Army Strategic Workforce Planning Validation Team Lead

Ministry of Defence; Andover; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

An exciting opportunity with the Ministry of Defence at Army HQ Andover in the Strategic Workforce Plans Branch. The role involves leading a small team in managing change requests and ensuring accurate data entry for personnel and equipment. Those passionate about governance and looking for a supportive employer with excellent benefits are encouraged to apply.

Benefits

25 days paid annual leave

Highly competitive pension scheme

Access to Employee Assistance Programme

Enhanced parental and adoption leave

Learning and Development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience in leading small teams is essential.
• Ability to work flexibly and meet deadlines.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.

Responsibilities

• Oversee establishment change requests ensuring compliance.
• Manage a team, fostering professional development.
• Ensure data accuracy in Army structural database.

Skills

Attention to detail

Team leadership

Communication

Data Management

Adaptability

Tools

Microsoft Office

SharePoint

Job description

Length of employment:

Job Summary:
The Ministry of Defence employs over 50,000 Civil Servants. Within that, the Army Top Level Budget (TLB) employs around 7,000 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 British Army comprises of 112,000 experienced, committed and highly skilled Regular and Reserve soldiers. The British Army protects the United Kingdom's interests at home and abroad, providing a safe and secure environment and is supported by the civilian workforce. Army HQ at Andover is where the Army is commanded from and the Chief of the General Staff has the responsibility for preparing, training, and equipping the forces under his command for operations worldwide.
Would you like to play a key role within the Army Strategic Work Force Plans (SWP) branch? An exciting opportunity has arisen within SWP's Organisation team located at Army HQ, Andover. This team is responsible for organising the Army's personnel and equipment to ensure the most effective delivery of Defence Policy and objectives.

The Strategic Workforce Planning Team liaise with all areas of the business across the Army Top Level Budget (TLB) as well as other MoD departments. The role provides an opportunity to learn more about how the Army operates more broadly. The role provides governance, leading the small team who ensure all change requests in the Army's structural data are accurately entered into Defence's bespoke people database, SLIM, as per the changes authorised by the Branch Leadership Team.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week. You will be required to work on a hybrid basis at Army HQ meaning 3 days per week in Andover office (60% of your time in office) in line with changing priorities.

Job Description:
We are looking for someone who enjoys a process driven role, has a keen eye for detail and is confident communicating to all ranks and grades. This person should be keen to lead the small team of three, within the Strategic Workforce Plans (SWP) Branch.

The successful candidate will be responsible checking all authorised change requests have been made in line with decisions made by SWP's line management in the Army's bespoke people database and are in line with the governance rules for establishment change.

This central database contains all Army people structures, positions and equipment. It provides information for many downstream applications, so its accuracy is important.

All actions are to be carried out within specified time frames. Typical responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Responsible and accountable for endorsing all Establishment Change Requests (ECRs) submitted for changes to be made to Army and other Services people structure
• Dedicate time to sharing best practice and ideas for refining standardised processes and procedures
• Management of team members, empowering, motivating and coaching to enable effective delivery
• Deliver required information ensuring outputs are accurate, timely and meet the expected standards and produce information briefs
• Carry out any other ad hoc tasks for the benefit of the branch as and when directed by your line management chain
• Seeking advice, referring upwards as required, where problems are particularly complex or have wider implications.

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 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.

Essential Skills include:

• Having excellent attention to detail and be confident working with large amounts of data service requests
• Experience of leading small teams, be able to promote team cohesion, adapt to changes and improvements
• Be a clear communicator, able to brief through written, virtual as well as face to face meetings
• Experience in supporting organisational change
• Ability to work flexibly to short deadlines and adapt to changing priorities at pace.
• Have a detailed working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications including Excel, Word and SharePoint.

Desirable Skills include:

• Have an understanding of or be prepared to learn how SLIM works, the Army's System for Liability Management (SLIM) bespoke database
• Be familiar with and competent using SharePoint and Microsoft applications.

At application you will be assessed against the following:

• CV with full job history
• Personal Statement of at least 500 words illustrating how your experience is relevant for this role and how you meet the essential criteria outlined in the advert.
• 4 behaviours: Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace, Leadership and Making Effective Decisions

Applications will be sifted using the CV, Personal Statement and 4 behaviours listed above for this campaign, but in the event of a high number of applicants, an initial sift will be conducted on the lead behaviour 'Making Effective Decisions'

At interview you will be assessed on the following behaviours:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions

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.

Application sifting will be scheduled to take placewithin 7 days of the application closing date.

Interview dates are to be confirmed. These will be held in person. We endeavour to stick to these time frames, but these are subject to change around business needs.

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 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.