About the job

Job summary

An exciting role exists to join the UKSTRATCOM DI CA-Cyber Assessment Team, a key part of Defence Intelligence (DI). This role is within the CEMA (Cyber and Electromagnetic Activities) team that is based in MOD Main Building, London. The role would suit an inquisitive individual who can learn from engagement with technical issues and collaboration with the science and technology community and international partners. 

DI provides intelligence analysis, specialist outputs and advice which support governmental strategic decision-making for the security of the Nation. DI is at the heart of Defence’s decision-making, analysing information from overt and covert sources to identify threats and opportunities and providing advice to policymakers and commanders, working across departmental and international boundaries. 

In DI, our people solve problems, create understanding and give perspective to the diverse and complex Defence threats and challenges in a rapidly changing world. Together our civilians and military personnel inform decision-making in Defence, manage complex finance programmes and develop new technology. 

In DI we believe your unique experiences, view and understanding of the world could provide a vital perspective and contribution to our work. We recognise that great minds do not think alike and are striving to increase our diversity representation at all levels. As an equal opportunity employer, we hire, train and promote people based on merit and aspire to create an inclusive workplace free of discrimination. We also offer working arrangements such as flexitime, job share and compressed hours. 

This position is advertised as 37 hours per week with some extremely limited home working.  This is due to the sensitive nature of our work results in many of our posts being unable to work from home on a regular basis. 

All job adverts in DI are subject to fair and open competition. 

Job description

The DI Cyber CEMA section lead is a senior analyst role that provides support to defence cyber operations and capability development projects. This is a priority area for UK STRATCOM and wider defence. It is recognised that cyber operations are a major component in modernising Defence for the 21st Century via the integration of CEMA into military operations.  

The role-holder will work on longer-term projects across a broad portfolio whilst developing subject matter expertise and conducting detailed analysis. The changing demands of the work will mean the role will require flexibility to focus on an array of defence requirements, covering a range of countries and regional areas. The work is varied, with regular new developments making this a particularly exciting area and offers excellent opportunities to use and develop analytical and technical knowledge. You will be exposed to multiple teams across DI, key internal MOD departments and the wider UK intelligence community. You will engage internationally with intelligence partners, which may offer opportunities for international travel.  

You will have line management responsibility for a small team of HEO analysts, with responsibility for overseeing the wellbeing, career development and analytical output of the team.  

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working.  This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements. 

Strategic Command is going through a significant transformation programme which aims to improve the way the Command conducts its business and delivers for Defence and the nation. As a consequence of this, all posts within Strategic Command Headquarters and in time the wider organisation, are/will be subject to review and potential changes as we continuously improve across the period of the transformation programme. These changes may be minor or could be more substantive and will generate new opportunities.  Throughout, the Command’s transformation programme is committed to following the MOD’s framework on managing and supporting people through the change process and places an emphasis on early and open consultation and engagement with the Command’s personnel and Trade Unions. 

Person specification

The Section Lead will:  

• Lead a team by offering guidance and direction in their specific field, aligning with the targets set by line management.  
• Manage a team by ensuring their focus is on assessments that contribute to achieving team and branch objectives.  
• Support a team by assisting in their work, training, and personal development goals and providing opportunities for growth in their respective roles.  
• Foster engagement and collaboration with other sections and teams within the branch, ensuring support for ongoing projects.  
• Liaise other national and international partners on relevant projects. 
• Establish and maintain relationships with cyber enterprise partners, as well as international partners and organisations.  
• Take a leading role and provide support in conducting comprehensive assessments using all source information to inform the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the wider UK and international community partners about cyber opportunities in alignment with defence priorities.   
• Present written and verbal assessments to diverse MOD, cross-government, and international clients.  
• Conduct daily reviews of reports that may have implications for ongoing project areas of focus.  
• Collect customer requirements and identify areas where assessments can provide valuable insights.  
• Promote collaboration among assessment mission teams across Defence Intelligence. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £43,080, Ministry of Defence contributes £11,631 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, Experience and Technical skills.

We use the Civil Service Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours, Ability and Experience. 

Candidates will be required to complete an online CV template to include job history, full details of education and qualifications from A-Level or equivalent onwards, and previous experiences and skills relevant to the role. 

Your Personal Statement/Statement of Suitability (500 words) should outline your interest in the role and skills and experience that are relevant to the role and person specification.  

Please provide evidence for each of these Behaviours: Leadership, Communicating and Influencing (Interview only) and Working Together (250 words for each behaviour).  

We'll also assess you against this technical skill during the selection process: PHIA professional development framework behaviour: Analysis, tradecraft and assessment - Proficient Level. 

Behaviours will be assessed from your job application, with experience evaluated from your CV and interview if sifted to attend.  

Sift: 

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing (Interview only)
• Working Together
• PHIA professional development framework behaviour: Analysis, tradecraft and assessment - Proficient level.

In the event of a significant number of applications, we will initially sift on your CV, personal statement and the Civil Service behaviour of Leadership.  

The Sift will take place within two weeks of the closing date, with the interviews taking place asap after that. Timescales may be subject to change; You will be notified at each stage of the process through your CSJobs portal, please note that occasionally emails from this site land in your junk folder. 

Interview  

• Communicating and influencing will be scored using your verbal presentation on “What is the importance of Cyber Electromagnetic Activities to UK Defence, what opportunities are posed, and what are the intelligence challenges?” (5 – 7 minutes in duration) 
• Leadership 
• Working Together  
• PHIA Technical skills:  Analysis, tradecraft and assessment - Proficient level 

 Interviews will be held face-to-face in Whitehall, London  

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. 

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 developed vetting (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.