Part 13: People

Key recommendation 11. In line with the overall capability planning and financial management model, the Department should afford greater priority to managing its 'human capability' as a strategic resource, to ensure a better balance with its consideration of equipment capability. Specifically, it should develop the 'Whole Force Concept,' which seeks to ensure that Defence is supported by the most cost-effective balance of regular military personnel, reservists, MOD civilians and contractors.

a.   The Department should reduce the size of the senior cadre of Defence and the management levels below it. To enable this, the Department should review all non-front line military posts from OF5 (Captain / Colonel / Group Captain) and civilian posts from Band B (Grade 7), to determine the need for the post, whether it needs to be civilian or military, and optimum management structures.

Key recommendation 12. The Department should manage and use its senior military and civilian personnel more effectively. With oversight of the Appointments sub-committee to the new Board, the career management system should be designed so that individuals stay in key senior posts for longer and the processes for promotions and appointments are transparent and (on the military side) standardised, to provide assurance that both Defence and Service needs are being met.

a.   A new model for the management of senior military officers - the joint assured model - should be introduced, which would include a role for an independent member on Service promotion and appointing boards; an enhanced role for the existing Senior Appointments Committee, to which PUS, Commander Joint Forces Command an independent private sector representative would be added as members; and a more formal process for the involvement of reporting officers in the appointment of senior military personnel, and vice versa for civilian appointments.

b.   The Department should improve its talent management and succession planning in the Senior Civil Service and the management level below, and involve the Civil Service Commissioners for all appointments at 2 star and above and CDS or VCDS for the most senior appointments.

c.   The Department should move to a model where most individuals stay in post for longer and the most senior civilian and military posts are held, as a rule, for 4 to 5 years.

d.   Defence should place greater emphasis on recruiting or developing people with the right skills and expertise, particularly in professional or more specialist functional areas.

e.   The Head Office should continue to set high level training and education policy, but joint requirement setting and co-ordination should be delegated to Joint Forces Command to the maximum degree possible. We do not see any changes to single Service responsibilities.