About the job

Job summary

Have you ever considered working in an exciting inclusive engineering training environment? If so, there is a brilliant opportunity for you in a modern teaching organisation.

DCTT Vision  

The Defence College of Technical Training (DCTT) trains and educates highly skilled technicians and engineers to meet the operational demands of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force. We specialise in aeronautical engineering, electronic and mechanical engineering, nuclear and marine engineering and communications and information systems - to prepare our trainees to operate in a modern combat environment. 

With nearly 2,500 military, civil service and contractor staff based across six locations, we value our diverse and inclusive workforce. We encourage mutual respect, actively foster kindness and fairness, and promote a healthy work-life balance. We invest in our people; offering career and personal development opportunities and recognise staff efforts and commitments. 

One of DCTT’s School’s, The Defence School of Electronic and Mechanical Engineering (DSEME), plays a key role in delivering world-class technical training to soldiers and aviators across a variety of engineering disciplines. Currently based at MOD St Athan, DSEME’s sub-school, No 4 School of Technical Training (4SoTT) will be relocating to MOD Lyneham over the coming months, which presents an exciting opportunity to join the Royal Air Force 4SoTT.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week. 

Job description

As the Personal Assistant to the Commanding Officer (CO) you will be responsible for.

Providing assistance to the CO; act as the point of contact between the CO and internal/external clients. Screen and direct phone calls, distribute correspondence and handle requests and queries appropriately. Monitor the CO’s emails in their absence.

Manage, coordinate and maintain the CO’s calendar including appointments, meetings and travel. Receive and host visitors of the CO.

Completing the routine administration in support of the CO. Responsible for the organisation of internal and external meetings on behalf of the CO ensuring all necessary requirements are made. Act as Secretary at the Station Executive and Wider Executive meetings.

Responsible for making all required travel arrangements and booking of associated accommodation on behalf of the CO; manage the CO's involvement in visits to the Station and their visits to other units; coordinate all Visit Instructions and escort visitors as required. Ensure the Hospitality Book is updated on the CO’s behalf.

Responsible for the coordination of Conference Room bookings

Responsible for the ordering of Stationery and upkeep of the Stationery supplies within the Squadron Headquarters.

Oversee arrangements for dinners and other entertainment events hosted by the CO.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) offers a range of flexibilities to enable a better work-life balance for employees. Alternative Working Patterns, in accordance with policy, can be considered where it can be accommodated by the business, but there may be occasions when a presence on site during standard working hours may be required. All working patterns and flexibilities are subject to agreement with the Line Manager. 

Person specification

You must be well organised and proficient in time management. You'll be required to be both proactive and reactive.

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. 

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.

Apply online via CS Jobs, application sifting is scheduled for 16 Jan 24. 

Interviews will be held late Jan/early Feb 24  

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include: job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.  

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability.

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

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

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.