Army - Defence Children Services - Education Advisory Team Advisor

UK Ministry of Defence; England; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

The UK Ministry of Defence is seeking an Education Advisory Team advisor to provide essential guidance to Service families regarding their educational needs. This role involves multitasking in a dynamic environment, ensuring timely responses to inquiries and overseeing administrative processes related to education, special needs, and accommodation allowances. Ideal candidates will possess excellent communication skills, analytical capabilities, and experience in education or office settings. This is a unique opportunity to support service personnel and their families.

Benefits

25 days paid annual leave

Highly competitive pension scheme

Access to Employee Assistance Programme

Enhanced parental and adoption leave

Qualifications

• Experience in managing conflict between different stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently while managing caseloads.
• Experience in an office environment with proficient IT use.

Responsibilities

• Respond to queries from Service parents and entitled civilians.
• Manage the EAT clerks and liaise with other teams.
• Process and manage allowances related to education.

Skills

Communication

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Conflict management

Education

2 A levels or NVQ3/4 or equivalent

Tools

CRM Database

SharePoint

IT Software (Word and Excel)

Job description

Upavon, Trenchard Lines, SN9 6BE

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.

Job Summary

The Ministry of Defence employs over 50,000 Civil Servants. Within that, the Army Top Level Budget (TLB) employs around 12,000 MOD Civil Servants located at over 300 locations. Ours is a diverse workforce, with roles ranging from trainers, human resources, teachers, and psychologists to storekeepers, financiers, project and programme managers, and policy secretariat staff. There are many different functions and professions delivering key outputs for the Army.

The Education Advisory Team (UK) (EAT(UK) are based at Trenchard Lines, Upavon and provide advice and guidance for service personnel regarding education and education related issues such as Special Educational Needs, School Admissions, the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) & the CEA Special Educational Needs Addition(SENA) and retention of Service Family Accommodation(SFA). The team is led by the Education Advisory Team (UK) leader and comprises of qualified educational staff and an administration support team.

The Education Advisory Team is part of the Defence Children Services(DCS) Specialist Support Services(SSS) pillar which is made up of individual teams with specific responsibility for activity that supports the education and care of children of Service and other entitled personnel. Teams in the SSS work with the children, families and schools in DCS Schools and Settings, and support the education of UK Service children and families across the world. SSS teams focus on Safeguarding, Overseas Supportability, Special Educational Needs, Elective Home Education, Education Welfare and Social Work, Educational Psychology, Speech and Language, Education Advice for Service Families in the UK and other areas of Defence. All activity is aimed to meet the needs of Service children and their families in respect of effective education and alleviating the challenges of mobility.

The post is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job Description

The role of the EAT advisor is to provide advice and guidance to Service families, entitled civilians and stakeholders who have UK based enquiries. This is a great opportunity for someone who is highly motivated and wants to combine their administrative and interpersonal skills to make a difference to Service families by providing timely advice. You should be capable of multi-tasking in a busy, dynamic environment where no two days are the same.

The post holder’s key responsibilities and main duties are to:

• Ensure appropriate and timely response to queries from Service parents, entitled civilians and other internal and external stakeholders
• Line manage the EAT clerk(s)
• Establish contacts, maintaining liaison and developing efficient working practice
• Be responsible for processing & managing the work related to:
• Continuity of Education Allowance
• Special Educational Needs Addition
• Special Educational Needs
• Retention of Service Family Accommodation
• Liaising with the Overseas Supportability Team over specific children and casework
• Updating SharePoint
• Use of CRM Database to store personal details relating to specific cases
• Updating and maintaining SharePoint
• Updating and maintaining the Boarding School Database
• Liaison and working with the EAT Team Leaders with regards to the Boarding School Database, CEA, SENA, relevant Joint Service Publications and managing team workflow and systems
• Liaison with other DCS Teams and or other MOD stakeholders when changes in policy and practice impact on the internal standard operation procedures of the EAT(UK)
• Maintain, record and manage the EAT (UK) data and statistics
  

The role of the EAT advisor is to provide advice and guidance to Service families, entitled civilians and stakeholders who have UK based enquiries. This is a great opportunity for someone who is highly motivated and wants to combine their administrative and interpersonal skills to make a difference to Service families by providing timely advice. You should be capable of multi-tasking in a busy, dynamic environment where no two days are the same.

The post holder’s key responsibilities and main duties are to:

• Ensure appropriate and timely response to queries from Service parents, entitled civilians and other internal and external stakeholders
• Line manage the EAT clerk(s)
• Establish contacts, maintaining liaison and developing efficient working practice
• Be responsible for processing & managing the work related to:
• Continuity of Education Allowance
• Special Educational Needs Addition
• Special Educational Needs
• Retention of Service Family Accommodation
• Liaising with the Overseas Supportability Team over specific children and casework
• Updating SharePoint
• Use of CRM Database to store personal details relating to specific cases
• Updating and maintaining SharePoint
• Updating and maintaining the Boarding School Database
• Liaison and working with the EAT Team Leaders with regards to the Boarding School Database, CEA, SENA, relevant Joint Service Publications and managing team workflow and systems
• Liaison with other DCS Teams and or other MOD stakeholders when changes in policy and practice impact on the internal standard operation procedures of the EAT(UK)
• Maintain, record and manage the EAT (UK) data and statistics
  

Person specification

Essential

• Excellent and proficient written and oral communication skills
• Evidence and experience of applying effective analytical skills and using problem-solving skills to foresee obstacles and make strategic decisions
• Evidence and experience of managing conflict between different stakeholders, particularly where there may be different requirements and expectations
• Provide detailed authoritative advice, using specialist knowledge of allowances and opportunities for Service personnel and their families
• Ability to work independently, managing caseloads to ensure efficient and effective response to enquiries
• Strong collaborative skills and the ability to ensure the continued good team ethos
• Experience and substantial skills in working in an office environment, proficient use of IT (Word and Excel)
  
  

Desirable

• Experience or understanding of working in an Educational setting
• 2 A levels or NVQ3/4 or equivalent
• Understand the demography and the context of Service children and their families in the United Kingdom
  
  

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
  
  

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

• Communicating and Influencing
  
  

Alongside your salary of £36,530, Ministry of Defence contributes £10,582 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.

Selection process details

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

At application you will be asked to provide a CV and a personal statement of no more than 500 words demonstrating how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience make you suitable for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria. You will also be assessed against the following behaviours -

• Communicating and Influencing.
  
  

Applications will be sifted using all elements listed above, but in the event of a high number of applications, a sift will be conducted on the lead behaviour only: Communicating and Influencing.

When choosing your Behaviour examples, please make sure you use real life scenarios that relate to your own experiences. Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application being rejected.

At interview you will be assessed against the following behaviours -

• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
  
  

Application sifting will be scheduled to take place within 7 days of the application closing date. Interview dates are to be confirmed but these will be held in person at Upavon. 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: [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.

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.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

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 : Helen Cooper
• 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].