnel and civil servants, reporting to Director National Security.

This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time an employee is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise. As part of accepting this role, ideally you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

The operations overseen by the Directorate are necessarily informed by the advice, insight and understanding of subject matter experts. As a Thematic Research Analyst, you’ll deliver subject matter expertise to decision-makers, so that they can deliver operations that contribute to wider national security goals and priorities. You’ll lead a range of research projects, drawing upon industry, academic and wider HMG expertise to help the Directorate make better decisions. You will have a focus on the pacing threats to national security, and Defence’s role in mitigating them. It’s a fascinating and diverse role where you’ll use everyday skills, including communication and judgement, to tackle extraordinary challenges.

Responsibilities

Successful candidates can expect to be involved in the following:

• Collaborating with colleagues and stakeholders across Government to develop insight and understanding to enable decision making.

• Building and sustaining relationships with stakeholders, to ensure that the thematic research you conduct is valuable, unique and well-informed.

• Bringing together a range of analytical skills to identify problems and find solutions through a multi-disciplinary, collaborative approach.
• Providing visible, accessible, and effective subject matter leadership, taking a personal lead in communicating messages with clarity and conviction.

• Analysing intelligence and information relating to threats, to continually develop your subject matter expertise and provide timely, robust advice.

You will meet with senior officials and decision-makers to provide up to date and accurate advice. You will work with colleagues across the armed forces, security and intelligence agencies, international allies and partners, industry and academia to deliver real world outcomes. Whatever the requirements, you’ll be at the heart of what we do – contributing to national security and protecting the UK.

To succeed as a Thematic Research Analyst, you’ll need some key attributes. You’ll have first-class interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence and an excellent academic record. You will have a passion for foreign affairs and a keenness to contribute to the UK’s safety and prosperity. You will have evidence from previous roles of taking responsibility and showing clear evidence-based decision making within a national security context; consulting widely and challenging assumptions; as well as using intelligence to enable decisions. You’ll have experience of working with the national security community, ideally in an all-source analytical role.

Person specification

The successful candidate will need to be able to:

• Demonstrate a strong track record in building and maintaining highly effective collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders to ensure the delivery of priority outcomes.

• Demonstrate prior experience of working in an analytical role, with a proven history of using a range of approaches to place data and insight into context. The candidate must demonstrate robust critical thinking and be comfortable in making sense of ambiguous or contradictory information.

• Demonstrate the highest standards of verbal and written communication. You should have a strong academic record, with a first-class or upper-second class honours degree. Post-graduate qualifications will be advantageous.

• Manage the delivery of multiple concurrent projects. The successful candidate will balance competing priorities, work to challenging deadlines and demonstrate effective time-management.

• Demonstrate a clear interest and understanding of national security themes, UK foreign policy and international relations.

Behaviours

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Seeing the Big Picture

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 (opens in a new window).

• We truly believe that the MOD is a great place to work, and we offer a unique employee experience. We want to ensure that every single employee feels appreciated & fairly rewarded and offer the following additional benefits:
• Learning and development tailored to your role and broader skill development, enabling you to build a long-term career in your chosen area. Where appropriate there will be offers of training under our apprenticeship schemes.
• Due to the nature of the role, the successful candidate will be expected to be in the office minimum 4 days. One day a week working from home is not guaranteed and will be around business needs when and if possible. This role is not suitable for work share, part time or flexible/remote working arrangements.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
• 25 days annual leave rising to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
• On-site Gym
• Cycle Loan (Advance on Salary)
• Thank You Scheme
• Defence Sports & Recreational Association (DSRA)
• Defence Discount Service
• On-site Nursery

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 held in person in London.

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

Candidate will be required to provide a Personal Statement of up to 500 words.

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Seeing the Big Picture

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

• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together
• Communication and Influencing

DV clearance is required for the role, you will need to be able to obtain this if this is not held already.

Due to security clearance requirements, this position is restricted to Sole UK Nationals only. Due to the nature of the role, the successful candidate will be expected to be in the office minimum 4 days. One day a week working from home is not guaranteed and will be around business needs when and if possible. This role is not suitable for work share, part time or flexible/remote working arrangements.

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.

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 developed vetting (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 : MSHQ-MSOC-PjM-Shared@mod.gov.uk
• Email : MSHQ-MSOC-PjM-Shared@mod.go.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

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)