Army - Administration Lead Officer

Job description

Job summary

The Ministry of Defence, Civil Service workforce isdiverse, with many different functions and professions ranging from cyber and digital transformation, police officers, security guards, trainers, human resources, teachers, psychologists, storekeepers, and policy secretariat staff to support the British Army.

Aldershot Garrison delivers comprehensive, proficient administrative support to all ADMINCON units. It acts as the focal point for all security issues, advise and guidance, and provides liaison and interoperability with statutory stakeholders. Aldershot Garrison is here to assure contract coherence and governance across the estate. Maintain a healthy workplace by complying with legislation and and policy. It provides an accessible welfare support service that strengthens and enhances resilience, and to act as a community engagement focal point.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Aldershot Garrison Headquarters team, playing a key role in supporting the delivery of administrative services that enable operational activity across the organisation.

This role will lead the Garrison Administration Office and be responsible for the coordination, management and delivery of personnel administration, financial processes, casework and governance activities. The role offers the opportunity to work across a wide range of functions, build strong stakeholder relationships and contribute to the continuous improvement of administration services.

You will play an important role in maintaining compliance with regulations and audit requirements, ensuring robust processes are in place and supporting the delivery of high-quality administrative support across the Garrison.
Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Aldershot Garrison Administration Office team, including line management responsibility for military personnel, civil servants and contractors.
• Manage and oversee personnel administration processes, ensuring records, documentation and transactions are completed accurately and in accordance with policy and regulatory requirements.
• Monitor pay, allowances and expense claims, carrying out audit and assurance activities to ensure compliance, accuracy and value for money.
• Support the management and governance of public and charitable funds, maintaining accurate records and providing information to fund managers and stakeholders.
• Coordinate annual assurance and inspection activities, implementing action plans to support continuous improvement and compliance.
• Ensure administrative policies, procedures and records are maintained in line with organisational and statutory requirements.
• Provide advice and guidance on administrative, personnel and financial processes to colleagues and stakeholders.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including financial service providers and support organisations.
• Act as the Garrison Data Protection Adviser, promoting compliance with data protection policies and supporting effective information management practices.
• Produce management information and reports to support decision-making and organisational performance.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes and work collaboratively with colleagues to deliver efficient and high-quality services.

This role offers the opportunity to lead a small team, develop relationships across a diverse stakeholder network and make a direct contribution to the effective running of a busy and dynamic organisation.

Person specification

Essential skills required:

• An inclusive leader who promotes high standards, drives continuous improvement, and can manage a busy workload with competing short and long-term priorities.
• Strong collaboration and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to work effectively as you will be working with military personnel, civil servants and other partners to deliver solutions and provide high-quality advice.
• Experience of leading, developing or managing individuals or teams to achieve organisational objectives.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise tasks and deliver outcomes in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications and the ability to manage information accurately and efficiently.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Developing Self and Others
• Working Together

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Alongside your salary of 37,720, Ministry of Defence contributes 10,927 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

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 Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

At the application stage, you will be assessed against the following criteria, listed in priority order:

• Personal Statement - 750 words demonstrating your relevant skills and experience in line with the essential criteria.
• Behaviour - Leadership
• Behaviour - Managing a Quality Service

Where a large number of applications are received, an initial sift may be conducted against the Personal Statement only. The remaining evidence submitted at the application stage will be assessed only if you are successful at this initial sift.

At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following criteria, listed in priority order:

• Behaviours
  • Communicating & Influencing
  • Working Together
  • Delivering at Pace
  • Developing Self & Others

Application sifting will be scheduled to take place within 7 days of the application closing date. Interview dates are to be confirmed and will be held in person. We endeavour to keep to these time frames, but these are subject to change around business needs.

Further information:

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.

There may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all DCS candidates that meet the minimum criteria for the job. For example, in certain recruitment situations such as a high volume of applications, seasonal demand, or peak periods, the employer may wish to limit the overall number of interviews offered to both DCS and non-DCS applicants.

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. This role does not meet that category, and we will not sponsor a visa. It 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.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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

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 the Civil 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 : Nikki Acott
• Email : [email protected]

Recruitment team

• Email : [email protected]

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: [email protected].

Attachments ARMY Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 273kB) Defence Civil Service Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB) Defence Internal Brief notice Opens in new window (docx, 43kB) Candidate Information Opens in new window (docx, 32kB)