About the job

Job summary

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to work in a fast-paced team dealing with issues central to our nation's security? We are seeking a versatile, motivated teammate to lead and deliver the Navy's engagement strategy with NATO, an organisation which is recognised as the fundamental pillar of UK defence – a position underscored by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Royal Navy Strategic Engagements Team works to build and maintain relationships with foreign navies and important organisations around the world, helping to develop partnerships and interoperability that benefit the RN and help to maintain the rules based international order. As a world-class, world leading navy, we work alongside key partners such as the USA and many other nation’s navies to share and learn , train together and operate in the regions of the world that matter.

The role focuses on the RN’s strategic engagements with NATO.

There is a large transformation agenda associated with this work to ensure that the momentum of RN NATO activity is maintained, and that the value of our unique contributions to, and output from, the NATO Alliance is maximised.

The team provides a highly constructive and encouraging environment in which to develop an understanding of defence and security policy. Most team members work 3 - 4 days per week in the office. In-person attendance is vital to support RN senior officers.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week. 

Job description

The successful applicant will drive forward and facilitate RN Senior Leadership Team (SLT) engagement with NATO. This is a high-profile role that will afford exposure to senior RN and Defence officials. The role requires working at pace and includes a range of duties that require experience of advising, briefing and drafting, as well as working collaboratively with partners to progress shared HMG objectives.

The Naval Staff have adopted Scrum working practices, which are invaluable in maintaining situational awareness and prioritising full workloads and is a useful framework to gain familiarity with given its increasing usage across the Civil Service.

The post holder will:

• Lead and update the ‘RN at the heart of NATO’ Campaign Plan. This ensures the RN is appropriately focused on the important issues, across numerous Directorates, that shape and develop the commitment to NATO.
• Lead on facilitating wide-ranging RN SLT engagement, including briefing RN senior officials ahead of meetings with the UK Military Representative and Permanent Representative to NATO;
• Lead in the preparation for NATO-facing events that the SLT are attending, as well as preparing SLT visits to NATO HQ and SHAPE in Belgium.
• Support the RN Domestic Engagements team by organising and leading occasional inward visits by NATO senior personnel to MOD sites.
• Frequently engage with partners, from central MOD policy teams; the UK Delegation in NATO; Defence Attachés; as well as other government departments.
• Monitor upcoming landmarks in the NATO calendar and ensure appropriate policy decisions are taken to provide understanding to senior leaders, enabling timely decision-making.
• Provide advice and support to the RN SLT as required (written, verbal).
• Work to Agile principles aligned with Scrum and JIRA working practices.
• Find opportunities for personal development and to strengthen the team.

Work predominantly out of MOD Main Building in London. Occasional requirement to travel within the UK and to NATO establishments in Europe in support of SLT engagements.

Person specification

Essential skills:

• Strong communicator and an ability to advise and brief senior individuals.
• Experience of developing campaign plans and approaches.
• Experience of working with a wide range of partners, identifying common objectives and areas for collaboration.
• Awareness of evaluation best-practise and the importance of evaluating activity.
• Ability to work on multiple strands of activity at tempo.
• Self-starter. The ability to be independent and drive forward a culture of commitment and continuous improvement.
• Passion and a commitment to the development of self and team members.

Desirable skills:

• Experienced in producing briefing packs and developing narratives.
• Ability to seek and analyse information to inform decisions.
• Experience of drafting submissions.
• Experience of working with ministers and their outer offices.
• Background or interest in Defence and Foreign Affairs.

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, Strengths and Experience.

Applicants will be assessed against Success Profiles, and we will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Candidates are encouraged to submit a CV (to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience) and complete a Statement of Suitability of no more than 750 words. Please provide experience relevant to the role.

Candidates who are successful at the sift stage will be invited to interview where three behaviours will be assessed in conjunction with two strengths-based questions.

At Interview, you will be assessed against the following Success Profiles Behaviours:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership

At Interview, you will be assessed against the following Strengths based questions:

• Influencing
• Relationship building

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

We will assess your suitability for the role using the Success Profile elements that have been chosen for this campaign. Each element will be scored accordingly.

We invite applications from everyone irrespective of gender and ethnic group. Appointment will be based on merit alone.

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

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.