Army – Senior Lecturer, Defence and International Affairs

at  Ministry of Defence

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. As such using data to aid understanding of our workforce is vital.
The Department of Defence and International Affairs at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst is recruiting a Seniors Lecturer (permanent UK Civil Service post) to its team of dedicated and motivated academics.
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst trains around 1,000 British Army and International officers a year. A key component of the many courses delivered at Sandhurst is intellectual and professional development. Central to this delivery is the part played by the Faculty for the Study of Leadership, Security, and Warfare (LSW). LSW comprises over 40 academic staff split into three departments: Communication and Applied Behavioural Science, Defence and International Affairs and War Studies. These departments, with university partners, teach those on the Regular Commissioning Course the first third of either an MSc or BSc programme in Leadership and Strategic Studies as part of the Army Higher Education Pathway (AHEP). Other courses are delivered to professionally qualified and reservist officers, to late-entry officers (promoted from senior non-commissioned officers) and to officers on career courses after Sandhurst. Most of the latter are delivered at military locations around the British Army. There are also opportunities to teach impact-rich courses as part of UK Defence Engagement overseas, to support military field exercises and to work with other military units/formations or on doctrine development.
In DIA you would be teaching a broad-based international security course that examines the wider and strategic context, structures, policies, causes and responses to conflict that are pertinent to UK Defence. In addition, DIA delivers international humanitarian law for those with specialist knowledge or who are willing to be trained accordingly. This post (00043098) is looking for an individual with expertise in both international affairs and international humanitarian law. This is an opportunity to make a difference in real world settings and shape the British Army officers of the future.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Defence and International Affairs Department (DIA) delivers broad-based courses covering international security and international humanitarian law to all British Army officers during their initial officer training and later as part of the first stage of their on-going professional development.
The purpose of all courses is to provide professional knowledge as well as insights into the security and legal challenges faced by the UK and its partners, into the factors that sit behind conflict, into the elements that can add complexity to or accelerate conflict, into the political and legal framework in which the UK operates and into the variety and suitability of different national and international responses. Additionally, DIA has responsibility for delivering part of the International Humanitarian Law package to all courses. Consequently, against the operational and strategic context in which officers find themselves, DIA courses help to develop student’s bedrock of analytical, conceptual and research skills that in turn encourage effective, well-judged and evidence-based decision making/leadership.
The successful candidate will teach courses that expose students to different perspectives of the international system, power symmetries, human security, conflict analysis, security threats and responses, aspects of international law, foreign and defence policy, and area studies. Generally, courses are taught at undergraduate and postgraduate levels as part of the university-accredited Army Higher Education Pathway (AHEP). The majority of courses are taught at Sandhurst, but all staff are expected to occasionally deliver courses at MoD locations around the UK and abroad.
Candidates should be able to demonstrate that they are capable of teaching to postgraduate standards as well as being comfortable with most of the subject matter. Candidates must have been awarded at least a masters’ postgraduate qualification and between their undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications at least one must be in a relevant discipline such as politics and international relations, security studies, conflict studies, international ethics, international humanitarian law, intelligence studies or area studies. For this post (00043098) an emphasis is placed on expertise in international humanitarian law. The expectation is that candidates are close to finishing a PhD, if not already completed. If the successful candidate does not already possess a HE teaching qualification, they will be helped to gain one after appointment.
In meeting professional expectations as a Senior Lecturer, as well as being able to support the conceptual needs of the wider Army, candidates should be able to demonstrate that they are and will remain research active in the areas of leadership, security and warfare. There is considerable latitude in the direction and nature of research and in recent years the department has been strengthened by its diverse mix of research interests that span across such areas as foreign policy analysis, international humanitarian law, health security, area studies, counter terrorism, power, transnational crime and human security. A mix we seek to extend and deepen.
We welcome applications from under-represented groups in academia.
X/Twitter: @LSW_RMAS

QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates must have been awarded at least a masters’ postgraduate qualification and between their undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications at least one must be in a relevant discipline such as politics and international relations, security studies, conflict studies, international humanitarian law, international ethics, intelligence studies or area studies. The expectation is that candidates are close to finishing a PhD, if not already completed.

BEHAVIOURS

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

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Developing Self and Others
• Working Together
• Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits
Alongside your salary of £43,080, Ministry of Defence contributes £12,480 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 are passionate about Smarter Working and believe that a combination of flexible working practices, digital technology and modern work spaces will give you the opportunity to enjoy a healthy work-life balance, while ensuring 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 organisation. However, recognising the benefits of face-to-face working, especially for new joiners, there is an expectation that you would be in the office or related locations at least 60% of the time.
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 Academy has a lot to offer its employees: free onsite parking, subsidised gym and swimming pool membership, 271 acres of parkland, wooded areas and lakes, numerous historic buildings, a museum, several café style eating facilities, fly & coarse fishing as well as regular social activities.
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 (move of home, excess fares or temporary transfer). Non Standard move applicants will be eligible for the full package, subject to eligibility.
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

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)

Responsibilities:

• Delivering Defence and International Affairs teaching and associated duties (marking, report writing, assessment) in an applied setting at postgraduate and/or undergraduate level, with the enthusiasm to further apply this in a military context.
• The ability to deliver relevant research and publish outcomes to support teaching and enhance the reputation of the Department as a seat of Higher Educational learning.
• Self-motivation to conduct both professional and personal administration.
• Excellent communication skills to perform additional academic support tasks; e.g. overseas lecturing, conferences and professional advice/workshops within Defence.
• A dedication to continued professional development and a willingness to up-skill in emerging areas and to be prepared to work outside your immediate area of expertise