Executive Support Officer to Director Armed Forces Personnel and Head Armed Forces People Support

Background

The Director of Armed Forces Personnel Policy (AFP Pol) is looking for a motivated and flexible individual to join our team of over 170 civilians and military personnel. Within the 6 Deputy Director areas, this post would be a shared Executive Support Officer for the Director (working within an outer office of 3) and as a PA to the Head of Armed Forces People Support.

This is a key post to support a highly responsive directorate within Defence People, where the team has the overall Armed Forces personnel policy and Strategy lead for our Armed Forces community (Serving personnel and their families).  

The team works across Defence, with other Government Departments, and the wider public, private and third sectors and academia.

It’s an exciting time to join this high-performing and flexible mixed military and civilian directorate. You will help to support the delivery of some unique and bespoke high-profile work including, but not limited to delivery of HRAFI and DCPR, that will give you a real sense of achievement.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week. 

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

For the Director:

• Provide outer office support to a very busy office, managing the diary of the Director for Armed Forces Personnel Policy.
• Arranging meetings on behalf of the Director with a wide variety of stakeholders including but not limited to: Ministers, MOD senior colleagues, counterparts from other government departments, wider public, private and third sectors and academia.
• Prioritising meeting requests, and deconflicting events whilst also being mindful of the need for desk time.
• Book in and on occasion escort external visitors who are attending MOD MB for meetings with the Director.
• Working closely with all members of the outer office team to ensure that the Directors time is utilised in the most effective way, to ensure delivery of key policies and programs.
• Supporting the Portfolio Program Manager with oversight of key work strands, ensuring tasks are delivered in a timely and accurate manner, and maintaining effective record management and corporate knowledge.
• Attending meetings (where appropriate) on behalf of the Director and drafting effective minutes for their later perusal.
• On occasion assist with the coordination and organisation of ALB/Charities’ events to be held in MoD MB.

For the Deputy Director, AFP Sp:

• Provide outer office support to a very busy office, managing the inbox and diary of the Head of Armed Forces People Support (AFP Sp) (a civilian Deputy Director).
• Prioritising and highlighting incoming tasks and meetings to ensure both the best use of Head AFP Support’s time and efficient, rapid communication across the team and wider business area.
• Supporting the Business Manager with oversight of key work strands, ensuring tasks are delivered in a timely and accurate manner, and maintaining effective record management and corporate knowledge.
• Supporting the Business Manager in coordinating staff work as directed by Head Armed Forces People Support.
• Supporting both the Director and Deputy Director communications activity working to the Assistant Head Communications and Engagement in delivering wider employee engagement and internal communications activity and lead the work across the Directorate in response to the People Survey.

Person specification

We’re looking for someone who is:

• A self-starting confident individual with exceptional organisational and IT skills.
• Comfortable with engaging a range of stake holders, including Ministerial Offices.
• By nature, a supportive and proactive team member.

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership

• 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 average employer contribution of 27%

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. 

Job contact :

• Name : Rachel D’Abreu
• Email : Rachel.Dabreu100@mod.gov.uk
• Telephone : 0300 155 2611

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk