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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 Army Operational Research Branch (ORB), which is part of the British Army’s Land Forces Command, uses analytical techniques to support better decision making. We manage and deliver research, studies, wargames, experiments and deployed scientific support. The ORBs Operational Analysis team supports the Field Army on exercises and operations. It deploys in support of British Army and NATO formations, operating at the most suitable location, whether that be in the UK or overseas. The team employs mathematical and analytical approaches to aid in military planning, problem solving and decision making. It makes full use of the analytical options presented in the Live, Virtual and Constructive environments to support senior officers in decision making. The role has a pivotal input into formation readiness and assisting the Army in planning and deploying on operations.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

As a Deployable Operational Analyst, you will be a member of the ORBs Operational Analysis Team. This is an exciting role which provides unique opportunities for you to work embedded within British Army formation Headquarters. You will deploy on exercises/operations to lead the provision of operational analysis to support planning and decision-making with formations such as 1st (UK) Division, 3rd (UK) Division and HQ Allied Rapid Reaction Corps. Your time will be split between desk based (approximately 60% of the time) and deployed on exercise/operations with the Army (approximately 40% of the time).

You will be required to meet and maintain pre-deployment training standards, which includes a requirement to pass a CODA medical once in post and maintain a basic level of fitness. You will need to have or attain Developed Vetting (DV) clearance. There will be a regular requirement to travel, including overseas, to attend training exercises and courses, therefore there is an expectation that you will be able to facilitate this.

We will need you to:

• Deploy on exercises and operations (including planning events), for short periods, to provide OA (Operational Analysis) advice and support to Army decision making. This is likely to necessitate working in shift work for extended working days, operating in field conditions and working collaboratively with other analysts from both industry and across government
• Work as part of a team in support of a lead analyst. You will be able to use the full range of Land deployable OA tools and methods
• Be able to capture requirements for analytical support and provide timely responses using tools and other bespoke analytical methods. Be able to present back results in a concise, understandable way to a military stakeholder in both written and verbal briefs
• Establish and maintain suitable pre-deployment qualifications, to be ready to deploy on operations
• Represent Land Force Command when liaising with the Army and working in support of OA tasks, delivered by external suppliers. This may include sharing Land OA knowledge or supervising outputs
• Be able to operate common analytical methods, to cover areas such as statistical modelling, data mining, analytics, and visualisation

Person specification

Essential Skills Required:

• You must have a degree, preferably in a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subject OR extensive experience in Military Operational Research.
• You must have experience of applying analytical techniques to support decision making.

Desirable criteria:

• Experience of working in a military environment and/or with a military customer.
• Have experience of applying Operational Analysis techniques.
• Be a member of a relevant professional body (e.g. The Operational Research Society).

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together

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

• Making Effective Decisions

Technical skills

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

• Operational Analysis Functional Competences – Knowledge and application of OR statement
• Operational Analysis Functional Competencies – Achieving impact with analysis

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

• Operational Analysis Functional Competences – Knowledge and application of OR statement

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,720, Ministry of Defence contributes £10,927 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).

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.

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, Experience and Technical skills.

At application stage you will be assessed against the following:

• Personal Statement- of no more than 500 words detailing how you meet the essential skills criteria you experience in Military Operational Research or STEM qualifications.
• Behaviour - Making Effective Decisions
• Operational Analysis Functional Competences – Knowledge and application of OR statement (250 words) - Level 2 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/678ac1aed0561c11b91d05ea/GORS_Technical_Framework_2025.pdf

Where a large number of applications are received, an initial sift will be conducted based on the evidence you provide in support of Making Effective Decisions. Your Personal Statement, Operational Analysis Functional Competence will only be reviewed if you are successful at this initial sift.

At interview stage you will be assessed against the following:

• Behaviour - Delivering at Pace
• Behaviour - Making Effective Decisions
• Behaviour - Working Together
• Operational Analysis Functional Competencies – Achieving impact with analysis - level 2 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/678ac1aed0561c11b91d05ea/GORS_Technical_Framework_2025.pdf

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 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 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 : Zoe Braddick-Matthews
• Email : Zoe.Braddick-Matthews100@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 Camapign Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 273kB)MOD Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)Candidate Information 2025 Opens in new window (docx, 31kB)Defence Internal Brief Notice Opens in new window (docx, 39kB)