Head of VALOUR
UK Ministry of DefenceUnited Kingdom2 days ago
Full-timeRemote FriendlyOther
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AI-Powered Job Summary
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The role will require frequent travel to lead a geographically dispersed team, engage with Veterans and support services across the UK and provide in-person briefings to Ministers.
This role offers a combination of office and working from home as part of a non-contractual hybrid working arrangement, where you will be based at any of these locations:
Tomlinson House, Norcross, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY5 3WP
Foss House, York, YO1 7PX
MOD Abbey Wood, Bristol, BS34 8JH.
MOD Main Building, Whitehall, London, SW1A 2HB.
This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance.
Job Summary
The Government wants to transform how Veterans across the UK can access the support they need, when and where they need it. VALOUR will create a new network of VALOUR-recognised support centres across the UK; tailored to Veterans' needs locally, fostering the entrepreneurial spirit of Veterans and the voluntary sector, and building on what works best by using new data and insight. The operating model also includes a new VALOUR Headquarters in the Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA) and the deployment of Regional Field Officers to connect local, regional and national services.
As the Head of VALOUR, you will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for the VALOUR system. Acting as a visible and credible leader on Veteran support - able to command the confidence of Ministers, the full range of support providers (both statutory and third sector) and the Armed Forces community itself - you will harness exceptional leadership, data-driven decision-making, and a collaborative but focused approach to co-ordinating support for Veterans across the UK.
Job Description
The current responsibilities for the role include:
To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process by no later than 23:55 on Sunday 16th November 2025 and will involve providing the two documents outlined below via the Civil Service Jobs portal:
Anisha Worbs will be offering an online Q&A session on Wednesday 5th November 2025 between 15:00pm – 15:45pm to provide an overview of the role and welcome any questions you may have. Candidates can access the meeting by clicking here. Please note this is not part of the formal assessment process. If you have any issues accessing the session, please contact: [email protected].
We understand that you might use AI and other resources for your application; however, please ensure all information you provide is factually accurate, truthful, and original and doesn’t include ideas or work that isn’t your own. This is so that your application is authentically and credibly your own.
For further information about the role and full application process, please refer to the candidate pack attached below. If you wish to receive any material in a different format for accessibility, then please contact [email protected].
External candidates who join the MOD and are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.
As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.
Security
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
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.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
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.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact
This role offers a combination of office and working from home as part of a non-contractual hybrid working arrangement, where you will be based at any of these locations:
Tomlinson House, Norcross, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY5 3WP
Foss House, York, YO1 7PX
MOD Abbey Wood, Bristol, BS34 8JH.
MOD Main Building, Whitehall, London, SW1A 2HB.
This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance.
Job Summary
The Government wants to transform how Veterans across the UK can access the support they need, when and where they need it. VALOUR will create a new network of VALOUR-recognised support centres across the UK; tailored to Veterans' needs locally, fostering the entrepreneurial spirit of Veterans and the voluntary sector, and building on what works best by using new data and insight. The operating model also includes a new VALOUR Headquarters in the Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA) and the deployment of Regional Field Officers to connect local, regional and national services.
As the Head of VALOUR, you will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for the VALOUR system. Acting as a visible and credible leader on Veteran support - able to command the confidence of Ministers, the full range of support providers (both statutory and third sector) and the Armed Forces community itself - you will harness exceptional leadership, data-driven decision-making, and a collaborative but focused approach to co-ordinating support for Veterans across the UK.
Job Description
The current responsibilities for the role include:
- Operational leadership of the VALOUR system: Provide clear accountability to Ministers in a complex delivery landscape. Maintain an unwavering focus on delivering measurable outcomes that ensure high-quality, tailored support for Veterans. Leverage robust data and insight capabilities to monitor performance, identify trends, and drive innovation and continuous improvement across the system.
- Relationships and engagement with support providers, the Veteran and wider Armed Forces community: Cultivate meaningful and trusted relationships within the Veteran community and with the organisations that support them, including statutory bodies, charities, and private sector partners. Lead and manage a network of regional field officers across the UK, strengthening partnerships with local authorities, statutory and non-statutory providers, and Devolved Governments. Build coalitions to co-ordinate and align support for Veterans effectively and consistently, influencing services over which you do not have direct control. Leverage insights from the lived experiences of Veterans and their families to inform, shape, and continuously improve the programme’s delivery.
- Oversee compliance, assurance and training: Establish robust governance, compliance and reporting processes to ensure consistency and alignment across the VALOUR system and drive efficiency and effectiveness. Oversee assurance of VALOUR-recognised centres, in line with criteria for receiving VALOUR development funding. Oversee the ongoing design, enhancement, and delivery of high-quality training materials to support consistent and effective implementation across stakeholders.
- Team leadership and culture: Lead and inspire a geographically dispersed team of c.40 people (with 2 direct reports), fostering collaboration, accountability, and professional growth. As a key member of the OVA senior leadership team, contribute to embedding a positive and inclusive team culture, ensuring a shared commitment to delivering VALOUR's objectives consistently across the UK.
- Operational leadership of the VALOUR system: Provide clear accountability to Ministers in a complex delivery landscape. Maintain an unwavering focus on delivering measurable outcomes that ensure high-quality, tailored support for Veterans. Leverage robust data and insight capabilities to monitor performance, identify trends, and drive innovation and continuous improvement across the system.
- Relationships and engagement with support providers, the Veteran and wider Armed Forces community: Cultivate meaningful and trusted relationships within the Veteran community and with the organisations that support them, including statutory bodies, charities, and private sector partners. Lead and manage a network of regional field officers across the UK, strengthening partnerships with local authorities, statutory and non-statutory providers, and Devolved Governments. Build coalitions to co-ordinate and align support for Veterans effectively and consistently, influencing services over which you do not have direct control. Leverage insights from the lived experiences of Veterans and their families to inform, shape, and continuously improve the programme’s delivery.
- Oversee compliance, assurance and training: Establish robust governance, compliance and reporting processes to ensure consistency and alignment across the VALOUR system and drive efficiency and effectiveness. Oversee assurance of VALOUR-recognised centres, in line with criteria for receiving VALOUR development funding. Oversee the ongoing design, enhancement, and delivery of high-quality training materials to support consistent and effective implementation across stakeholders.
- Team leadership and culture: Lead and inspire a geographically dispersed team of c.40 people (with 2 direct reports), fostering collaboration, accountability, and professional growth. As a key member of the OVA senior leadership team, contribute to embedding a positive and inclusive team culture, ensuring a shared commitment to delivering VALOUR's objectives consistently across the UK.
- Proven leadership in complex and dynamic settings: Significant experience in leading large-scale programmes or organisations, within a policy or political context, with a focus on operational discipline, centralised oversight, and delivering measurable outcomes. Skilled in managing geographically dispersed teams and driving performance in challenging and evolving environments.
- Strategic thinking and evidence-based decision-making: A strong ability to analyse data and evidence to inform strategic priorities, monitor progress, and deliver continuous improvement. Confident in making decisions in uncertain or fast-changing situations and adapting plans as new information emerges.
- Collaborative delivery and partnership building: Experience in working across organisational and sectoral boundaries to deliver shared objectives. Skilled in aligning diverse stakeholders to a common purpose and ensuring co-ordinated and effective delivery of services.
- Exceptional communication and relationship management: Proven ability to build trust and credibility with – and influence - a wide range of stakeholders, including Ministers, local, central and devolved Government leaders and third sector organisations. Skilled in influencing decisions, fostering collaboration, and representing the programme at the highest levels.
- Engage with, listen to, and act upon the real-life experiences of Veterans and the wider Armed Forces community: Demonstrated ability to connect with Veterans and their families, understanding their lived experiences and using these insights to shape and improve the delivery of tailored support and services. A deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by Veterans and their families, as well as the ability to work effectively with the Armed Forces community and related organisations.
- 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%
To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process by no later than 23:55 on Sunday 16th November 2025 and will involve providing the two documents outlined below via the Civil Service Jobs portal:
- A CV (no more than 2 pages) setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
- A Personal Statement (no more than 2 pages) providing tangible examples that demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria for the role.
Anisha Worbs will be offering an online Q&A session on Wednesday 5th November 2025 between 15:00pm – 15:45pm to provide an overview of the role and welcome any questions you may have. Candidates can access the meeting by clicking here. Please note this is not part of the formal assessment process. If you have any issues accessing the session, please contact: [email protected].
We understand that you might use AI and other resources for your application; however, please ensure all information you provide is factually accurate, truthful, and original and doesn’t include ideas or work that isn’t your own. This is so that your application is authentically and credibly your own.
For further information about the role and full application process, please refer to the candidate pack attached below. If you wish to receive any material in a different format for accessibility, then please contact [email protected].
External candidates who join the MOD and are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.
As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.
Security
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
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
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
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.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
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.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact
- Name : SCS Recruitment Team
- Email : [email protected]
- Email : [email protected]
Key Skills
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