Army - Military Secretariat

Job summary

The Ministry of Defence, Civil Service workforce is diverse, with many different functions and professions ranging from police officers, security guards, trainers, human resources, teachers, and psychologists to storekeepers, financiers, project and programme managers, and policy secretariat staff to support the British Army.

1st Aviation Brigade (1 Avn Bde) Headquarters (HQ) provides the Army with scalable and deployable Command & Control at readiness: optimised for warfighting and capable of coordinating, synchronising, and sustaining aviation operations.

A world class aviation Brigade Headquarters, an army that thinks Aviation Manoeuvre- Fly. Fight. Lead.

Job description

The Military Secretariat position is a critical role, ensuring that the career management of the Service Personnel within the Brigade is delivered accurately and in a timely manner. You will have the opportunity to work with all personnel from the Brigade Commander down, and also help to shape the Honours & Awards submissions for personnel from across the Bde. Attention to detail and communication skills are crucial in this role. Working to the Captain Personnel Administration within the wider Personnel Department, managing the MS for all HQ personnel.

Main Role Responsibilities:

• Raising & Staffing Soldier/Officer Joint Appraisal Reports (SJAR/OJARs) using the Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) System.
• Providing assurance of all OJARs and SJARs both in between Reporting Officers (RO) and prior to submission to Army Personnel Centre (APC).
• Assisting in the management of the timely inflow of annual reports requiring the Bde Comd to act as their 1st, 2nd & 3rd RO.
• In conjunction with Captain Personnel Administration, you will coordinate the annual grading conferences and grading submissions to higher formations.
• Provide advice and guidance on JPA MS reporting.
• Review and disseminate promotion and assignment board results to Bde units to ensure timely notification.
• Assist in the bi-annual Honours & Awards submissions from the Bde and coordinate notification activity of the New Years and King’s Birthday Honours List.
• Other appropriate tasks as directed by the line manager Captain Personnel Administration or Deputy Chief of Staff.

Person specification

We are seeking a motivated and highly organised professional to join our team, providing direct support to senior leaders.Essential Skills Required:

• This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.
• Strong IT proficiency in Microsoft Office applications including experience of Microsoft Suite of Apps – Excel, Word, Teams, etc.is essential.
• Ability to prioritise your workflow and have a proactive approach.
• Excellent communication and team skills are critical to success in this role.

Desirable Skills:

• Previous experience in an admin/HR environment.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £27,866, Ministry of Defence contributes £8,072 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.

Hybrid Working

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and working from home as part of a non-contractual hybrid working arrangement. All office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to site capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD workplace, will also count towards this level of office attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this and other flexible working arrangements 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.

Please Note:

• 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.
• 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.

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