Army - Chef Instructor

Job description

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.

The Defence School of Logistics and Administration (DSLA), one of three schools in the Defence College of Support (DCSp) delivers training to all Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force service personnel in Supply, Distribution, Catering, and Personnel Administration. We are predominantly based at Worthy Down - a recently built, modern campus in Winchester with lots of amenities, making it a great place to work!

This role sits within the Catering Training Wing (CTW), providing training for our Military Chefs. For a taste of what a Chef Instructor in CTW could get up to, please watch this video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Db-ZNPOsEI_/?igsh=MWNyMTNtb3liZjkweQ==

The position is advertised at 37 hours per week and requires regular attendance at the advertised location.

Job description

The Chef Instructor role offers an exciting opportunity to work in a fast-paced Tri-Service training environment that is vital to training the next generation of Military Chefs, giving you the perfect opportunity to pass on your cookery knowledge and skills.

The position is advertised at 37 hours per week. While there may be the opportunity for home working after training has been completed and when courses are not running, the majority of your hours will be worked on site.

This role comes with opportunities to conduct Continuous Professional Development (CPD) alongside Military Instructors.

Key responsibilities:

• Conducting practical lessons, demonstrations, and lectures both on camp (DSLA) and in outdoors practical training environments.
• Delivering instructions and guidance in accordance with the published course training documents.
• Evaluating and amending lesson plans to ensure they remain relevant and engaging.
• Carrying out assessments and providing feedback, both orally in writing.
• Evaluating equipment and recipes required for the courses.
• Complying with responsibilities in respect of Food Services and wider Defence Policy.
• Carrying out invigilator duties for both internal and external examinations.

Person specification

Whether youre an experienced Chef looking for a better work-life balance, or a recently qualified Chef ready to take the next steps in your career, this role could be the opportunity you have been looking for!

Were seeking a passionate Chef Instructor to help develop the next generation of Military Chefs. This is a rewarding role where youll combine your culinary expertise with instructing, coaching, and mentoring to share your knowledge in a busy and supportive Tri-Service training environment.

Youll work with trainees from a range of backgrounds, helping them build the skills, confidence, and professional standards needed to succeed as Military Chefs. Were looking for someone who is enthusiastic, organised, and able to communicate effectively with others.

You do not need previous teaching experience. If you have strong culinary skills, a passion for developing people and a willingness to learn, well support you in becoming a successful Chef Instructor.

Essential skills required:

• Experience in professional kitchens or City & Guilds GNVQ Level 3 or equivalent in Culinary/Chef skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and organisational skills.
• A passion for supporting and developing others.
• Confident using Microsoft Applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Desirable skills/experience:

It is advantageous if you have teaching qualification (Certificate of Education or equivalent) and experience, but it is not essential, as upon starting you will complete a 2-week teaching course off-site.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Developing Self and Others
• Delivering at Pace

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

• Developing Self and Others

Technical skills

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

• At interview you will be required to demonstrate how to fillet a flat fish and various cuts of vegetables as if you were teaching a class of novice chefs. The rations and all equipment including knives etc will be provided.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of 30,740, Ministry of Defence contributes 8,905 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
- Pension contribution: 28.97%
- 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

Additional benefits of working at Worthy Down are;
Use of on-site gym and sports facilities, and the opportunity to participate in site physical training activities and events(subject to insurance)
Access to a variety of coffee shops and food outlets
Free on-site parking

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, Experience and Technical skills.

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

• • Personal Statement - 500 worded statement aligned to the Person Specification.
  • CV
  • Behaviour - Developing Self & Others

Where a large number of applications are received, an initial sift may be conducted against the Communicating & Influencing 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:

• Technical - demonstrate how to fillet a flat fish and various cuts of vegetables as if you were teaching a class of novice chefs. The rations and all equipment including knives etc will be provided.
• Behaviours
  
  • Delivering at Pace
  • Working Together
  • Communicating and Influencing

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.

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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

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: [email protected].

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to 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 standard (or equivalent) 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 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 : Michael Alexander
• 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 Chef leaflet Opens in new window (pdf, 273kB) 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)