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About the job
Job summary
Are you a dedicated person who is passionate about making a difference?
Would you like to work for the Ministry of Defence?
Defence Business Services (DBS) is one of the largest shared service organisations in Europe that provides a wide range of corporate services, to over 1.2 million end users, including serving and past military and families, as well as MoD civil servants and industry. DBS delivers large scale administration and smaller specialist services to enable the wider MOD to focus on its core aims, maintaining the UK’s Defence and Security. Services include Human Resources, Pay, Veterans, Finance and Procurement.
- Our Vision - To support UK defence customers with outstanding service every time.
- Our Mission – Together we will proudly support Defence, continuously improving and delivering flexible, timely, sustainable and value for money services that underpin the whole force and enhance operational capability.
DBS is committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues. We are building an inclusive culture and respectful environment that reflects the diversity of the society.
We want to maximise the potential of everyone who chooses to work for us through opportunities to develop your skills and experience. We also offer a range of flexible working patterns and support to make a fulfilling career accessible to you and offer a Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%. Where your role permits, we support a blended working approach alternatively known as hybrid working.
Come and join the DBS community today!
Applicants should note that DBS has recently undertaken a review of its operational locations in the North West, and will consolidate all activities in Blackpool. This means that DBS staff will move from both Walker House (Liverpool) and Cheadle Hulme in the late Summer of 2023 and initially relocate to Tomlinson House (Norcross). A further move, to the new Government Hub at Talbot Gateway in Blackpool, is scheduled to take place in 2026.
As a result, all vacant DBS posts in the North West will be advertised at Tomlinson House (Norcross). There is, however, an expectation that all DBS staff, irrespective of their agreed duty station, will travel to other DBS and/or MOD site(s), as required, to complete all necessary training and to participate in team or additional collaborative activities – detached duty terms may apply. Terms of transfer have been negotiated for DBS posts relocating in the North West. DBS also supports Flexible Working, which can be discussed in more detail at interview.
Job description
This role is to provide content design and maintenance across Civilian HR digital services provided by Defence Business Services. Services include web products on the MOD’s intranet platform, the development and maintenance of HR Forms and support of MyHR products, the new integrated HR and Payroll system. The postholder will work collaboratively with service team members, as well as working closely with internal stakeholders.
As a Junior Content Designer you will be responsible for:
Working as part of an agile team across organisational boundaries to deliver effective web content.- Working closely with stakeholders to review, change, create and maintain content that meets user needs.
- Producing copy and content assets that are accurate, timely, high-quality and to style.
- Work with HR and DBS authorities to process new content through internal governance approval and trade union engagement.
- The restructure and simplification of the HR Policies utilising an agreed Defence HR Taxonomy.
- Adoption of configured and branded documentation templated and to introduce Quality Assurance (QA) and employee experience criteria.
- Use analytical data and user insights to adjust and improve content.
- Participating in content and service design communities, sharing learnings, and findings with wider teams to transfer knowledge and capability.
As a Junior Content Designer you will:
Have experience of user-centred design for digital products and services – including different approaches to content and how best to use them.- Have experience working in an Agile environment.
- Use best practice and standards to write usable and accessible content.
- Proactively seek new learning opportunities and look to continually improve by gaining feedback from your peers and the business.
This role is office based however, DBS are working hard to improve our access to, and use of, digital technology, empowering our people to work remotely.
This is a Fixed-term Appointment as a Junior Content Designer in the Defence Buisness Services. Your responsibilities will be as described in this job advert. The reason why you are appointed for a fixed period is due the expected length of the project that the candidate will be working on This post will therefore begin on your appointment and end 36 months after that date. You should be aware that when your Fixed-term Appointment at MOD comes to an end, arrangements will be made in line with the FTA policy.
If you are a permanent MoD civil servant and are found successful for an advertised Fixed-term Appointment (FTA) you should move into the post under a Temporary Transfer (for up to a maximum of 23 months). At the end of the posting, you will return to your previous MoD Business area. If this posting is at a higher grade, your promotion will be temporary, and you will return to your substantive grade at the end of the Temporary Transfer. If a Temporary Transfer cannot be agreed between all parties, then a transfer on an FTA contract is possible, read the FTA and Change of Work Location in the UK policy for further information.
If you are transferring to MoD from another government department (OGD) you should join the MoD on an inward loan. At the end of the loan, you will return to your home (OGD) department. If a loan cannot be agreed between all parties, then a transfer on an FTA contract is possible, read the FTA policy for further information.
Person specification
Experience of writing for the web, with proven ability to create content that is accessible and usable.- Experience of working with style guidelines
- Experience of using metrics and user feedback to inform content design.
- Good knowledge of Microsoft Office applications – including SharePoint 2016 and Microsoft Office 2016.
Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) profession
- Digital and agile awareness
Web Accessibility Fundamentals
Knowledge of web accessibility and standards
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Managing a Quality Service
- Changing and Improving
- Working Together
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) Profession Capability Framework
Benefits
- An environment with flexible working options Monday-Friday
- 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service (pro rata). In additional to 8 public holidays per year, you will also receive leave for HM The King’s birthday
- Hybrid working where role permits
- An opportunity to be considered for Reward & Recognition- £250-£5000 per year.
- Family-friendly policies including- parental leave and adoption leave
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- Professional and personal development of skills
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- Minimum of 15 days special leave in a rolling 12 month period for volunteer reserve commitments
- Special paid leave to volunteer up to 6 days per year
The post does not offer relocation expenses.
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.
External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
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.
Your suitability for the role will be assessed using the Success Profile elements that have been chosen for this campaign. Each element will be scored accordingly, and the successful candidate will be appointed on merit.
Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include: job history; qualification details and previous skills 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.
Your suitability for the role will be assessed using the Success Profile elements that have been chosen for this campaign. Each element will be scored accordingly, and the successful candidate will be appointed on merit.
At application stage you will be assessed against the following:
- Leadership
- Managing a Quality Service
- Changing and Improving
- Working Together
- CV
- Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT)
Behaviours:
- Leadership
- Managing a Quality Service
- Changing and Improving
- Working Together
- CV
- Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT)
- Communicating and Influencing
- Managing a Quality Service
- Leadership
- Working Together
- Personal Statement
We want to offer opportunities to all who are successful at interview for our roles, but this isn’t always possible, so we do hold candidates on an active reserve list for 12 months.
Application sifting is scheduled to take place on week commencing : 10/07/2023.
Interviews are currently taking place via MS Teams (please determine the method of your interview. Face to face is available as well as remote via MS Teams. and will be conducted week commencing: 31/07/2023.
A minimum of 2 full working days’ notice will be provided for interviews.
To assist with your application please find attached below:
1. DBS Candidate Information Guide
2. Functional Framework - DdAT
Disability Confident Scheme
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: [email protected]
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.
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.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
Working for the Civil Service
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).
Apply and further information