About the job

Job summary

We are looking for an organised individual to help the efficient running of our small team through the management of our Head’s diary and the provision of broader administrative support and research assistance in support of our capability studies.  The Defence Operational Capability team (DOC) is a small, motivated and inclusive team at the centre of the Ministry of Defence (MOD).  The team exists to provide assurance to Ministers and Service Chiefs through independent and impartial audits of Operational Capability.  We are looking for an organised and enthusiastic individual to assist us provide Ministers with honest, rigorous, and timely assessments of UK military capabilities. 

  

DOC was established by the Secretary of State for Defence in 1995 to assure, challenge, and improve Defence outputs by providing an independent internal audit and consultancy function.  DOC enjoys privileged access across the Department, working directly to the Vice Chief of Defence Staff (VCDS) and reporting to the Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Min(AF)).  The team is empowered to engage across Defence, and across wider government when needed.   

  

Our small, close-knit, team is headed by a 1* military officer (currently a Royal Navy Commodore), and a military OF5 (currently an RAF Group Captain), who are supported by four military desk officers from each of the three services.  From time to time, we will be joined by a Civil Servant on secondment.  The Executive Assistant (EA) position, works alongside an Army Sergeant Co-ordinator and provides essential administrative support, engaging with outer offices and keeping the team’s day to day business on track.  The role also supports the Teams’ audit work through documentary research and analysis.   

 

DOC is a welcoming and friendly team. We value diversity and champion a working culture that ensures our jobs are accessible to the widest range of candidates.  We value and take pride in our different perspectives and actively ensure we help each other to perform at our best.  We are always looking to provide formal and informal learning and development opportunities to support each other in our professional development.  

This position is advertised for 37 hours per week and we welcome applications from those with flexible working patterns. Travel into the office will typically be required around 3 to 4 days a week; it will fluctuate in line with business needs but can also be adjusted to accommodate individual requirements. 

Job description

We are recruiting an AO/E1 to act as an Executive Assistant (EA) to DOC’s Head and Assistant Head and to provide broader support to the wider DOC team. You will look after Head DOC’s diary through proactive scheduling and timely preparation ahead of meetings and interviews.  You will also provide routine administrative support to the Assistant Head and the rest of the Team, working closely with our team Co-ordinator to organise interviews and visits and support the information gathering task which underpins DOC’s capability audit work.   

DOC is an exciting place to work with unrivalled exposure and access across the breadth of Defence.  Regardless of your background, you will have the ability to broaden and develop your understanding of MOD from a unique position at the very centre of the Department.   

You will be directly responsible for: 

 

• Hd DOC’s Diary:  You will organise the Head’s diary, planning 2-3 weeks in advance. You will identify where briefing, or preparation time is needed before appointments and allocate time for this in the diary. The Assistant Head will run their own diary, but you will need to maintain oversight of both diaries to ensure there are no conflicts and important meetings are covered. 
• Meeting Preparation:  You will coordinate preparation of papers and reading packs for Head DOC’s meetings and arrange time for pre-briefings beforehand and for back-briefings afterwards. 
• Arrange Duty Travel:  You will arrange Hd DOC’s travel and accommodation as and when required, recording activity in DOC’s SharePoint area to keep track of spending. 
• Freedom of Information & Parliamentary Business:  You will coordinate the timely preparation of draft responses to Freedom of Information requests and Parliamentary Questions. 
• Outer Office Engagement:  You will build your network of outer office staff to enable efficient engagement and distribution of reports across Defence and wider government.   
• Interview Coordination:  You will book and deconflict interviews for DOC reports (potentially up to 50 per report) ensuring the necessary team members can attend the correct interviews and that a private room is booked for the interviewer when required 
• Research Support:  All DOC studies are underpinned by comprehensive documentary research.  You will assist DOC desk officers identify, locate, access and review important reference material. You will also help maintain DOC study records.      
• Manage Office Supplies:  You will look after our office supplies, ordering stationary and managing our access to office furniture and IT. 

 

You will support the DOC Co-ord’s provision of seamless broader support to DOC by:  

 

• Organising DOC meetings, accepting, adjusting or declining appointments to deconflict and ensure the team is appropriately represented when necessary. 
• Booking external visitors to DOC into MOD. 
• Organising (and sometimes attending) visits to different Military Headquarters and other government departments.  
• Booking rooms for DOC meetings, ensuring provision of suitable IT and communications support for meetings and that the room is set-up ready for use. 
• Assisting with the on-boarding of new team members. 
• Undertaking ad hoc administrative tasks as required.  
• Providing cover for the DOC Co-ord when they are absent. 

 

Person specification

 

Essential criteria: 

 

• You will be an organised, adaptable and good multi-tasker.  
• You will be able to work independently. 
• You will have good computer literacy, and  strong written and verbal communication skills. 
• You will have a strong attention to detail. 
• You will be able to work in a small team, building and maintaining effective relationships with key stakeholders, organisations, and colleagues. 
• You will have an interest in Defence and Security issues.  

 

Desirable Criteria: 

 

• Previous administrative experience is desirable but not essential. 

 

Training   

 

You will be required to complete mandatory training and the following specific training relating to the job within three months of taking up the position. 

 

• Freedom of Information 
• Ministerial Correspondence  
• Contracting, Purchasing and Finance  
• Microsoft 365 SharePoint Administrator Upskilling Course (If no SharePoint Experience).   

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £24,040, Ministry of Defence contributes £6,490 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

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.

This vacancy uses Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours. The assessment process is as follows: 

 

Stage 1:  You are required to submit a CV and a personal statement (500 words max).  In your personal statement, please refer to the Essential and Desirable Criteria, and explain how you consider your skills, qualities and experience make you suitable for the role. 

 

Stage 2:  Interview based on your CV and personal statement, with particular focus on the following behaviours: Your understanding of the strategic context (seeing the bigger picture), your ability to deliver at pace and your ability to integrate and support the team (working together). 

 

Stage 3:  We will contact candidates who have been successful at interview.  Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview. 

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 into 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.  

The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and 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

Open to UK nationals only.

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.