Workforce Services Officer - Army

Job summary

The Ministry of Defence, Civil Service workforce is diverse, with many different functions and professions ranging from cyber and digital transformation, police officers, security guards, trainers, human resources, teachers, psychologists, storekeepers, and policy secretariat staff to support the British Army.

The Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) is a rapid reaction force maintained by NATO. It is capable of deploying a High Readiness Force Headquarters at short notice for operations and crisis response.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

The focal point for civilian workforce services within the ARRC. You will be supporting the stakeholders, including senior leaders in delivering an affordable, efficient workforce structure to subordinate formations within the ARRC Corps Troops structure. Exercising functional leadership across the ARRC Workforce Services team. Responsible for providing assurance and oversight of the application of both policy and process. Provide governance, analysis and management information to enable effective management of the non-military workforce by commanders and line managers at all levels of the ARRC Corps Troops structure.

Key responsibilities:

Resourcing

• Provide the lead for all non-military resourcing matters across the directed business area.
• Responsible for managing the delivery / application of workforce controls across the directed business area.
• Responsible for identifying/advising on the most appropriate means of filling funded vacant positions.
• Responsible for oversight of Civil Service Recruitment activity by line managers.
• Responsible for oversight of displaced staff and ensuring correct and timely actions by line managers.
• Provide advice and guidance to line managers regarding obtaining necessary authorities for changes to individual terms and conditions, including changes to conditioned hours or location, and for temporary arrangements such as temporary promotion, expressions of interest, loans or secondments.

Engagement

• Lead on Civil Service Workforce communication and engagement activity.
• Work in partnership with HRBP (HR Business Partners) and Army Civilian People Team (ACPT) to support change programmes and initiatives.
• Coordinate and enable the delivery of People Survey, providing analysis and recommendations in response to the survey, and working with stakeholders to formulate SMART action plans.
• Working in partnership with HRBP / ACPT, ensuring positive relationships are maintained.
• Champion and Lead health, wellbeing, diversity and inclusion initiatives. Supporting line management and enhancing their capability.
• Proactively seek to educate the civilian workforce and line managers on business processes / policy.

Reward and Recognition

• Lead on Civil Service Reward and Recognition activity across.
• Have oversight of the Thank You Scheme award nominations / budget across ARRC Corps troops.
• Have oversight on quarterly In Year Reward Scheme Panels, ensuring each Panel is supported by a Workforce Services Manager as an adviser and Approving Authority.
• Ensure the Civil Service total reward package is understood and promoted across the business, enabling an improved understanding and utilisation of reward and recognition by line managers.

Learning and Development

• Lead and champion learning and development opportunities across the directed business area.
• Lead on promotion of Learning and Development Opportunities.
• Working in partnership with the HRBP/ACPT identify and manage opportunities for apprenticeships and wider development activity. Supporting the identification and development of talent.

Workforce Management

• Working in partnership with the HRBP, take a leading role within workforce management activities across the directed business area.
• Proactively cleanse MyHR and monitor workforce baseline(s).
• Lead on assurance and compliance activity against Civ HR Policies.
• Lead on assurance of civilian workforce pay, allowance and claims.
• Lead on activity to support conduct and behaviour / redundancy mitigation / casework.
• Support the production and delivery of Strategic Workforce Plans.
• Provide support to HRBP / ACPT with the delivery of workforce management activities / initiatives.

Line Management

• When assigned a team take responsibility for leadership, functional development and management of the team members.

Person specification

Essential skills required:

• Demonstrable experience of working in either an HR or Business Management role.
• Demonstrable effective line management experience.
• Exceptional organisational skills with an eye for detail and the ability to work to strict deadlines, demonstrating an ability to prioritise workload and work on multiple tasks at one time.
• The ability to engage and communicate with colleagues and stakeholders at all levels, maintaining professionalism at all times. This should include the ability to draft reports and undertake effective presentations.
• An adaptable team player, with experience of working collaboratively, but comfortable when working alone, with minimal direction.
• Good skills using Microsoft Office applications, in particular Word, Outlook, Excel, Teams and SharePoint.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

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.

The Army prides itself on being a supportive employer and where possible encourages flexible working, helping you to maintain a great work/life balance.

Other benefits for Army civil servants include:

- 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
- Highly competitive pension scheme
- Personal and professional development of skills
- Alternative working patterns for many roles
- Access to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), a free service that assists you with achieving a productive, healthy environment that is conducive to a healthy lifestyle.
- Enhanced parental and adoption leave
- 6 days special leave per year which can be used for volunteering activities
- Learning and Development

We believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference and you will be supported to help you learn and advance in your career. This includes working towards membership of a professional body and/or undertaking a modern apprenticeship as part of your role.

A modern apprenticeship is a combined package of work and training. Through the schemes available you will gain a professional qualification, practical experience, and the broader skills required to develop in your current role and pave the way for your future career.

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 a statement of suitability (500 words demonstrating your skills and experience in line with the essential criteria on this advert)

At sift, you will be assessed against Statement of suitability and the following behaviours:

• Working Together
• Communicating & Influencing

Where a large number of applications are received, an initial sift will be conducted based on the evidence you provide in support of the lead behaviour Working Together. The remaining evidence provided at application stage will only be reviewed if you are successful at this initial sift.

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

• Communicating & Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together

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.

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 : Col Rachel Emmerson
• Email : Rachel.Emmerson978@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

ARMY Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 273kB)Candidate Information Opens in new window (docx, 32kB)Defence Civil Service Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)Defence Internal Brief notice Opens in new window (docx, 43kB)