Senior Burnham Lecturer - Farsi

Job summary

The role of the Persian Department is to deliver Persian language training and assurance in accordance with the Defence Systems Approach to Training (DSAT) and Defence Language Training requirements.  

The senior specialist in Persian Language Training within Foreign Languages Wing is responsible for course development and maintenance, business management for the Persian Department and delivering Farsi language training.

The appointment also includes line management duties to all Department Burnham Lecturers and supervision of contracted tutors.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Cyber & Specialist Operations Command Transformation

Cyber & Specialist Operations Command is going through a significant transformation programme which aims to improve the way the Command conducts its business and delivers for Defence and the nation. Because of this, all posts within Cyber & Specialist Operations Command Headquarters and in time the wider organisation, are/will be subject to review and potential changes as we continuously improve across the period of the transformation programme. These changes may be minor or could be more substantive and will generate new opportunities. Throughout, the Command’s transformation programme is committed to following the MOD’s framework on managing and supporting people through the change process and places an emphasis on early and open consultation and engagement with the Command’s personnel and Trade Unions.

Job description

Teaching/Contact Time (40%)

• Deliver language incorporating all 4 skill areas and at Levels 1-4 as set out in the NATO STANAG 6001 levels
• Deliver language training which conforms with the DSAT and in accordance with Burnham Lecturer Terms and Conditions of Service
• Deliver language training using a blended approach including face to face and online teaching, mentoring and tutorials
• Provide language learning guidance and support to students
• Conduct formative and summative assessments in accordance with the DCLC Assessment Strategy
• Participate in language learning activities out of the classroom such as cultural events, social activities, visits, practical activities, etc.

Curriculum Formation, Adaptation of Teaching Programmes and Development of Teaching Materials (22%)

• Manage the design of new courses to emerging requirements derived from the FLT Statement of Training Requirement and in accordance with DSAT
• Carry out marking of student work
• Manage student performance
• Produce student course reports
• Manage integration of Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL). resources
• Supervise course provision
• Manage design and development of MLA mock exam material
• Manage development of course materials to ensure ongoing relevance and currency, archiving out of date materials  

Administration (8%)

• Produce course timetables, allocate staff to tasks and students to groups in support of student differentiation
• Assist SO2 LDA in monitoring quality of course provision. via DefAc Internal Validation processes, Training Requirements. Authority External Validation processes and 2nd/3rd Party Assurance

Line Management Duties (15%)

• Line manage staff in accordance with MOD policy
• Arrange lesson observations of all respective department tutors and contracted tutors formally at least twice per year and take remedial action, as required
• Support continuous professional development activities.

Research (5%)

• Monitor and integrate relevant (where appropriate) published and online Persian language teaching materials
• Maintain currency and insert relevant new developments in language teaching methodology.

Other (10%)

• Act as respective language consultant during visits to/from other language teaching organisations
• Provide language reach-back capacity, when required
• Carry out additional tasks as directed by your unit or wider Defence.

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Person specification

Essential:

• Experience in teaching Persian/Farsi as a foreign language.
• Honours Degree or equivalent in Persian/Farsi.

Desirable:

• PGCE or equivalent Level 5 teaching qualification on the Regulated Qualification Framework (RQF)

• Languages
• Farsi - native in all four skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing)
• English C1 or C2 (advanced)
• Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace

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

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

• Highly competitive pension scheme (superannuation will be in accordance with the Teachers’ Pension Scheme)
• Flexi-time scheme upon completion of 6 months service, the line managers also has the ability to adopt flexible working sooner than 6 months.
• 30 days paid annual leave
• In addition to 8 public holidays per year, you will also receive leave for HM The King's birthday.
• Professional and Personal Development of skills
• Opportunity to join more than one of our many networks (Race, LGBT+, Gender, Disability and Faith & Belief)
• Minimum of 15 Days Special Leave in a rolling 12-month period for volunteer reserve commitments.
• Special Paid Leave for community volunteering up to 5 days a year.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave.

Please follow the link to visit the Discover My Benefits site which showcases the benefits and discounts offered when working as a civilian for the MOD. https://discovermybenefits.mod.gov.uk/civilian/

This post does not offer any assistance with Relocation Allowances.

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.

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.

If your application is successful, you will be invited to a face-to-face interview, which will be divided into three parts:

1) Model Lesson - you will be expected to deliver a mini lesson (no more than 15 minutes) on a linguistic point which will be provided to you in advance.

2) Language proficiency - you will be expected to carry out a written translation task from English to Farsi and Farsi to English. You will also have a verbal assessment.

3) Behaviour based interview

The sift will take place week commencing the 14th September 2026.

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.

There may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all DCS candidates that meet the minimum criteria for the job. For example, in certain recruitment situations such as a high volume of applications, seasonal demand, or peak periods, the employer may wish to limit the overall number of interviews offered to both DCS and non-DCS applicants.

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.

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.

The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and 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 mitigation's can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

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.

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 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 di