About the job

Job summary

The Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA), based in the Cabinet Office, was created in 2019 to lead the cross-government delivery of the Strategy for our Veterans, to develop future iterations of that strategy, and to provide leadership, advocacy and improved coordination of veterans’ issues across government. The aim of the OVA is to realise the Government’s ambitious strategic vision, to make the UK the best country in the world to be a veteran. 

There are around 2 million veterans in the UK and 15,000 people leaving the Armed Forces every year. The government wants to ensure that every single veteran has the opportunity to move successfully into civilian life and can access the help they need to do so. The community of veterans and their families is diverse and varied in the support people need, with the work of the OVA spanning issues including housing, health and well being, employment, diversity and inclusion, historical legacy issues, finance, criminal justice and societal recognition of the value of service in the Armed Forces.

How would you like to be part of a new and growing team based at the heart of Government that makes a real and tangible difference to our veteran community? You will play a part in the ambitious Government mission to make the UK the best place in the world to be a veteran. This is an exciting opportunity to join the Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA), which sits within the Cabinet Office, as it increases its outreach and engagement activities. You can expect to manage high profile engagement relationships with a wide range of senior stakeholders, including the Minister for Veterans Affairs' Private Office, across UK Government, Devolved Administrations, Regional and Local Authorities and including both the Private and Charity sectors. 

You will be a pivotal and influential member of a small team, helping shape a collaborative approach in ensuring that veterans have access to the essential support services they require. The OVA’s ambitious agenda will help bring the very best out of you and enable you to demonstrate your capabilities. This is a fast paced, varied role, which will involve working in an environment of senior relationship building and with a high degree of autonomy. There will be a requirement for travel throughout the UK. 

Job description

• Establish a visible, engaged and collaborative OVA presence at the Governmental, Devolved and Regional level. Build, manage and maintain high profile engagement relationships with veterans’ stakeholders, at every level.
• Maximise opportunities to promote the value of veterans in society and improve access to and awareness of veterans' welfare services. Communicating and listening to veterans and all stakeholders and being able to manage stakeholders’ expectations.
• Monitor, analyse and report on local policy developments, initiatives and welfare trends, working closely with OVA policy, strategy, research, data and communications colleagues, as well as officials in government departments.
• Support the coordination of statutory support at the local level and develop plans that deliver high quality local solutions aligned with the Veterans Strategy Action Plan and Ministerial interests and priorities.
• Develop links with veterans and veteran groups, help build an evidence based lived experience database, which can support wider OVA activity, especially in respect of policy development.
• Shape, disseminate and deliver tool kits for local authorities, to help them improve understanding of their veteran communities and take steps to improve policy outcomes.
• Work closely with other colleagues in the OVA, including the policy team; strategy, research and data; and communications and engagement, to maximise opportunities to promote the role of veterans in society, improve access to and awareness or services for veterans and support Ministerial interests and priorities.

Person specification

• You will be a self-starter with excellent interpersonal skills and be confident in engaging and working with external stakeholders to build meaningful relationships.
• A strategic thinker, you will enjoy problem solving and you will compile, assimilate, distil, interpret and present evidence and options, drawing upon experts as appropriate.  
• You will be a strong communicator, both written and orally and be confident writing for a variety of audiences, preparing briefs, and papers for colleagues and seniors, including Ministers, and presenting your ideas to colleagues. You will present to a high standard and be able to summarise key messages for different audiences.  
• You will have a strong interest in and focus on continuous learning and be open to innovation and keeping knowledge and skills set current and evolving.  
• You will be personally resilient, flexible and a highly articulate team player, who is able to bring people together to form a motivated network and can also empower others and create the right environment for positive policy outcomes. 

Essential Criteria:

• Experience of multiple and varied stakeholder engagement
• Ability to work flexibly and at pace and to make sound decisions in a complex, and multi-stakeholder environment
• Communication, collaboration and influencing skills, both written and verbal
• Strategic thinking, analytical and problem solving skills
• Organisational skills and able to work independently to manage multiple competing priorities

  Desirable Criteria:

• Experience working with the Armed Forces community
• Experience working with Devolved Administrations and Local Government
• Experience in policy and strategy development across government

Additional information:

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,500, Cabinet Office contributes £12,015 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, Strengths and Experience.

Application process

As part of your application you will be asked to provide a name-blind CV detailing your job history and qualifications, 500-word Personal Statement and a 250-word statement on the lead behaviour (Communicating and Influencing). Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

The Personal Statement should outline your suitability for this job role. Please pay particular attention to the person specification when writing your statement. This section will be used for the sift to assess your suitability to be invited to an interview. You do not have to refer to the Behaviours element in your statement. 

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, Communicating and Influencing. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Selection process

The interview process will assess the Behaviour and Strengths elements of Success Profiles. We would generally expect answers to follow the STAR or CAR structure and encourage candidates to use this during the interview.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date - w/c 15th Jan
Expected interview date/s – w/c 5th Feb
Interview location - Virtual via MS Teams 

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Cabinet Office 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

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

Contact Government Recruitment Service via cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. 

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service  on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Please note that this role requires CTC clearance, which would normally need 3 years’ UK residency in the past 3 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

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 counter-terrorist 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.