Army – Brigade Secretary

Ministry of Defence

Apply before 11:55 pm on Friday 8th November 2024

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Details

Reference number

370694

Salary

£28,300

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Job grade

Executive Officer

Contract type

Permanent

Business area

MOD - Army - HQ 3 (UK) Div

Type of role

Finance

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time, Compressed hours

Location

Picton Barracks, Amesbury. We are passionate about Smarter Working and believe that a combination of flexible working practices, digital technology and modern workspaces will give you the opportunity to enjoy a healthy work-life balance, while ensuing you deliver your outcomes effectively and efficiently – we expect you to know where to be to have the most impact, balancing your individual needs with that of your team and the organisation. Whilst embracing hybrid working, there is an expectation you will attend the office 60% of your time (3 days a week).

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, firefighters 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.

Acting as Brigade Secretary, the post holder will be primary Point of Contact (POC) within 3 (UK) Div for 7 Signal Group (7 Sig Gp) and the Division Information Management Group (DIMG) and their subordinate units including Reserve units where applicable. Providing advice and direction on all financial matters including: Regularity and Propriety and Official Hospitality in line with the agreed delegations.

The Post Holder will also be the Divisions’ POC for all Corporate Governance and Assurance matters, including letters of delegation, losses and special payments, fraud focal point, sponsorship, gifting, public subsidy, conflict of interest and compliance and assurance returns.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

The post holder’s key areas of responsibility are as follows:

Responsible for processing and authorising of all applications for Official Hospitality ensuring compliance with current regulations. Oversee Working function applications undertaken at Group level
Assist/Provide advice to 2* Compliance Officer Civil Engagements and wider market activities
Responsible for information regarding Gifting and Public Subsidy return on behalf of the Groups
Process and Authorise/Decline all Low Value Business Cases (LVBC) above delegated limits up to £50K which are received into the department, bringing to the attention of the Deputy Civilian Secretary (Civ Sec)/Business Manager any proposals for novel or contentious expenditure
Responsible for the administration and production of Financial Letters of Delegation on behalf of General Officer Commanding (GOC) and Group Commanders (Gp Comds)
Provide analysis of quarterly cash and stores losses reported by lower formations for presentation to the finance team for onward approval by GOC and ensure accurate and timely submission of the return to Top Level Budgets(TLB)
Provide Corporate Governance safeguards required for GOC, including Travel & Subsistence (T&S), overtime, travelling time, financial propriety and regularity, fraud prevention and monitoring
Provide returns to Higher Level Budget (HLB)/TLB as the need arises
Divisional focal point for Fraud, Theft & Irregularity and collaborate closely with TLB on matters relating to Defence Internal Audit (DIA) and National Audit Office (NAO)audits
Provide support to Business Manager and Deputy Civ Sec as required
Responsible for the team SharePoint page
Provide Cover for other Brigade Secretaries during periods of leave or other absence

Person specification

Desirable Training

Certificate in Financial Skill - Foundation. Appointment will be required to undertake the Awareness components of the Certificate in Financial Skills Level 1 within the first 6 months in post

Desirable Experience

Working in a busy 2* finance team
Working within in a deployable Bottom Level Budget (BLB)

There may be the opportunity for the successful candidate to undertake a professional finance qualification.

Behaviours

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

Making Effective Decisions
Leadership
Working Together
Delivering at Pace

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

Making Effective Decisions
Leadership

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £28,300, Ministry of Defence contributes £8,198 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.

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 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 sift, you will be assessed against the following:

Experience:

A CV; details to include your job history and previous skills and experience.

The above must be aligned to provide evidence of your suitability for the role against the person specification and job description.

Success Profiles Behaviours:

Making effective decisions
Leadership

When choosing your Behaviour examples, please make sure you use real life scenarios that relate to your own experiences. Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application being rejected.

At interview you will be assessed against the following Success Profiles Behaviours, as well as the experience above:

Making effective decisions
Working together
Delivering at pace

Sifting is due to take place within 7 working days of the closing date. Interview dates are to be confirmed. A minimum of 2 full working days’ notice will be provided for interviews. We endeavour to stick to these dates, 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 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.

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

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 : Elizabeth Abbott-Myerscough
Email : Elizabeth.Abbott-Myerscough358@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.