Army - Welfare Officer

UK Ministry of Defence; London; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

The UK Ministry of Defence is seeking a Welfare Officer to provide essential first-line welfare support to personnel. This role involves addressing a range of welfare cases, from loss and bereavement to domestic violence, ensuring soldiers and families receive the necessary assistance. The position offers competitive benefits, including a substantial pension contribution and opportunities for training and development, within a flexible work environment.

Benefits

25 days paid annual leave

Highly competitive pension scheme

Access to Employee Assistance Programme

Enhanced parental leave

Learning and Development opportunities

Qualifications

• Previous welfare or management experience essential.
• Ability to work under pressure in difficult circumstances.
• Understanding of the tri-Service welfare process is required.

Responsibilities

• Provide first-line welfare support to 23 Para Engr Regt personnel and their families.
• Deliver personal support and handle diverse welfare cases.
• Provide 24/7 emergency and out-of-hours cover.

Skills

Communication

Flexibility

Management Experience

Job description

Rock Barracks, WOODBRIDGE, IP12 3LU

We are passionate about Smarter Working and believe that a combination of flexible working practices, digital technology and modern workspaces will give you the opportunity to enjoy a healthy work-life balance, while ensuring you deliver your outcomes effectively and efficiently – we expect you to know where to be to have the most impact, balancing your individual needs with that of your team and the organisation. However, recognising the benefits of face-to-face working, there is an expectation that you would be in the office at least 60% of the time (3 days a week).

Job Summary

The Ministry of Defence employs over 50,000 Civil Servants. Within that, the Army Top Level Budget (TLB) employs over 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 scope of the role will include all areas of welfare support and the holder will have to be comfortable dealing with a diverse range of cases, a selection of which could be as diverse as Loss and Bereavement, Domestic Violence, Relationships Support or Child/Vulnerable Adult Safeguarding. Signposting and therefore a knowledge of agencies who can provide specialised support in key areas is required, as is the use and understanding of the tri-Service welfare process and the charitable organisations available.

The role is responsible for delivering first-line welfare care to all serving members of 23 Parachute Engineer Regiment that can be deployed at short notice as part of the UK’s Global Response Force.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

The role provides 24/7 emergency and out of hours cover.

Job Description

The scope of the role will include all areas of welfare support and the holder will have to be comfortable dealing with a diverse range of cases, a selection of which could be as diverse as Loss and Bereavement, Domestic Violence, Relationships Support or Child/Vulnerable Adult Safeguarding.

Key Responsibilities Of a Welfare Officer:

• Provide 1st Line Welfare Support – As the lead for welfare, provide a critical link between welfare and operational effectiveness by delivering personal support to all serving personnel of 23 Para Engr Regt and their families.
• To provide 24/7 emergency and out of hours cover.
• Training for either course can be given once in the role - Army Unit Welfare Officer Course Part 1 and 2 or RAF Welfare and Community Course.
  
  

The scope of the role will include all areas of welfare support and the holder will have to be comfortable dealing with a diverse range of cases, a selection of which could be as diverse as Loss and Bereavement, Domestic Violence, Relationships Support or Child/Vulnerable Adult Safeguarding.

Key Responsibilities Of a Welfare Officer:

• Provide 1st Line Welfare Support – As the lead for welfare, provide a critical link between welfare and operational effectiveness by delivering personal support to all serving personnel of 23 Para Engr Regt and their families.
• To provide 24/7 emergency and out of hours cover.
• Training for either course can be given once in the role - Army Unit Welfare Officer Course Part 1 and 2 or RAF Welfare and Community Course.
  
  

Person specification

Essential Skills Required:

• Either previous Welfare or Management experience.
• Signposting and a knowledge of agencies who can provide specialised support in key areas is required, as is the use and understanding of the tri-Service welfare process and the charitable organisations available.
• The ability to work under pressure in difficult circumstances.
• Ability to communicate Effectively.
• Flexibility to work on-call.
• Able to work autonomously.
• Understand the principles of working “in-confidence”
  
  

Behaviours

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

• Changing and Improving
• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
  
  

Alongside your salary of £29,580, Ministry of Defence contributes £8,569 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 stage you will be assessed against the following:

• Your CV
• Personal Statement - 500 words showing your leadership experiences with a range of welfare support and how you have collaboratively brought a team together when dealing with welfare cases.
  
  

Behaviours:

• Changing & Improving
• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
  
  

Applications will be sifted using the Behaviours, Personal Statement, and CV that have been chosen for this campaign, but in the event of a high number of applications, a sift will be conducted on the lead behaviour 'Working Together'

At interview stage you will be assessed against the following:

Your CV-Job History

Behaviours:

• Changing & Improving
• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
  
  

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 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: [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.

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 : Simon Bramhald
• 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].