Location
City of Westminster

Hours
37 hours per week

Salary
£72,840 per annum

About the Role
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, providing a wide range of corporate services to over 1.2 million end users, including serving and past military personnel and their families, as well as MoD civil servants and industry. DBS delivers large scale administration and specialist services to enable the wider MOD to focus on its core aims of maintaining the UK’s Defence and Security. Services include Human Resources, Pay, Veterans, Finance and Procurement.

Our Vision is to support UK defence customers with outstanding service every time. Our Mission is to proudly support Defence by 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 by building an inclusive culture and respectful environment that reflects the diversity of society. We maximise the potential of everyone who chooses to work for us through opportunities to develop skills and experience. We offer flexible working patterns, support for a fulfilling career, and a Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%. Where your role permits, we support a blended (hybrid) working approach.

DBS has consolidated its North West operations in Norcross, Blackpool, with a planned move to the new Government Hub at Talbot Gateway in Blackpool scheduled for 2027.

This role sits within HR Advisory and Casework Services (HRACS) and provides strategic leadership for managing high-profile, sensitive and complex complaints. You will lead and oversee the handling of multi-stranded complaints and casework, ensuring timely, proportionate and defensible outcomes that consider legal, policy, operational, reputational and people impacts.

You will act as a senior adviser to MOD senior leaders and decision makers, providing expert advice on complex complaints, conduct issues and casework to support consistent decision making across workforce types. Building and maintaining productive relationships with senior customers and stakeholders across Defence, government, external suppliers and partners is key, representing the Department confidently in sensitive forums.

The role involves providing high-quality verbal and written advice, briefings, reports and analysis on complex cases and systemic issues, setting out strategic, tactical, operational and technical options, risks, benefits and recommendations. You will work to improve the employee experience by strengthening complaints handling, HR policy implementation and casework management across the Department.

Using insight, lessons learned and evidence, you will identify and address MOD-wide complaints through continuous improvement approaches. You will analyse legal, operational, policy and workforce data to evidence risks, themes and improvement opportunities, ensuring alignment with strategic developments and pan-government priorities.

Collaboration with senior leadership and policy colleagues is essential to ensure complaint, conduct and casework arrangements remain coherent, aligned to team vision and responsive to emerging priorities.

This position offers an opportunity to contribute to a vital function within the Ministry of Defence, supporting Defence People and Standards Group and wider Directorate priorities as required to create an agile workforce.

Experience
Minimum Chartered CIPD Membership with evidence of continuous professional development across the HR profession. Proven experience leading HR Casework services at scale, managing teams and projects across complex organisations to deliver cultural change and excellent customer service. Excellent stakeholder management skills with experience influencing and advising senior leaders and decision makers on complex, sensitive or contentious issues. Ability to provide clear, high-quality written and verbal advice, briefings and analysis for senior audiences. Experience using evidence, insight and data to identify themes, manage risk, drive continuous improvement and improve service delivery quality and consistency.

About you
Strong leadership and communication skills with the ability to build and maintain productive relationships across multiple stakeholders. Strategic thinker with the ability to manage sensitive and high-profile complaints and casework effectively. Committed to continuous improvement and delivering value for money services. Agile and flexible approach to work, willing to support wider Directorate and Defence People and Standards Group priorities as required.

Qualifications
Chartered CIPD Membership or equivalent professional qualification is essential. Continuous professional development within the HR profession is required. Experience or understanding of Defence, wider government or similarly complex regulated environments is desirable. Knowledge of HR policy, complaints handling or casework frameworks and the ability to apply policy pragmatically in complex operational circumstances is advantageous.