About the job

Job summary

Military Capability sits at the heart of the MOD’s major decisions.  It headed by the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Military Capability) (DCDS(MilCap)), a 3-star military officer (equivalent to a Director General).  DCDS(MilCap) is responsible for taking a pan-Departmental view of MOD’s strategic balance of investment decisions and the Department’s financial planning rounds.  DCDS(MilCap) is also responsible for Innovation, Infrastructure, Increasing Defence Outputs, Future Combat Air Systems, Strategic Programmes, National Shipbuilding Office and Capability & Force Design a total of seven directorates. 

The Private Secretary to DCDS(MilCap) sits within an outer office of five people dedicated to supporting DCDS(MilCap).  Working in a truly joint military and civilian environment you will play a major role enabling high-level decision-making across a diverse portfolio of responsibilities.  This will include taking the lead on a variety of complex Defence issues, such as acquisition, sustainability, Defence major portfolio programme reviews, international engagement and shipbuilding. 

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

Military Capability sits at the heart of the MOD’s major decisions.  It headed by the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Military Capability) (DCDS(MilCap)), a 3-star military officer (equivalent to a Director General).  DCDS(MilCap) is responsible for taking a pan-Departmental view of MOD’s strategic balance of investment decisions and the Department’s financial planning rounds.  DCDS(MilCap) is also responsible for Innovation, Infrastructure, Increasing Defence Outputs, Future Combat Air, Strategic Programmes, National Shipbuilding Office and Capability & Force Design a total of seven directorates. 

The Private Secretary to DCDS(MilCap) sits within an outer office of five people dedicated to supporting DCDS(MilCap).  Working in a truly joint military and civilian environment you will play a major role enabling high-level decision-making across a diverse portfolio of responsibilities.  This will include taking the lead on a variety of complex Defence issues, such as acquisition, sustainability, Defence major portfolio programme reviews, international engagement and shipbuilding. 

Providing an exciting opportunity to experience exposure at the very highest levels of Defence this post will require a broad range of personal engagement with the Department’s most senior stakeholders, including Secretary of State for Defence, Minister for Defence Procurement, VCDS and Service Chiefs, and senior defence industry executives.  You will also gain a unique insight into cross-Government working, including No10 and the Cabinet Office.  The postholder will also have opportunities for regular travel with DCDS(MilCap) within the UK and abroad. 

Person specification

• Management of DCDS(MilCap)’s outer office, including coordinating, allocating and prioritising the information. 
• Providing timely advice to DCDS(MilCap) in order to inform decisions supporting key Departmental activity. 
• Tasking, staff checking, and distribution of submissions to Ministers and senior MOD officials. 
• Ensuring DCDS(MilCap)’s time is managed effectively. This also includes commissioning and coordinating suitable briefs, the provision of papers, reviewing and commenting on drafts and ensuring a consistently high standard of advice and support. 
• Liaising effectively and working in partnership with the Outer Office team, as well as building and maintaining effective working relationships with other Private Offices, including the Perm Sec and Ministerial Private Offices, and other key stakeholders within Head Office and the wider Commands.
• Providing support across the outer office, including oversight of diary management, inbox management and preparation of meeting packs. 
• Line management of the E1 Personal Assistant (PA). Oversight of managing DCDS(MilCap)’s time, including both the short- and longer-term diaries, ensuring support arrangements are in place (eg. transport, accommodation, meeting rooms booked). 
• Experienced SEO with, ideally with experience of working in fast past environments.
• Manage a broad range of varied tasks concurrently, prioritising as appropriate to ensure MilCap delivers on departmental priorities.
• Strong Interpersonal Skills and the ability to effectively challenge as required, particularly to a senior audience.

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 and Experience.

At application candidates will be sifted against the following:

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

At application Candidates will be required to provide a Statement of Suitability against the Job description with a maximum word limit of 750 words

Behaviours

• Communicating and Influencing (Lead competency)

Interviews will be based on the following behaviours:

• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace 
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing (Lead competency)

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is enhanced developed vetting, further to the DV as listed below.

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.