Job description for Head of Establishment

Are you ready to lead a dynamic, high-performing team within Defence? Join us at Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) in this challenging and rewarding opportunity to make a significant impact on our mission to protect and defend our Armed Forces. This is one of two Head of Establishment roles we are currently recruiting for, one based in DM Beith and one based in DM Glen Douglas.

The Head of Establishment is a key strategic and operational role in which you will hold primary responsibility and accountability for the safe running of the establishment, operating in a highly regulated and potentially high risk environment.

You will play a vital role in leading and overseeing strategic plans, ensuring safety processes, and providing operational support vital to Defence outputs. Defence Munitions is at the forefront of safeguarding the supply, storage, maintenance, and disposal of munitions. You’ll drive operational excellence in fast-paced environments, foster continuous improvement, and deliver positive results. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with stakeholders across the Military, Defence Regulation, and wider teams within DE&S to ensure compliance and the successful delivery of strategic plans.

Please note that travel to other Defence Munitions and MoD sites across the UK will be expected dependent on organisational requirements. Regular in-person attendance is required (this is expected to be approximately 100% of your working week) to promote the benefits of face-to-face collaboration alongside flexibility of hours to support work-life balance and business need.

What you’ll be doing

• Lead and development site personnel and utilise resource effectively to deliver operational outputs and requirements in a timely manner.
• Lead, direct, manage and control all activities carried out within specified areas of control in a manner that ensures the safe, secure, efficient, effective, and economic use of all resources.
• Manage, Receive, Store, Maintain and Issue the range of General Munitions, General Commodities, Equipment and Complex Weapons.
• Manage a full spectrum of stakeholders within the organisation, authorised customers, wider DE&S) and the Delivery Team community.
• Responsibility for controlling the site activities to ensure, the health, safety, security and welfare of employees and any stakeholders involved.
• Serve as Delivery Duty Holder with responsibility for the safe operation of the site, systems and facilities, including authorising Safe Systems of Work, managing and providing input to Safety Assurance.
• Responsible for all senior stakeholder engagement with customers, suppliers, including DE&S, wider MoD, and Other Government Departments, to deliver operational outputs and requirements.
• Ensure safety assurance and site compliance with of all relevant legislative and internal/external regulatory requirements.

Person specification

To be successful with your application, you’ll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

• Lead Essential Criteria – Experience of operating at a senior management level in a large, highly complex organisation.
• Strong knowledge and understanding of operational management environment.
• Strong experience of leadership and staff development.
• Strong knowledge and experience of risk management application.
• Knowledge and understanding of Occupational Safety Health and Environment (OSHE) in a hazardous environments.
• Must hold a valid Full UK Driving Licence.

In addition to the responsibilities above, the following technical competences and behaviours will be assessed at interview:

• Core Behaviour 1: Leadership
• Core Behaviour 2: Changing and Improving
• Technical Competence 1: Managing support, supplier, and customer networks – Practitioner
• Technical Competence 2: Making evidence-based decisions – Practitioner

Offered Benefits

Alongside your salary of £61,100, Ministry of Defence contributes £17,700 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• 25 days’ annual leave +1 day a year up to 30 days, 8 bank holidays and a day off for the King’s birthday
• Market-leading average employer pension contribution of 28.97%
• Annual performance-based bonus and recognition awards
• Access to specialist training and funded qualifications
• Support for progression
• Huge range of discounts
• Volunteering days
• Enhanced parental leave schemes

Improving innovation and enriching our culture, diversity of thought is vital to our success. So whether you’re looking for a new opportunity, a next step, or a helping hand as you return from a career break, bring your experiences and help deliver for the defence of tomorrow. Here you’ll find a supportive, family-friendly organisation to be a part of – and if you need any assistance with your application, just let us know.

Further Information

• Civil Service Recruitment Principles: Recruitment Principles – Civil Service Commission
• Candidate Information Pack: https://bit.ly/DES-Candidate-Information-Pack
• Terms and Conditions: https://bit.ly/DES-Terms-and-Conditions
• Civil Service Code: The Code – Civil Service Commission

Any personal data that you provide during the Recruitment process will be treated in accordance with the MOD Privacy Notice which can be accessed here.

Please note as a Disability Confident Leader we want to ensure you receive any reasonable adjustments that you need throughout the recruitment process. If you do require any reasonable adjustments, you can let us know on your online application under the section ‘Please indicate and give details of any reasonable adjustments you may require during the recruitment process.’

Selection process details

Your application will go through the following stages of assessment:

1. Pre-sift – We will check that you meet any essential or eligibility criteria that are listed in the Person Specification section of this advert. On your CV, please clearly show how you meet the essential criteria.
2. Sift – Your CV will be assessed against the following categories, using a simple numerical scoring system: Key Achievements; Relevant Experience; Applied Knowledge and Skills. Please follow our guidance on CV writing for best chance of success.
3. Interview – If you’re invited to interview, you’ll be assessed against the Sift categories (CV Review) listed above, as well as the Technical Competences and Behaviours listed in the Person Specification section of this advert.

Please Note: In the event of a tied score at interview, the Order of Merit will be distinguished based on the relative importance of the assessed competencies as per the hierarchy below:

• 1st: Core Behaviour 1
• 2nd: Core Behaviour 1
• 3rd: Technical Competencies
• 4th: CV Review

In the event of a further tie using the method above, we reserve the right to utilise an additional assessment.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance you should contact department via email: DESHR-WSC-PMOCOMPLAINTS@mod.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Recruitment Complaints – Civil Service Commission