These dates are only indicative at this stage and could be subject to change. Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process. If you are unable to meet these timeframes, please let us know in your application letter.
Application process
This role will not be overseen by a Commissioner. More detailed information can be found on the Civil Service Commission website.
The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.
Recruitment Panel
- Vanessa Blake, Chief Executive
- Amy Carrillo, Chief People Officer
- Joe Dean, Deputy Head Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust Review (Independent Panel Member)
Selection Process
- The Selection Panel will sift and assess each application against the criteria (professional, strategic and stakeholder engagement expertise) to produce a shortlist to invite to interview.
- Subject to agreement by the selection panel will then conduct interviews to ascertain which candidates are appointable to the role.
Assessments
If you are shortlisted, you will be asked to take part in a series of assessments which will include psychometric tests and a staff engagement exercise. These assessments will not result in a pass or fail decision.
Status of application / feedback
We will notify you of the status of your application. We regret that we are only able to offer detailed feedback to candidates who have been unsuccessful at the interview stage.
Reasonable adjustments
Government departments are committed to making reasonable adjustments to make sure applicants with disabilities, physical or mental health conditions, or other needs are not substantially disadvantaged when applying for public appointments. This can include changing the recruitment process to enable people who wish to apply to do so. Some examples of reasonable adjustments are:
- Ensuring that application forms are available in different or accessible formats
- Making adaptations to interview locations.
- Allowing candidates to present their skills and experience in a different way.
- Giving detailed information on the selection / interview process in advance to allow candidates time to prepare themselves.
- Allowing support workers, for example sign language interpreters.
- Making provision for support animals to attend.
Disability Confidence Scheme (DCS) – guaranteed interview
The UKHO embraces diversity and promotes inclusion and equality of opportunity. We are a Disability Confident employer, which includes offering a guaranteed interview to candidates with disabilities, providing they meet the minimum selection criteria. If you are a disabled candidate and wish to be considered under the Disability Confident guaranteed interview scheme, please ensure you select the correct response while applying.
By ‘minimum selection criteria’ we mean that the evidence you provide in your application must demonstrate that you meet the minimum pass mark, set by the short-list panel, for each criterion listed in the ‘short-list’ section, above.
The short-list panel will not be made aware of any disability you may choose to declare; this information will be processed solely by HR, in accordance with data protection legislation.
Great place to work for Veterans scheme – guaranteed interview
When you apply for a role through Civil Service Jobs, you will be prompted to enter whether you are eligible for the Great Place to Work for Veterans Initiative and whether you would like to apply for the role through this route.
In order to use the Great Place to Work for Veterans Initiative, you must also meet the minimum standard for the role you would like to apply for.
The minimum standard is the combination of experience, behaviours, strengths, abilities and technical/professional skills that a candidate will need to perform effectively in the role. For more information – see here: Great Place to Work for Veterans
Redeployment Interview Scheme (RIS)
Under this scheme, the UKHO offer an interview to a fair and proportionate number of civil servants who are at risk of redundancy and who meet the minimum job requirements.
For example, you may be at risk if your work area has launched a voluntary or compulsory redundancy scheme that you’re eligible for, or you are aware that your employer has begun consultation on how to reduce staff in your immediate team or work area. Information will be processed solely by HR, in accordance with data protection legislation.
To be considered for an interview, you must:
- Have good reason to believe that you are likely to be made redundant in the near future.
- Have demonstrated in your application and testing stages that you meet the minimum job criteria detailed in the person specification.
- Be applying for a job at the same grade as, or lower than, your current job.
- The application form will ask if you want to apply under the Redeployment Interview Scheme.
What do I do if I want to make a complaint?
We aim to process all applications as quickly as possible and to treat all applicants with courtesy. If you feel that you have a complaint about the way in which your application has been handled, please contact in the first instance MOD SCS Recruitment Team on People-CivHR-SCSCandidateSupport@mod.gov.uk If you are not completely satisfied with the response, please contact the Civil Service Commission on .
We will acknowledge your complaint upon receipt and aim to provide a response within 5 working days.
