DIO - Personal Assistant to SCS1

at  Ministry of Defence

JOB SUMMARY

Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has an exciting opportunity for two Personal Assistants to to join our busy and vibrant Accommodation team to support our Operations Directors (North and South). Please note, that even though these roles will be supporting different Operations Directors, the responsibilities of the role remain the same as detailed in this job advert.
DIO Accommodation is responsible for providing Service Family Accommodation (SFA) worldwide for Armed Forces personnel and their families.
As a Personal Assistant, you will be responsible for the day-to-day management of a busy and complex email inbox and diary, ensuring that the Operations Director is informed of priority matters and that work is prioritised to meet deadlines.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Responsibilities will include:

• Management of the SCS1’s mailbox, scrutinise and prioritise emails for deadlines and necessary action.
• Ensuring the SCS1 is informed of priority matters where necessary, is involved in decision making at the appropriate level and has sufficient information and advice to help them operate effectively (including oversight of all papers and correspondence).
• Providing a point of contact for pressing advice and requests e.g. responding to urgent issues and ensuring that the SCS1 is apprised of any urgent or emerging issues.
• Maintaining the SCS1‘s diary, making appointments and booking conference facilities as required. Organising visits and travel, ensuring key stakeholders are available.
• Collaborate and engage with officials both within and outside their directorate to help efficiently manage their principal’s time.
• Maintaining and developing good relationships and working contacts with other DIO offices and offices of other areas of the MOD.
• Handling telephone enquiries.
• Processing of travel arrangements and documentation, including rail/air, car hire and hotel bookings for both the SCS1 and Director of Accommodation. Including recording Travel and subsistence for the Director of Accommodation.
• Maintain stakeholder information and contacts.
• Cover for annual leave for Director of Accommodation’s Executive Assistant and Accommodation Operations Director’s Personal Assistants.

BEHAVIOURS

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

• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

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

• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £26,235, Ministry of Defence contributes £7,600 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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

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 will include:

• Management of the SCS1’s mailbox, scrutinise and prioritise emails for deadlines and necessary action.
• Ensuring the SCS1 is informed of priority matters where necessary, is involved in decision making at the appropriate level and has sufficient information and advice to help them operate effectively (including oversight of all papers and correspondence).
• Providing a point of contact for pressing advice and requests e.g. responding to urgent issues and ensuring that the SCS1 is apprised of any urgent or emerging issues.
• Maintaining the SCS1‘s diary, making appointments and booking conference facilities as required. Organising visits and travel, ensuring key stakeholders are available.
• Collaborate and engage with officials both within and outside their directorate to help efficiently manage their principal’s time.
• Maintaining and developing good relationships and working contacts with other DIO offices and offices of other areas of the MOD.
• Handling telephone enquiries.
• Processing of travel arrangements and documentation, including rail/air, car hire and hotel bookings for both the SCS1 and Director of Accommodation. Including recording Travel and subsistence for the Director of Accommodation.
• Maintain stakeholder information and contacts.
• Cover for annual leave for Director of Accommodation’s Executive Assistant and Accommodation Operations Director’s Personal Assistants