About the job
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.
The Royal Anglian Regiment is recruited from nine East of England counties stretching from the Humber to the Thames. Its permanent headquarters is located at The Keep in Bury St Edmunds with a separate office in Cottesmore Barracks, Rutland. It is a dedicated, dynamic, committed, multifaceted organisation with a diverse cross section of talents and experience. It is led by the Regimental Secretary and serves a wide constituency of both serving and retired military personnel, along with their dependants.
The post holder will have specific responsibilities across the East of England, primarily but not exclusively within East Anglia. The primary role is to be the focal point for all Regimental matters aiding the 1st and 3rd Battalions of the Royal Anglian Regiment when appropriate.
This post can be demanding, but also most fulfilling. On occasions some evening and weekend work may be required (for which time off in lieu may be taken).We are looking for someone who is self-motivated, highly organised, and able to co-ordinate activity to enable effective working.
You will be expected to represent Regimental Headquarters at a range of meetings and conferences and will be regarded as a credible Regimental representative within the Regimental area.
The role has a broad portfolio of outputs including governance, sustaining the regiment through recruiting, supporting our people (including welfare provision), community engagement, communications, and heritage.
The successful candidate will work from offices in Bury St Edmunds near Ipswich in Suffolk.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.
Job description
The post holder will have specific responsibilities for the 1st Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiments counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and Cambridgeshire. The primary role is to be the focal point for all Regimental matters aiding 3rd Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment when appropriate.
The post holder will be the communication/media lead for RHQ for the 1st Battalions counties. Responsibilities including:
* Deliver and, as required, contribute to regimental publications, publicity and information including the annual Journal, Newsletter, website, and social media posts (Facebook, Twitter and others as identified).
* Work with external agencies to ensuring active promotion of the Regiment to both internal and external audiences.
Civil Engagement
* Promote and develop the Regiment's identity, reputation, and civil relationships.
* Liaise with local Mayors and MPs ensuring they remain fully aware of the activities of the Regiment. Maintain the Regimental influence network.
* Maintain close links with the Regiment's Freedom Towns / Cities and coordinate Freedom Parades as and when invited.
Welfare
* Work closely with the RHQ benevolence staff to support the welfare efforts in support of veterans and their families and to act as the Regiments local point of contact on all veterans issues.
* Be the lead when dealing with operational and other casualties including aftercare.
* Liaise with Service Charities, Local Authorities, NHS, and others to secure support for veterans within the county areas.
Comradeship
* As the Association focal point support its activities, ensuring that the Regiment and the Armed Forces are represented appropriately and positively.
* Prioritising and coordinating major regimental and commemorative events each year with a focus on Association events.
* Act as the Secretary for the four County Committees of: Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire.
Support the Regiments In-Pensioners in the Royal Hospital Chelsea
Regimental Engagement
* Foster a strong association with those Royal Anglian badged Army Cadet Force and Combined Cadet Force in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and Cambridgeshire, providing mentorship and advice on military matters, including Regimental support to their activity, especially Annual Camps.
* Coordinate military-led commemorative events as required.
Regimental Heritage
* Act as the Regimental Point of Contact for the Regimental Museums in: Norwich, Bury St Edmunds, Chelmsford, and Duxford.
Sustain and Support the Regiment
* Be prepared to support the County Colonels of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and Cambridgeshire.
* Provide advice to all R ANGLIAN units, linked to Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex & Cambridgeshire, both Regular and Reserve.
Person specification
The successful candidatewill be confident, outgoing, and able to deal with a wide variety of people with excellent interpersonal and communication skills and will be able to translate sophisticated issues into a clear message. You should have the confidence to engage optimally at all levels of seniority, with both military and civilian colleagues and across government and be happy to advise and influence key opinion-former's. To be credible, you will need knowledge of the Regiment and the Army.
The successful candidate must be highly motivated, proactive, dynamic, able to set clear priorities and work with little supervision.You will be capable of reacting to changing circumstances quickly and calmly, optimally managing and prioritising a fast-paced workload with minimal direction and will possess good judgement skills, have an ability to anticipate issues and determine solutions.
You will need good leadership skills in order to empower a small workforce of MOD employed personnel and will offer positive mentorship, advice, and leadership to all Branches of the Regimental Association.
Being IT literate with a knowledge of current social media and ideally with a solid understanding of web-based communication would be expected.Key partners include affiliated civic authorities and leaders, along with military units from the UK (United Kingdom) and overseas, plus cadets.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Leadership
* Making Effective Decisions
* Seeing the Big Picture
* Delivering at Pace
Benefits
Alongside your salary of 35,290, Ministry of Defence contributes 10,223 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
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:
* 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years service
* Highly competitive pension scheme
* Personal and professional development of skills
* Alternative working patterns for many roles
* Access 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 leave
* 6 days special leave per year which can be used for volunteering activities
* Learning and Development
We believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference and you will be supported to help you learn and advance in your career. This includes working towards membership of a professional body and/or undertaking a modern apprenticeship as part of your role.
A modern apprenticeship is a combined package of work and training. Through the schemes available you will gain a professional qualification, practical experience, and the broader skills required to develop in your current role and pave the way for your future career.
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.
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 you will be asked to provide a CV outlining your previous job history and a 250 word personal statement evidencing your suitability for the role against the job description. You will also be assessed against the following behaviours -
* Making effective decisions
* Leadership
* Delivering at pace
* Seeing the bigger picture
Applications will be sifted on the CV, personal statement and all behaviours. In the event of a significant number of applicants, an initial sift will be conducted on the CV, personal statement and two lead behaviours, Leadership and Making Effective Decisions. In this instance the remaining elements will be tested at interview.
At interview you will tested against the following behaviours -
* Seeing the bigger picture
* Making effective decisions
* Leadership
* Delivering at pace
Application sifting will take place within 7 days of the closing date. Interviews are due to take place within 2 weeks of sifting. We endeavour to stick to these time frames, but these are subject to change around business needs.
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.
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.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
* Name : Steve Brunt
* Email : Steve.brunt904@mod.gov.uk
Recruitment team
* Email : dbscivpers-resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk
Further information
Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address:, Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email:
info@csc.gov.uk.