Cost Assurance Analysis Service (CAAS) - Estimating Capability Development Scheme (ECDS)

Cost Assurance Analysis Service (CAAS) are looking for enthusiastic, driven individuals to undertake an innovative 2-year development scheme, providing delegates with a strong background in estimating & its specialisms.

The Estimating Capability Development Scheme (ECDS) provides individuals with an excellent introduction into estimating. With a highly competitive starting salary, excellent benefits and dedicated, expert trainers, this scheme offers a supportive and structured career pathway into the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and its delivery agencies.

CAAS is an established, professional and independent organisation within the MOD, operating from 13 UK locations. It has a proud 100+ year track record of supporting cost management and its outputs are critical to providing independent cost assurance advice and analytics across Defence.

CAAS is the MOD's source of independent costing advice and exists to support the Department's decision making and delivery of value for money. This is achieved through providing a range of specialist cost estimating, cost engineering, efficiencies and benefits, and accountancy analysis products and services to MOD customers. CAAS is based predominantly at MOD Abbey Wood with additional regional hubs at or near to key Defence suppliers.

CAAS is forging a new Defence Nuclear Enterprise (DNE) facing team to start to implement processes for undertaking independent assurance of portfolio cost, risk and schedule artefacts. In addition, CAAS will support the inception of the DNE portfolio team to devise and implement cost, risk and schedule best practices, and build expertise across the portfolio to build a sustainable capability.

The DNE is the overall umbrella term used to describe the federation of organisations and arrangements that enables, maintains, and delivers the Continuous At Sea Deterrent (CASD) and submarine forces. These include the Defence Nuclear Organisation (DNO) and Royal Navy (RN), together with the delivery agencies - the Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) and the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), UK Strategic Command, Sheffield Forgemasters, our industry partners, and other government departments who in various ways support the shared mission.

These positions are advertised at 37 hours per week.

Following completion of all pre-employment checks, successful candidates can expect to start around October 2024, when the scheme is scheduled to commence.,

• For your application to be considered, you must provide your CV ensuring it includes the following:

+ Key Achievements
+ Career History/Life Experience
+ Applied Skills, Knowledge and Experience
+ Behaviours and Motivations

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability. (250 words)

At interview and application you will be assessed on the following behaviours :

• communicating and influencing


• working together


If you are successful at the sift stage and invited for interview, you should be prepared to provide clear examples of difficult situations that you have dealt with and the results you achieved. Focus specifically on what you did and the impact you had on delivery.

Sift is expected to complete during W/C 10th June with Interviews held face to face in either London,Bristol, Rosyth or Barrow.

Candidates progressed to interview will be expected to deliver a 10-minute verbal presentation in relation to estimating the cost of either a holiday, a house, or a wedding. This presentation should include how you planned against a budget, what options were considered, and any potential risks to your activity. This will be followed by a 5-minute Q&A session to cover estimating skills.

Presentations must be sent to CAAS-Cap-ECDS@mod.gov.uk no later than 48 hours before your interview slot.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .

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.

The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
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.,
• 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
  
  A degree or HND in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) based subject


• A higher national apprentice in a relevant STEM area


• Three A2 Level grades BBB or above in a STEM based subject


Essential

• Working knowledge of MS Excel


• At least one year's relevant data analysis experience


Desirable

• Advanced MS Excel (use of formulas)


• Data analysis experience in a live environment, A degree or HND in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) based subject

A higher national apprentice in a relevant STEM area
Three A2 Level grades BBB or above in a STEM based subject,
• Communicating and Influencing


• Working Together


Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Candidates progressed to interview will be expected to deliver a 10-minute verbal presentation in relation to estimating the cost of either a holiday, a house, or a wedding., This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
  
  Successful candidates will be assigned a Permanent Duty Station (PDS) at one of the locations advertised. It is expected that all staff will work full time and be available for 8-10 weeks training at a venue in Bristol within the first 4-6 months of the scheme. After which, CAAS operate a blended hybrid working policy subject to business need. There is flexibility to split the working week, combining working at home and spending a minimum of 60% in the workplace unless exceptional circumstances apply.


Candidates will undertake study through classroom sessions, on the shoulder tuition with some self-directed learning, and will be assessed throughout the scheme. This will be followed by approximately 18 months where you will advance your capability by undertaking placements in various areas of the business. You will complete a variety of tasks to develop your skills to enable you to undertake projects independently.

Successful candidates will be required to pass a Knowledge Based Assessment (KBA) within the initial 6-month probationary period.

The 2-year pathway provides a balanced mix of work placements across CAAS, on the job training, mentoring, and formal training to become a practitioner, leading to a level of expertise that will position you well within the business to further your career in estimating.

At the end of the scheme, successful applicants will have the opportunity to be interviewed to demonstrate their competence at a Higher Executive Officer (HEO) level. If found successful, candidates will gain promotion to HEO and be deployed into a permanent role at this grade., 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.

Alongside your salary of £28,300, Ministry of Defence contributes £7,641 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• 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 average employer contribution of 27%


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/.