About the job

Job summary

We are looking for a high-calibre and highly resilient individual to join the heart of Army Operations at the Land Operations Command (LOC), Andover as the Deputy Chief of Staff (DACOS) of the G9 Branch and Senior Policy Advisor to Chief of Staff Field Army, in their capacity as the Land Component Commander (LCC).

This role is the primary route and source of independent policy advice in direct support to Land operations and leads the G9 team of specialists that encompasses legal advisors (LEGADs), policy advisors (POLADs), Human Security and CIMIC advisor, Media advisors (regular and Army reservist) and requires close working with other specialist areas, including medical, logistics, movements and G2 (intelligence). 

Through the LOC, the Chief of Staff of the Field Army has operational control of delegated Land operations for the Chief of Joint Operations and operational command of all Army deployments outside of Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) Joint Operational Areas, including exercises and persistent engagement overseas. The LOC generates prepared forces at readiness to meet Defence commitments in the UK and overseas and provides Land expertise and advice to support planning by other HQs, including in MOD Head Office, other Component Commands (Maritime Operations Command, Headquarters 11 Gp (RAF)), Standing Joint Command (UK), Other Government Departments (OGDs), PJHQ and other elements of UK Strategic Command. 

The role has wide liaison with broader key stakeholders and Army formations; leads on policy staff work, analysis, and advice within the LOC, and contributes to parliamentary/secretariat work and ministerial submissions for timely advice to Ministers on operations, in conjunction with Army Policy & Secretariat in Army HQ, PJHQ or SPO Directorate in MOD. 

As the senior POLAD, you will be a trusted personal advisor to the LCC as part of a senior decision-making team. This will include involvement in operational targeting, including through information activities, and other decision-making boards. 

DACOS G9 will line-manage the existing G9 Policy Advisor (C1) and military team members and will provide top cover and pastoral and development support to the SJC(UK) POLAD (C1) and other operational policy advisors within the Army as required.  DACOS G9 will advise the LCC on the subsequent development and growth of the operational policy team, to support enable further functional support to Army divisions.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

This is an operational policy role and as such is highly demanding. Successful applicants will need to be resilient and flexible to accommodate support to emerging crises. As DACOS G9 and Senior Policy Advisor, the main responsibilities include:

• Enable and assure operations through the provision of independent and informed policy advice to LCC and the wider LOC, liaising with other teams within MOD and across Whitehall to acquire the latest strategic and operational policy guidance; promulgating information between interested parties to inform thinking and planning; liaising with international partners. 
• Provision of advice (e.g., defence engagement, effects, policy, and political intent) during estimates and planning for operations; Provision of advice (e.g., jurisdictional, policy, security, and political implications) during live operations; 
• Serve as policy liaison between LCC and other Services and Headquarters, Land Commanders, MOD and other Government partners to support LOC’s ability to feed into joint operations and effects; 
• Delivery of fused policy updates and analysis of contentious geo-political matters, informed by stakeholders, to LCC and the broader command to improve strategic awareness; 
• Provision of direct policy advice to the LCC and their staff
• Enabling and assuring operations; contributing to or leading on Ministerial briefings and submissions for operational concerns. 
• Assure all G9 advice and develop and grow the broader G9 policy team as required.
• Direct Line Management of x1 WO1, x2 SO1s, x1 C1/SEO and counter-signing responsibilities for military team members (Army Reserve).
• Be prepared to provide direct support to Land exercises and operations as a deployed POLAD when required.
• The successful candidate will be expected to join the PJHQ Deployed Policy Advisor (POLAD) Pool and be an active member of the senior policy cadre for the Army TLB as a whole.
• As the most senior civil servant in the LOC, be a senior mentor and coach, supporting the other civil servants.
• This role is office based in the Army Headquarters, Andover with some limited scope for hybrid working. Due to the operational and crisis response nature of the LOC, out of hours working can be expected.

Person specification

Essential criteria:

• Strong personal resilience
• Flexibility
• Excellent communicator
• Previous experience drafting briefings and submissions to Ministers.
• Able to work autonomously.
• Already have or be willing to undergo Developed Vetting (DV)

It is desirable that candidates have previous experience in:

• Operational policy
• Secretariat/handling of parliamentary business
• Strategic policy development and working
• Liaison with a wide network of stakeholders
• Briefing of senior personnel
• Managing a hybrid team

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,670, Ministry of Defence contributes £15,570 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.

Candidates can apply online via the Civil Service Jobs website by completing the application form before the deadline shown. 

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.

After the sift, there will be an interview (face to face or virtual), followed potentially by a final selection by the LCC. Should a large number of candidates apply, the sift may be conducted on the two lead behaviours (Seeing the Bigger Picture and Communicating and Influencing)

At application stage, we will assess: 

• A Statement of Suitability (250 words)
• Personal Statement (500 words)
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing 
• Leadership 

At interview, we will assess you against the following behaviours: 

• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• 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 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.