Leadership Researcher

UK Ministry of Defence; Blackpool; Hybrid; CAD 44,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading public organization based in Canada is seeking a Leadership Researcher within the Defence Academy. The role involves conducting specialized research to enhance leadership development and maintaining stakeholder relationships. Candidates must have a Master's degree and exhibit strong research and communication skills.

Benefits

Highly competitive pension scheme.

Flexi-time scheme.

25 days paid annual leave.

Learning and development opportunities.

Flexible working options.

Qualifications

• Must possess a Masters Degree.
• Capable of conducting and presenting comprehensive research.
• Strong communication across diverse platforms.

Responsibilities

• Conduct and manage comprehensive leadership research.
• Publish and oversee leadership doctrine outputs.
• Engage stakeholders for effective network maintenance.

Skills

Research Skills

Communication

Leadership

Stakeholder Management

Analytical Thinking

Education

Masters Degree

Tools

MS Office

Learning Management System (LMS)

Job description

Defence Academy of the United Kingdom (DefAc)

Shrivenham

Oxon

SN6 8LA

Job Summary

Leadership Researcher role sits in the Defence Leadership and Business (DLaB) Group within the Defence Academy of the UK.

The post of Leadership Researcher is to conduct research in support of delivery of learning content for elements of the Defence Leadership Centre whilst ensuring that research outputs are relevant, contemporaneous, compliant, assured and evidence-based.

• Identify, plan and conduct focused leadership research to maintain DLaB currency and relevancy and develop capability/creditability.
• Publication and maintenance of a leadership doctrine to inform the development of leadership PDSE (Professional Defence & Security Education).
• Management and maintenance of key stakeholder engagements using formal and informal networking across MOD, internal and external publications.
• Identify and conduct research that will provide direction for future leadership development interventions.
• Oversee knowledge and information management function.
  
  

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job Description

Undertake line management, mentoring and countersigning tasks as required by the role. This role currently has 1 direct reports and 0 countersigning roles.

Undertake learning and development and upskilling as required.

Research

• Producing high quality, evidence-based DLC (Defence Leadership Centre) leadership outputs (research papers, insight papers, reports, articles) as part of the Leaders’ Digest series or specifically tasked (research sprint).
• Conducting qualitative and quantitative research to underpin delivery of DLC courses.
• Researching specific leadership topics/content to support the DLC’s Leadership Edge Framework (senior leader curriculum/pathway/programme).
• Responding to RFIs (Request For Information) from the Defence Academy and wider Defence on leadership issues.
• Provide quality assurance on commissioned research within DLaB, ensuring it is rigorous, robust and evidence-based.
  
  

Custodian of Defence’s Leadership Doctrine.

• Acting as the custodian for Leadership in Defence and ensuring its relevance, applicability and evolvement (hard and soft copies).
• Capturing contemporary thinking on leadership emanating in academic research, policy papers/strategies and military literature.
• Ensuring that good practice, resulting from senior leader (practitioner) perspectives, is codified in Defence’s doctrine to guide thinking and educate minds.
• Facilitating the provision of a unified perspective of Defence leadership and to inform sS thinking on command, leadership and management.
  
  

Stakeholder Engagement & Management.

• Maintaining the Defence Leadership Network of stakeholders (to include the sS (single Services) centres of excellence/academies)
• Act as an R&D contact for:
• NATO and international partners to build relationships and share ideas.
• Partners and SME (Subject Matter Expert) across Defence and Government, such as Leadership College for Government (LCG) and the DSTL (Defence Sciene & Technology Laboratory) research programme.
• Academic institutions to ensure relevancy and currency.
• Sit on the Defence Academy Scientific Assessment Committee (SAC) as a DLaB and Defence Academy representative.
  
  

Future Leadership Direction & Concepts Research.

• Conduct analysis into public/private sector and academia (to include DCDC products, journals, literature, conferences) to inform thinking and developments in leadership (focused on senior/strategic leadership)
• Research Defence leadership in the digital age.
• Collaborate with stakeholders and international partners to share thinking on future leadership.
• Act as R&D focus for the Defence Cyber Academy (DCA) and Defence Concepts & Doctrine Centre (DCDC).
  
  

Undertake line management, mentoring and countersigning tasks as required by the role. This role currently has 1 direct reports and 0 countersigning roles.

Undertake learning and development and upskilling as required.

Research

• Producing high quality, evidence-based DLC (Defence Leadership Centre) leadership outputs (research papers, insight papers, reports, articles) as part of the Leaders’ Digest series or specifically tasked (research sprint).
• Conducting qualitative and quantitative research to underpin delivery of DLC courses.
• Researching specific leadership topics/content to support the DLC’s Leadership Edge Framework (senior leader curriculum/pathway/programme).
• Responding to RFIs (Request For Information) from the Defence Academy and wider Defence on leadership issues.
• Provide quality assurance on commissioned research within DLaB, ensuring it is rigorous, robust and evidence-based.
  
  

Custodian of Defence’s Leadership Doctrine.

• Acting as the custodian for Leadership in Defence and ensuring its relevance, applicability and evolvement (hard and soft copies).
• Capturing contemporary thinking on leadership emanating in academic research, policy papers/strategies and military literature.
• Ensuring that good practice, resulting from senior leader (practitioner) perspectives, is codified in Defence’s doctrine to guide thinking and educate minds.
• Facilitating the provision of a unified perspective of Defence leadership and to inform sS thinking on command, leadership and management.
  
  

Stakeholder Engagement & Management.

• Maintaining the Defence Leadership Network of stakeholders (to include the sS (single Services) centres of excellence/academies)
• Act as an R&D contact for:
• NATO and international partners to build relationships and share ideas.
• Partners and SME (Subject Matter Expert) across Defence and Government, such as Leadership College for Government (LCG) and the DSTL (Defence Sciene & Technology Laboratory) research programme.
• Academic institutions to ensure relevancy and currency.
• Sit on the Defence Academy Scientific Assessment Committee (SAC) as a DLaB and Defence Academy representative.
  
  

Future Leadership Direction & Concepts Research.

• Conduct analysis into public/private sector and academia (to include DCDC products, journals, literature, conferences) to inform thinking and developments in leadership (focused on senior/strategic leadership)
• Research Defence leadership in the digital age.
• Collaborate with stakeholders and international partners to share thinking on future leadership.
• Act as R&D focus for the Defence Cyber Academy (DCA) and Defence Concepts & Doctrine Centre (DCDC).
  
  

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Masters Degree
• Ability to conduct and present research
• Demonstrates a solid foundation of learning theory and design principles
• Able to facilitate dynamic discussions in an inclusive and professional manner
• Proactive in continuing professional development to maintain currency in Leadership specialism, L&D practices, and personal self-development
• Be confident in communicating across various means, including face-to-face, email, online collaboration through Skype and Microsoft Teams, and written documentation appropriate for a professional environment
• Collaborative, inclusive and engaging; able to form and maintain appropriate networks
• Develop relationships, building trust and rapport at pace
• Experienced in managing projects, responsible and accountable for delivering against tasks
• Have strong organisational skills with an ability to prioritise, work under pressure to meet demands
• Work as part of a team and a willingness to learn, with a strong can-do attitude
• Practical and evidence-based decision making
• Excellent digital skills: MS Office software and Learning Management System (LMS)
  
  

Desirable

• PhD
  
  

Qualifications

MSC degree

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
  
  

Alongside your salary of £44,590, Ministry of Defence contributes £12,917 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Some Of The Many Benefits You Will Receive

• Highly competitive pension scheme.
• Flexi-time scheme upon completion of 6 months service or the Line Manager has the ability to adopt flexible working sooner than the 6 month period.
• With Line Manager agreement move to an alternative Working Patterns (there are 9).
• 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service. If by chance you have previously completed service in the Public Sector in the past 5 years, you may be eligible to request 30 days leave immediately. (Evidence will be required).
• In addition to annual leave you will be entitled to 8 Public Bank Holidays per year.
• Professional and Personal Development of skills.
• Opportunity to join more than one of our many networks (Race, LGBT+, Gender, Disability and Faith & Belief).
• Minimum of 18 Days Special Paid Leave in a rolling 12-month period for Public Duties commitments (such as a Magistrate).
• Special Paid Leave for community volunteering up to 12 days a year for Special Constables and 6 days a year for other volunteering.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave.
• Shrivenham has good travel links with free car parking. Other facilities are a Sports & Social facilities, a Gym complex, a Stables, a Golf Course and a swimming pool, as well as onsite Mess & Retail shops.
  
  

Additional Benefits Also Include

• 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 home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this 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.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

This vacancy is using Civil Service Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours and experience.

This Recruitment Application Process Will Consist Of Three Parts

• CV - A written application containing your experience
• Behaviours – Demonstrate the Leadership behaviour [250 words]. Please ensure you have consulted the HM Government' Success Profiles - Civil Service Behaviours' document (available on Gov.uk) to understand the relevant Behaviours at the SEO Level.
• Personal Statement - Statement of suitability by answering the question below [750 words]:
• What is the essence of Strategic Leadership
  
  

It is recommended for the Behaviours that you focus by providing one example. We also advise you to use examples that best meet the criteria, even if they are a few years old, using the STAR methodology.

• Situation: Briefly describe the background of the situation in which you found yourself.
• Task: What you were required to do/chose to do.
• Action: What actions you undertook to achieve the tasks? Make sure to use “I”, not “we” to explain how your actions led to results.
• Result: Use facts and evidence to demonstrate the results that your actions produced. Explain whether it was a successful outcome, and if not, what you learned from the experience.
  
  

Please Note

Sift & Interview:

If a large number of applications are received, they will be assessed initially against the Leadership behaviour and your Personal Statement answer. You will then be assessed against the other criteria if you have met the minimum scores. Sift to take place in 2 weeks post-closing date.

If your application is shortlisted, you will be invited to a face-to-face interview at Defence Academy. Interviews will not be held before 30th June.

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

• Leadership
  
  

More detailed information will be provided if you are successful in reaching this stage.

This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is an informal, non-contractual and voluntary arrangement, blending a balance of attendance in the workplace (your permanent duty station which is based on business assessment of where the work is best done) and working from home as a personal choice (if the role is suitable for this). If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.

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: [e-mail] .

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.

Strategic Command is going through a significant transformation programme which aims to improve the way the Command conducts its business and delivers for Defence and the nation. As a consequence of this, all posts within Strategic Command Headquarters and in time the wider organisation, are/will be subject to review and potential changes as we continuously improve across the period of the transformation programme. These changes may be minor or could be more substantive and will generate new opportunities. Throughout, the Command’s transformation programme is committed to following the MOD’s framework on managing and supporting people through the change process and places an emphasis on early and open consultation and engagement with the Command’s personnel and Trade Unions.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

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.

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.

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 the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

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 : Martyn Forgave
• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Recruitment team

• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

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: [e-mail].