About the job

Job summary

Afghanistan Inquiry Response Unit – Data Coordinator

This role is a fantastic opportunity to work on the response to the Independent Inquiry relating to Afghanistan, chaired by Lord Justice Sir Charles Haddon-Cave.

The Inquiry was announced in December 2022 to investigate and report on allegations of wrongdoing by the British Armed Forces in relation to deliberate detention operations in Afghanistan from mid-2010 to mid-2013. The Inquiry will also look at the adequacy of the MOD’s response to those concerns and assess what lessons can be learned.

We are seeking an Data Coordinator to join the Afghanistan Inquiry Response Unit (AIRU) within the Ministry of Defence. This is a challenging role, offering the opportunity to be at the heart of a high-profile inquiry.

SPO is the part of the Ministry of Defence that provides both policy advice to Ministers on security and operational matters and strategic direction to our Armed Forces.  

This role provides vital contributions to SPO output, and is an integral part of our policy teams, linking with colleagues across Whitehall to ensure consistency with the National Security Strategy and working alongside military colleagues to deliver policy and military advice to Ministers.  

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week. Due to the sensitive materials involved in this role, full attendance in MOD Main Building, London will be required with very limited home working possible.

About Security Policy and Operations (SPO)

The MOD’s key responsibility is to protect the security, independence, and interests of the UK, at home and abroad. SPO is central to delivering this. The SPO Headquarters organisation consists of around 700 civilian and military staff.

SPO officials work directly with Ministers to define the objectives and context for military operations by the UK’s Armed Forces. SPO delivers advice and direction as a combined Department of State and Military Headquarters. It shapes Defence relations with other nations and international security organisations. It leads the MOD’s counter-terrorism policy and Defence’s contribution to UK security policy, working with Government colleagues to implement it. In all these areas, we ensure the MOD is accountable to Parliament and the public.

Job description

Security Policy and Operations (SPO) has established a dedicated policy team to lead the MOD’s response to the Inquiry. This is a very high-profile area with strong Ministerial, senior official and military interest. Responding effectively is critical to ensuring public trust and it is essential we do so at pace to meet the ambition of the Chair, whilst supporting our people.

The role will focus on the MOD’s Information Management and Data strategy regarding the Inquiry, in particular – management of MOD records provided to the Inquiry, ensuring compliance with Government security procedures, and supporting the MOD in ensuring that  the Inquiry has a full evidence base to investigate matters within the Inquiry’s Terms of Reference.

Key responsibilities include:

• Working alongside the MOD’s legal team, disclosure team and policy team to manage the evidence provided to the Inquiry.
• Maintaining a robust audit of all documentation owned by the MOD which may be of relevance to the Inquiry.
• Supporting the disclosure team with management of Share Point sites across MOD IT systems to ensure compliance with Security procedures.
• Developing information management processes to manage the handling of large volumes of evidence used in the Inquiry.

Person specification:

You will be expected to have an understanding of document management systems and document handling processes. You will need to have a high level of attention to detail to maintain a clear audit of large volumes of material used as evidence for the Inquiry. You will need to be confident and credible in your engagement with stakeholders across Defence and HMG, and with MOD’s legal team and the Inquiry. To be successful, you should be able to demonstrate capability in each of the essential criteria below.

Person specification

Experience

Essential Skills

The people we look for will have skills in the following areas:

• Collaborative working with colleagues and stakeholders who have different backgrounds, interests and perspectives.
• Developing clear and robust audit trails of material.
• Management of large data sets, complying with security and data protection guidelines.
• An ability to work at pace and under pressure, often when dealing with uncertainty.

Desirable Skills

We are interested in candidates with experience of:

• Working on large data sets relating to national security issues;
• Working on legal policy or litigation;
• Working in central Government departments.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £35,290, Ministry of Defence contributes £9,528 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.

Complete an online CV template to include job history, education and qualifications, and previous experience and skills. The CV will not be scored.

Provide a personal suitability statement of 500 words on how they meet the essential/desirable criteria, why they are interested in the position, and what skills and strengths they would bring to the team.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours and Experience. We will assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing

Should a high volume of applications be received, sifting will be conducted on the personal statement and CV.

At interview, applicants will be asked to provide examples of all the Success Profiles behaviours listed above.

Please note, feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Strong candidates if unsuccessful for this post may still be considered for other similar roles. A reserve list will be held for 12 months, and reserve candidates may be contacted about similar roles during this time.

If any applicant is not found appointable at the advertised HEO grade, but the panel considers them suitable for a similar role at a lower grade, they may be asked if they wish to be added to a reserve list for roles which may become available in the organisation at the lower grade.

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.