Navy Command HQ, Leach Building, Whale Island, W Battery Rd, Portsmouth PO2 8BY
Job Summary
The EO/Band D Genealogy Case Officer is responsible for ensuring that the key requirements of the FOI (Freedom of Information) Act 2000 are met effectively and efficiently in order that that Navy Command, and the wider Ministry of Defence (MOD), meet their compliance and statutory obligations in accordance with that legislation. This is a busy and rewarding role dealing with requests for the Service Records of Deceased Service Persons who previously served in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines and involves dealing with a mix of paper and electronic records, preparing them for release in line with the FOI Act.
The FOI team forms part of the Navy Command Secretariat within the Navy’s Directorate of Strategy and Policy, delivering the Department for State function of accountability to Parliament and public, with the overall objective of ensuring appropriate presentation of RN issues to Ministers, senior officials, Parliament and the public in-line with constitutional conventions. The FOI Team works closely with the Parliamentary and Charities and Heritage teams that also form part of the Secretariat.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.
Job Description
The successful candidate will be responsible for the following key tasks:
- Analyse service records and identify any necessary exemptions in accordance with the FOI Act 2000.
- Prepare documents for release - complete redactions either electronically or manually dependent on system and age of record.
- Draft compliant, clear and concise response letters citing relevant exemptions (when necessary).
- Completion of Public Interest Tests when there is the application of a qualified exemptions.
- Assist the MOD Compliance team with Internal Reviews ensuring they are provided with all relevant documentation in a timely manner, ensuring the chain of command is kept up to date with progress.
- Oversee the completion of the case tracker ensuring it is routinely kept up to date and managed.
- Oversee and supervise outputs of E1 Admin Support to ensure compliance with the FOI Act.
- Compile monthly and quarterly statistics and submit through the chain of command for assurance.
- Respond to customer queries, investigating when necessary and escalate though the chain of command if required.
- Regular liaison with the Navy Search Team based within Restore Records Management and other Disclosure teams across the Department.
- Assist with reviewing and refining of disclosure processes and procedures to ensure that they remain up-to-date and that mandated legislative timelines continue to be met.
- Line Manager of 1 x E1/AO.
On occasion, the post holder may be called upon to provide support to the wider Secretariat in fulfilling the necessary Department of State functions.
The successful candidate will be responsible for the following key tasks:
- Analyse service records and identify any necessary exemptions in accordance with the FOI Act 2000.
- Prepare documents for release - complete redactions either electronically or manually dependent on system and age of record.
- Draft compliant, clear and concise response letters citing relevant exemptions (when necessary).
- Completion of Public Interest Tests when there is the application of a qualified exemptions.
- Assist the MOD Compliance team with Internal Reviews ensuring they are provided with all relevant documentation in a timely manner, ensuring the chain of command is kept up to date with progress.
- Oversee the completion of the case tracker ensuring it is routinely kept up to date and managed.
- Oversee and supervise outputs of E1 Admin Support to ensure compliance with the FOI Act.
- Compile monthly and quarterly statistics and submit through the chain of command for assurance.
- Respond to customer queries, investigating when necessary and escalate though the chain of command if required.
- Regular liaison with the Navy Search Team based within Restore Records Management and other Disclosure teams across the Department.
- Assist with reviewing and refining of disclosure processes and procedures to ensure that they remain up-to-date and that mandated legislative timelines continue to be met.
- Line Manager of 1 x E1/AO.
On occasion, the post holder may be called upon to provide support to the wider Secretariat in fulfilling the necessary Department of State functions.
Person specification
We Are Looking For The Following Experience:
- Experience of developing good working relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders/customers at all levels and of building strong personal relationships with colleagues and contacts to deliver shared objectives.
- Ability to work under pressure and prioritise activities.
- A working knowledge of MODNet and MS Office Software.
- Experience of FOIA is desirable however not essential as on-the-job training will be provided.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Making Effective Decisions
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Leadership
Alongside your salary of £29,580, Ministry of Defence contributes £8,569 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 Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Please ensure that at the application and interview stages of the campaign you review the Success Profiles Framework to assist you in the demonstration of your skills and experience.
Applications will be sifted on all Success Profile elements, but in the event of a high number of applications, an initial sift will be conducted on your _________
At
sift, you will be assessed against your CV and and the following:
Behaviours:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Making Effective Decisions
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Leadership
Experience:
- Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.
When choosing your Behaviour examples, please make sure you use real life scenarios that relate to your own experiences. Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application being rejected.
Behaviours:
At
interview, you will be assessed against the following:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Making Effective Decisions
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .
As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to 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.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a 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.
Successful candidates must undergo a 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 diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
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 diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact :
- Name : Charlotte Whiley
- Email : charlotte.whiley100@mod.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk
Further information
Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: info@csc.gov.uk.
