Navy Command - FOST(S) Gunnery Instructor

Devonport Naval Base is the largest Naval Base in Europe. It is a 650 acre site with 15,000 acres of water space, employing 12,000 people on site. The Base is primarily focused on delivering timely deep maintenance to the UK’s submarine fleet. It is also the operating home base for frigates, amphibious Ships, Royal Marines. Devonport Naval Base is the nerve centre for the Royal Navy in the Southwest. It supports operations around the globe and provides the ships, submarines, people, and equipment to deliver the UK’s defence policy. Its mission is to meet the support and operating requirements for the Naval Service and UK’s allies, from the Southwest, reaching worldwide.

Fleet Operational Standards and Training Ships (FOST(S)) is a training and assurance provider that has its centre of gravity in HM Naval Base Devonport, with training hubs located in Portsmouth and Faslane.

An outstanding opportunity has arisen for a high calibre and motivated individual to work in a dynamic and exciting environment in support gunnery training and assurance. FOST(S) trains the ships of the Royal Navy, Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), and those of our international partners to deliver highly trained and capable ships to meet the operational demands that they may be required to face. This training is delivered to individual Force Elements either in the UK or globally. The FOST(S) brand is internationally recognised as the gold standard provider of Operational Sea Training (OST) and is highly sought after. The ability to provide complex, live, multi-unit warfighting training, delivered by highly experienced and specialist staff, under-pinned by a comprehensive but unobtrusive safety systems, is unmatched.

The Gunnery Instructor (GI) provides an organic capability that enables FOST(S) to deliver training and assurance to the RFA. This enables ships of the RFA to maintain their required levels of Force Protection (FP) which directly contributes to the ships overall Operational Capability (OC). In fulfilling this role there is a requirement to work individually and under own initiative, but also work collaboratively as part of a wider FOST team to deliver outputs.

Flexible working is available by agreement with the line manager, but due to the nature of the role, candidates must be prepared to spend the majority of their time on site or deployed to ships of the RFA either in the UK or on operations globally.

Deploy both in the UK and overseas to provide weapons training and assurance, which will include 20mm and 30mm calibre weapon systems, to ensure that all RFA vessels receive and maintain the required level of FP training to sustain their OC.

To liaise with Navy Command and as directed other stakeholders to ensure suitable oversight and input into policy, training and requirements. The ability to build an effective network would be advantageous.

To have ownership of the relevant weapon Books of Reference (BR) sections or chapters concerning the RFA, particularly the gunnery sections of BR 1043 and BR 875 for integration and policy. In doing so the right candidate will act as a focal point for updates, reviews and liaise on all matters pertaining to RFA FP.

Represent FOST(S) as required at appropriate meetings and interact with relevant stakeholders for matters concerning RFA gunnery and explosive matters.

The RFA FOST GI is to posses a wide breadth of Above Water Warfare (AWW) skills, hold relevant crew served weapons instructor qualifications, have, or be able to obtain, a valid ENG1 Medical Certificate, have sea experience as a PO (AWW) or above and have completed the following STCW courses:

• Personal Survival Techniques (STCW Code – Table A-VI/1-1);
• Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting (STCW Code – Table A-VI/1-2);
• Elementary First Aid (STCW Code – Table A-VI/1-3);
• Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities (STCW Code - Table A-VI/1-4);

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)

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Sift and interviews will take place 2 weeks after the advert closing date.

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.

Personal Statement:

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

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

Behaviours:

• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace

If a high volume of applications are received, only your CV and Personal Statement will be assessed.

At interview, candidates will be assessed against the following:

Behaviours:

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

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.

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.

CANDIDATE INFORMATION

Please read this document prior to completing your application.

Please note: internal candidates must include their staff number when prompted during the application process.

Should you have any queries relating to the vacancy information or sift and interview process, please contact the recruiting line manager using the contact details listed on the vacancy. Please do not direct vacancy related queries to the recruitment team as they will be unable to advise.

FURTHER INFORMATION

CV’s

Should the selection process require a CV, you will be prompted to complete the required criteria during the application process. CV’s sent directly to the recruiting line manager will be deleted immediately to maintain anonymity.

Civil Servants (all grades)

Applicants should monitor their Civil Service Jobs application centre regularly for updates.

Some of MoD’s Terms and Conditions of Service (TACOS) changed from 3 February 2014. Those TACOS changes applied to Broader Banded and Skill Zone staff who were new recruits to MoD or who were appointed to a post on substantive promotion, progression or advancement. On the same basis, the TACOS for Departmental Retained Grades changed with effect from 01 September 2014.

Applicants should be aware that any move across the Civil Service on or after 5 October 2018 may have implications on an employee’s ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers.

Please see link below to Civil Service Recruitment Principles http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/RECRUITMENT-PRINCIPLES-April-2018-FINAL-.pdf

Please see the MOD Privacy notice which informs how we will use your personal data, explains your rights and gives you information you are entitled to under Data Protection legislation.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministry-of-defence-privacy-notice/mod-privacy-notice

Non Civil Servants

All employees joining MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a 6-month probation period effective from the employment start date.

COMPLAINTS

Please be aware that the selection and interviewing of applicants is the responsibility of the Recruiting Line Manager (RLM) and not the Defence Business Services (DBS) Resourcing team. DBS does not play any part in the selection and interview process itself.

Therefore, if you wish to discuss your feedback, or you are dissatisfied with your markings, you should in the first instance raise this with the Recruiting Line Manager of the vacancy.

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

FOR EXTERNAL VACANCIES 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

Cabinet Office Fraud Checks

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant whose details are found to be held on the IFD will be refused employment

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.