UK Ministry of Defence
Chief of the Defence Staff Duty Officer
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City of Westminster, London (region), SW1A 2HB
Job Summary
The Chief of the Defence Staff Duty Officer team provide a key strategic leadership support function enabling information-based decision making. They provide persistent global and domestic military and political situational awareness to the Chief of the Defence Staff and the Director of Operations by maintaining constant surveillance of world events. Coupled with extensive experience of military operations, knowledge of current operational policy and balanced judgement, they are able to alert the Defence Crisis Management Organisation to significant military and political developments as they occur. This is a challenging and rewarding role in which the post holder will work in a unique operational environment with a wide variety of stakeholders ranging from other government departments including No 10, the Cabinet Office, the Home Office, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office to British and Foreign Embassies, deployed military units and the general public.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week, organised in shifts and requires weekend working.
Job Description
The CDSDO’s primary role is to maintain constant surveillance over the defence environment, monitor global events and utilise their extensive military knowledge, experience and judgement to alert the MoD higher Command and the Defence Crisis Management Organisation to significant military and political developments as they occur.
Working a 24 hour on-watch roster, and based within the Defence Crisis Management Centre, the 5 Chief of the Defence Staff Duty Officers (CDSDO) provide 24/7 military and political situational awareness to the MOD joint higher command. The on-shift CDSDO is functionally accountable directly to the Chief of the Defence Staff and supports the Director of Operations and the Single Service Chiefs.
In undertaking this role, the CDSDO’s Principal Tasks are to:
- Act as the first point of contact within the MoD Strategic HQ liaising with other MoD HQ’s and government departments including No10, the Cabinet Office, the FCDO Global Response Centre as well as British and Foreign Embassies providing the initial principal military focal point for the activation and co-ordination of military resources in times of emerging crisis.
- Co-ordinate the immediate Defence response to single Service operations and incidents, including Military Aid to the Civil Authorities and Military Aid to Other Government Departments iaw with Joint and Single Service doctrine and instructions.
- Maintain a comprehensive knowledge of Joint and Single Service operations.
- Ensure CNS, CGS and CAS are informed of any significant events relating to their services.
- Provide Command oversight to ensure the safe, secure and efficient operation of the DCMC outside of normal working hours.
- Provide oversight and management of the on-shift Deputy CDSDO.
Note: The working environment is austere/hostile and underground with no lift access. This site has no facilities for disabled access. In a crisis or emerging situation hours may be long and pressure to deliver intense. Applicants will need to be comfortable engaging at the very highest levels of Defence. Due to the business critical nature of the post and associated security sensitivity this is a full-time post with no opportunity for part-time, job share, flexible or working from home arrangements.
The CDSDO shift roster is principally based around a 48-hour shift pattern and will require the post holder to work weekends on an average of 1 in 5. Additionally, the post holder is required to undertake standby/recall duties and must be able to return to the workplace when activated within a nominal 4 hr travelling time by public transport.
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Person Specification
To succeed in this role the ideal candidate will be a confident communicator with a clear and lucid communication style with seniors and colleagues of all ranks. You should have a proven track record of developing effective relationships quickly across a diverse range of stakeholders, both military and civilian. Key to this role is being able to accurately assimilate information, make effective decisions and provide considered advice. The post requires self-motivation and integrity and the successful applicant will be a resilient individual who can work efficiently and effectively within a very small team in an austere location.
The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate experience and skills against the following essential criteria:
- Possess a high level of senior military operational experience and knowledge – gained either directly or through working closely with military colleagues.
- A thorough understanding of the key issues that form the Military Strategy Operations and Commitments team core business.
- Able to work at pace and respond positively to emergent issues.
- Able to manage challenging situations.
- Able to cope with competing timelines and priorities.
- Experience of working with a wide range of stakeholders.
- A strategic thinker able to support others to deliver and resolve complex issues.
- Have no reason to not apply for Developed Vetting Security Clearance.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
- Seeing the Big Picture
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £46,040, Ministry of Defence contributes £13,337 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An on-site gym is available for use during the working day
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
The post does not offer relocation expenses.
External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.
Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.
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.
Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.
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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 Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection Process Details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
To apply for this post you will need to complete the online application accessed via the advertisement listed for this role. This should be completed no later than 23:55 on Sunday 9 August and will involve providing two documents as outlined below via the Civil Service Jobs Portal:
- Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.
- A Personal Statement (no more than 500 words) explaining how your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role.
At sift, Candidates will be assessed against your CV and Statement of suitability and the following:
- Leadership
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating & Influencing
At Interview, Candidates Will Be Assessed Against The Following
- Leadership
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating & Influencing
Sifting is provisionally scheduled for w/c 10 August 2026.
Interviews are provisionally scheduled for 1st-4th Sep and 8th - 11 Sep 2026 and will take place in person at MoD, Main Building in London.
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
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