Job summary
The Ministry of Defence employs over 50,000 Civil Servants. Within that, the Army Top Level Budget (TLB) employs around 7,000 MOD Civil Servants located at over 300 locations. Ours is a diverse workforce, with roles ranging from trainers, human resources, teachers, and psychologists to storekeepers, financiers, project and programme managers, and policy secretariat staff. There are many different functions and professions delivering key outputs for the Army.
We, the Army Officer Selection Board, Westbury (AOSB), assess 4,500 candidates per year through a variety of practical, conceptual and physical activities to identify practical application of intellect, physical ability and personality. The combination of potential in these areas will advise the selection of candidates for commissioning courses. Our Senior Occupational Psychologist role will support the President AOSB to ensure a fair and challenging process that provides a relevant and positive experience for both candidates and staff.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.
In the main, the post holder will be required to attend the workplace daily but there may be occasional opportunities to work remotely.
Job description
The role is expected to work independently but will be supported by the Occupational Psychology team based within Army Recruitment and Initial Training Command and the wider MOD Occupational Psychology community.
Responsible for psychometric management including the governance of psychometric test (ability and personality) training delivered to assessors and candidates. You will provide subject matter expertise and conduct customer supplier liaison with the commercial provider for psychometric and personality profiling including Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) to evaluate the performance of those selected at AOSB, to draw lessons, and to use this information to refine processes at AOSB.
As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will be fundamental in providing evidence and additional insight to the Boarding process through evaluation of the efficacy and validity of assessment tests from an occupational psychologist perspective, providing statistical analysis to support findings. You will also play a key role in the training and development of our assessors through the delivery of personalised developmental interviews based upon the results of a standardised personality profiling tool. There will be significant variety in the role and the chance to create meaningful impact. Projects are expected to include support to the design of activities, trials, evaluation of results and ensuring fairness in the process. This will need to be balanced against the shifting needs of Officer training as articulated through the Training Requirements Authority and delivered by RMAS.
Applicants are advised that the position applied for is included in the scope of the Armed Forces Recruiting Programme (AFRP) and has been determined as �Affected�. If you are appointed, you will continue as a MOD employee. The AFRP is working with the Single Services on what the future impact of the �Affected� roles are and the precise timings.
Person specification
1. Principle advisor to President AOSB on psychometrics and validation data.
2. AOSB Psychometrics Management � governance of psychometric test training and test use, subject matter expert mentor support to other psychometric test users, psychometric supplier liaison and assessment of the quality and validity.
3. Benchmarking assessment activities against British Psychological Society (BPS) standards.
4. Analyse aggregate exercise performance and boarding data to inform Presidents Policy Group and to support validation of activities.
5. Adverse impact assessment, determining and mitigating bias risk at AOSB.
6. Predictive validity analysis for both Briefing and Main Board processes; this will require data collection at AOSB and RMAS.
7. Support Supervising Officer in the design, development, trialling and validation of new assessment practices.
Train as a Boarding member, including but not limited to:
8. Assessing intellectual potential
9. Assessing CVs, written tests and conducting interviews
10. Conducting assessment of exercise and psychometric performance.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
11. Changing and Improving
12. Making Effective Decisions
13. Leadership
14. Communicating and Influencing
15. Managing a Quality Service
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
16. Changing and Improving
17. Making Effective Decisions
18. Leadership
Benefits
Alongside your salary of �43,080, Ministry of Defence contributes �11,632 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
The Army prides itself on being a supportive employer and where possible encourages flexible working, helping you to maintain a great work/life balance.
Other benefits for Army civil servants include:
19. 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years� competitive pension scheme.Personal and professional development of skills.Alternative working patterns for many to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), a free service that assists you with achieving a productive, healthy environment that is conducive to a healthy lifestyle.Enhanced parental and adoption days special leave per year which can be used for volunteering activities.Learning and access to AOSBs well equipped access to lunchtime fitness classes.Officers� Mess membership, with a range of functions held throughout the on-site public transport to a trout fishing lake (should you choose to join the fly-fishing club).Access to AOSBs 56 acres of parkland.
Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working.� This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.
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 .
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.