RAFAC - Administration Officer

Job summary

The Royal Air Force Air Cadets (RAFAC) is a voluntary youth organisation within the Royal Air Force (RAF), sponsored by the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The organisation consists of the Air Training Corps and the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) RAF Sections, representing close to 48,000 cadets and 10,000 adult volunteers and plays a vital role in developing young people’s leadership, practical, and teamwork skills.

Central and East Region comprises nearly 10,000 cadets and 2,000 adult volunteers who regularly meet at close to 200 Squadrons and schools across: Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Derbyshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Rutland and Suffolk.

The Region permanent staff deliver a variety of vital support functions to the cadets and adult volunteers with our Administrative Officer roles providing an opportunity not just to work for the Civil Service and MOD, but enabling the post holder to enjoy a role that has a direct positive impact on young people and volunteers in delivering the full cadet experience.

The position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

Administrative Officers in the Central and East Region Headquarters undertake a variety of roles to ensure the delivery of the full cadet experience in a safe, efficient and cost-effective manner. Working collaboratively to ensure best practice is shared and developed whilst communicating effectively with colleagues across Defence and with external stakeholders and service providers.

The Region operates as three specialist hubs; Infrastructure and Logistics, People Operations and Training Support respectively. Despite the hub operating model, Administrative Officers will be expected to provide support across hubs to colleagues during peak times or periods of annual leave and sickness utilising digital methods – you will not be required to travel to another location. The vacancy currently available will be assigned to the People Operations hub based at RAF Wyton.

The Infrastructure and Logistics hub works collaboratively with the stakeholders who manage our estate to ensure buildings are safe and compliant. They provide a logistics function to ensure our people can wear the correct uniform, insignia and badges of which they are entitled to and the inventories that support this happening. They operate our dedicated travel hub that supports our cadets and volunteers being able to attend events be that by motor vehicle or rail.

The People Operations hub provides a human resources style function across the Region supporting tasks like; volunteer onboarding and position management to resignations and promotions whilst managing the honours and awards process brings immense pride and satisfaction to the role. Most importantly, the hub manages Disclosure and Barring Service checks and security vetting for the Region, ensuring the safety of our young people and affiliated organisations.

The Training Support hub plays a vital role in activity delivery, ensuring they are compliant, assured and provide value for money. The team ensure that cadets and volunteers can fully exploit the wide range of activities available to them, especially UK and overseas camp opportunities. The team have overarching responsibility for ensuring our people are renumerated for travel and subsistence as required and that the uniformed Volunteer Allowance is managed robustly.

Person specification

We are looking for individuals comfortable working as part of a team to deliver exceptional customer service and who are not afraid to step-forward with new ideas or approaches to tasks.

• Are you able to use a broad range of software including Microsoft Office?
• Can you communicate effectively both verbally and in writing?
• Are you proactive, able to take the initiative and be accountable for your performance and actions?
• Can you foster excellent working relationships with people?
• Do you have a keen eye for detail?

If you recognise yourself in these attributes, this role could be perfect for you!

Essential skills:

• IT literate with knowledge and experience of using Microsoft Office products and an ability to learn how to use bespoke software.
• Effective communication skills (written and verbal).
• Good organisational skills.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service
• 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).

• 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 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.

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 and Experience.

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability (500 Words).

At sift, candidates will be assessed against their Statement of suitability and the following:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together

Applications will be sifted on all Success Profile elements, but in the event of a high number of applications, the sift will be conducted on your Personal Statement and Managing a Quality Service Only.

At interview, candidates will be assessed against the following:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together

The selection process will consist of a face-to-face interview at RAF Wyton, virtual interviews will not be offered. RAF Wyton operates a strict access policy requiring photographic identification being provided prior to interview along with any visa and right to work documents.

Further information:

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.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into 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 basic (or equivalent) 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 st