UK Ministry of Defence
VALOUR Field Officer - South West (West)
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Taunton, Plymouth or Exeter
The area coverage for this role includes Devon, Torbay and Cornwall. It will involve significant travel, particularly within this area, and will include visits to other locations across the UK. Work-related travel and subsistence costs will be reimbursed except when travelling to your base location, in line with departmental policy.
Job Summary
The Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA), within the Ministry of Defence (MOD), is responsible for coordinating the delivery of the Veterans Strategy. The strategy sets the government’s new vision for veterans and challenges the whole of society to think differently about those who have served in the Armed Forces, their offer and their potential.
The framework is grounded in three core themes, each an equal and vital part to ensuring the best outcomes for both veterans and the UK. Together, they represent a powerful new approach to recognising veterans as one of the UK’s great strategic assets, underpinned by this government’s commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant. The long-term framework sets the commitment to these themes, and shapes how OVA’s work is prioritised in terms of investment and effort.
In May 2025, the government announced VALOUR – the first ever UK-wide government-led approach to veteran support. Building on successful existing provision, this programme, backed by £50 million of funding, will provide ex-Service people with easier access to services across health, housing and employment.
This is an exciting time to join the OVA to join a dynamic team to support the VALOUR initiative, which will attract Ministerial and media attention. Additional information on VALOUR can be found at VALOUR: corporate information - GOV.UK.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.
Job Description
This is a unique opportunity to make a tangible difference in the lives of veterans and their families by becoming a VALOUR Field Officer. You will become part of a team of passionate, committed, innovative and forward-thinking colleagues and be able to draw on a wealth of expertise to drive this ambitious programme forward. You will be able to make your mark by supporting VALOUR to transform the UK’s veteran support landscape.
The VALOUR Field Officer is crucial to provide partnership and stakeholder engagement.
- You will work closely with a wide range of people and organisations, including local government and the VCSE Sector, to build and maintain networks that connect local, regional and national services, and which are underpinned by data to improve, shape and enhance services.
- You will be a critical strategic link into Defence for communities in your area on matters concerning veterans’ affairs, and a SME for Defence colleagues on the activities, actors and system performance within the locations you operate in.
- You will drive collective performance by utilising data and insight, and convening, influencing and supporting policy and delivery at the regional and local level.
- You will provide enhanced coordination and facilitate greater alignment between national, devolved and local strategies, and drive more consistent delivery of the Armed Forces Covenant and improved services for the Armed Forces community.
- You will build trust, proactively build relationships and champion innovation to improve outcomes across the UK’s veteran support landscape.
Key work areas
- Develop and maintain trusting and effective relationships with regional and local stakeholders providing services to the Armed Forces community.
- Develop and facilitate effective sub-regional forums and networks convening all relevant local stakeholders, ensuring clear channels for communication.
- Identify opportunities for taking forward action on defined strategic priorities and drive collaborative implementation across local government led partnerships.
- Contribute to VALOUR system improvements by aiding visibility and understanding of the veteran support ecosystem at the regional and local level and sharing best practice across maintained partnerships.
- Promote awareness of statutory services and initiatives and influence regional strategies to improve outcomes for the Armed Forces community.
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Please note that this role is likely to evolve to respond to priority changes to the Armed Forces support landscape and a degree of flexibility is expected, as well as a willingness to travel regularly.
You may be expected to undertake other duties and activities as required to support the delivery of VALOUR and the wider objectives of VALOUR HQ and the OVA.
Person specification
Essential Criteria
- Strong interpersonal skills with experience managing relationships with a range of stakeholders in different sectors and at differing levels of seniority.
- Strong communication skills, both verbally and written, including proven presentation skills, with confidence to speak in public to a range of audiences.
- Experience of stakeholder management, working collaboratively, developing or supporting forums, and being able to adapt to changing scenarios.
- Confidence working remotely, acting on initiative, and being self-starting.
- Proven organisational skills and ability to prioritise and plan workload efficiently.
- Confidence navigating complex operating environments, including strong and demonstrable problem-solving abilities.
- Knowledge of the development and application of the Armed Forces Covenant, the challenges of military service, and transitions to civilian life.
- Willingness to undertake frequent travel (predominately local and regional, and to a lesser extent UK wide).
Desirable criteria
- A full UK Driving Licence
- Experience of operating within the Armed Forces community support landscape.
- Experience or understanding of local government structures.
- Knowledge of local Armed Forces support services.
Licences
A full UK Driving Licence and/or willingness to undertake frequent travel (predominately local and regional, and to a lesser extent UK wide).
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Making Effective Decisions
- Working Together
- Changing and Improving
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Seeing the Big Picture
Alongside your salary of £37,720, Ministry of Defence contributes £10,927 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 environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and working from home as part of a non-contractual hybrid working arrangement. All office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to site capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD workplace, will also count towards this level of office attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this and other flexible working arrangements may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.
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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 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.
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, Strengths and Experience.
Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history and qualification details.
Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability in no more than 500 words.
Important tip - please ensure that your statement includes how you meet the skills and experience listed in the “person specification” section above.
At sift, you will be assessed against your CV, Statement of suitability and the following Behaviours:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Seeing the Big Picture
Should a large number of applications be received, the sift will be conducted in stages. An initial sift will be conducted using the Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift will be progressed to the second sift stage based on their
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