Army - Policy and Secretariat Senior Executive Officer

We are looking for an experienced policy professional with strong line management skills, able to deliver high quality outputs for Ministers and senior military and Civil Service personnel in a fast-paced environment.
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 Policy and Secretariat branch is a high performing team with significant policy and parliamentary business expertise. It carries out the Department of State function within the Army and represents the Permanent Secretary’s policy advisory role. It is one of the largest and busiest secretariats in Defence and is responsible for all Army Parliamentary and Ministerial business. This includes Parliamentary Questions, Ministerial Correspondence, Freedom of Information requests and Treat Official correspondence each year, alongside supporting Ministers and senior personnel at Select Committee appearances and submitting advice to Ministers on behalf of the Army.
Our portfolio is wide-ranging, including the equipment programme, personnel policy, basing and infrastructure, recruitment and training and the size and structure of the Army. Ministerial, public and media interest in the Army is consistently high. The size, nature and complexity of the Army means that it is often in the public eye with a commensurate requirement to ensure that Ministers and Defence communications are kept up to date on issues likely to attract Parliamentary or media attention.
The Army is operating a hybrid working balance which states 60% (3 days a week) of time in the Andover office. Occasional travel within the UK (including London and Scotland) will be required.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week., The role of a Senior Executive Officer in the Army Policy and Secretariat is coordination and delivery focused, offering an exciting opportunity to improve your policy, analytical and collaboration skills. Working closely with colleagues across Army HQ and Defence, you will develop your specialist expertise while contributing to briefing Ministers and senior Army officials on priority issues.
The post will support the core outputs of the Policy and Secretariat team, which include:
• Provision of clear, effective, and impartial Departmental advice regarding Army matters to Defence Ministers and senior military and civilian staff.
• Generation and quality assurance of Ministerial submissions; supporting the development of Army policies and plans; and ensuring they are aligned with wider Departmental and Government policies.
• Broader support to Ministers, including the provision of briefings prior to meetings and responses for use at Parliamentary Select Committee inquiries.
• Development of lines to take and presentational advice about Army issues that may attract public, media and Parliamentary attention.
• Answering Parliamentary questions, drafting responses to Ministerial and Treat Official correspondence, and responding to Freedom of Information requests., • Contribute to the effective delivery of all Parliamentary Business relating to the Army, ensuring that it is completed within Departmental and legally mandated timescales.
• Support the provision of proactive, reliable, high-quality advice to Ministers and other stakeholders on all aspects of the Army portfolio including on matters of policy, Parliamentary and media interest.
• Provide Secretariat advice on Parliamentary and presentational matters to senior colleagues across the Army.
• Work as part of team to provide the Department of State function within the Army, including meeting or exceeding all statutory, Departmental and Government-wide targets for the delivery of Parliamentary and Ministerial business and fulfilling the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act (2000).
• Share responsibility with other Senior Executive Officers (SEO) in the team for allocating requests for information and correspondence (Ministerial Correspondence, Parliamentary Questions, Treat Officials, Freedom of Information Act requests) across the whole team, ensuring a balance of workload.
• Building strong relationships with key stakeholders throughout Defence and Army.
• Line manage up to two Higher Executive Officers (HEO) members of staff and provide leadership and development to the wider HEO cohort within the Secretariat to ensure consistent high quality of output, including assurance of correspondence.
• Must be prepared to travel occasionally within the UK (including London and Scotland).
• Participate in the continued development of the Secretariat function within the Army HQ through engagement with the leadership team, testing amended ways of working and suggesting alternatives where appropriate and role modelling positive behaviours., We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Leadership
+ Making Effective Decisions
+ Delivering at Pace
+ Communicating and Influencing
+ Seeing the Big Picture
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
+ Leadership
+ Delivering at Pace, + 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 maternity, paternity and adoption leave
+ 6 days special leave per year which can be used for volunteering activities
Does this sound like the role for you? If so, we would love to hear from you!
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 Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Things you need to know

Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
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 application you will be assessed on Experience/Behaviours:
Experience - You will need to submit an anonymised CV including job history, education and qualifications, and a 750 word Statement of Suitability outlining the skills and experience you hold which demonstrate your suitability for this role, with particular reference to the essential criteria in the job description.
+ Leadership
+ Delivering at Pace
At interview you will be assessed on:
+ Seeing the Big Picture
+ Making Effective Decisions,
+ Communicating and Influencing,
+ Leadership
+ Delivering at Pace
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: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .
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.

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.

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.

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).

• Ability to work flexibly and at pace and able to adapt to changing priorities.
• Strong written and verbal communicator, able to communicate at all levels and excellent presentation skills.
• Ability to develop collaborative relationships with a range of stakeholders and teams at all grades/ranks.
• Experience of delivery and meeting tight deadlines.
• Line management and leadership skills.
Essential criteria:
• Strong communication skills (both oral and written) and good analytical skills.
• Ability to work as part of a team and independently when required.
• Ability to work flexibly, adapt to changing priorities and meet tight deadlines.
• Willingness to undertake continuous learning and development endeavours to ensure a consistently high quality of output on behalf of the Army Policy and Secretariat.
Desirable criteria:
• Policy experience
• Parliamentary and/or Secretariat experience.
• Although previous experience working in a military environment or in defence would be advantageous, it is not crucial as we will develop the successful candidates with role specific training, with the potential for further professional developmental opportunities.

Andover, South East, England, SP11 8HT (other areas may be considered subject to further discussion). 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 ensuing 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. The Army is operating a hybrid working balance which states 60% (3 days a week) of time in the Andover office.

Alongside your salary of £43,080, Ministry of Defence contributes £12,480 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
As a civil servant working alongside the Army, you will be part of a forward-looking organisation with inclusive workplace policies, excellent career prospects and a job that makes a difference.
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
+ An environment with flexible working options
+ A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
+ A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
+ Personal and professional development of skills