UOO in Birmingham

The Unit Operations Officer (UOO) is responsible for the day-to-day operations and outputs of HMS FORWARD. They are the delegated Command representative for the Unit and provide advice and support to Unit Command for all training and administrative matters.

Secondary Purposes:

• Provide early and effective intervention and, where necessary, options and alternatives to Command to meet MR HQ direction where it occurs outside of the timescales achievable for a part-time reservist Commanding Officer (CO).
• Ensure that the requirements listed in any MoU with Lodger and/or regional Units and the requirements listed in any SLA with associated Capability Areas are discharged appropriately.
• Act as the Operations Officer for the Medical Officers and Nurses & Medical Technician capabilities, overseeing the administration of these by staff of HMS FORWARD (“the Unit”), and 1RO for A/UOO HMS SHERWOOD under the regional construct.
• Be responsible for appropriate use of the Unit’s training resources, including Reserve Service Days (RSDs), Travel and Subsistence for personnel based at and administered by HMS FORWARD, support to national and regional training ensuring the Unit facilities are available as required, and utilising Permanent Staff to augment training where necessary.
• Oversee the Unit’s risk management processes including maintenance of the Unit Risk Register.
• In support of the XO, oversee permanent staff inputs into the implementation of the CO’s Unit Management Plan.
• Lead on the preparations for all audit and assurance activities involving the Unit.
• Be the Defence Training Manager for HMS FORWARD with responsibilities as outlined in JSP 822.
• Be the full-time assurance for the Unit’s mobilisation support construct.

ACCOUNTABILITY

The UOO is ultimately accountable to the CO, or the XO should they temporarily assume the powers and duties of command, for the proper performance of their duties at HMS FORWARD. The role holder is functionally accountable to SO1 Medical Officers and SO1 Nurses and Technicians for duties performed on their behalf.

AUTHORITY

The UOO HMS FORWARD is authorised to:

• Liaise directly with all appropriate authorities (Service and Civilian) in pursuance of their duties, informing the CO as necessary.
• Promulgate Routine Orders and Temporary Memoranda in pursuance of their duties.

ORGANISATION

The Commanding Officer HMS FORWARD is the line manager and 1RO for the UOO. The 2RO is Captain North. The UOO is the 1RO and Line Manager for Military and Civilian Staff as per the organisation chart at Annex A. The UOO has authority over all Unit personnel except the CO and the XO.

PRINCIPAL TASKS

• Be the primary Command Advisor to the CO, support them in maintaining good order and discipline, welfare and morale, in accordance with KRRN.
• Act on behalf of the CO, with their delegated authority, during the working week when the CO is absent from the Unit.
• Ensure that the Medical Branch operates within their delegated budget, working collaboratively with admin personnel with HMS FORWARD and CMRHQ to provide accurate financial reporting and projections as required.
• Manage Unit administration processes on behalf of the CO including the annual Certificate of Efficiency and Employer Notification processes, and the management of permanent staff of HMS FORWARD.
• Provide day-to-day management and oversight of the Medical Officers and Nurses & Medical Technician capabilities on behalf of their respective SO1s, providing continuous updates on their availability plot, budget planning, coordination of meetings, tasking, oversight of professional registration and competency, annual reporting, and assisting in the organisation of training weekends as required.
• Liaise with Recruit and Attract regarding forecasting Medical branch recruiting needs based upon branch demand signals.
• Advise and support the XO in the development, promotion and delivery of Naval Ethos and Naval Service Core Values and the delivery of the Unit’s divisional system and associated processes.
• Promote and enforce MOD and Naval Service policy on Diversity and Inclusion, and Care of Trainees.
• Support the XO in providing full-time resource to enhance the implementation of the CO’s Unit Management Plan objectives, advising courses of action as necessary.
• Be the Defence Training Manager for HMS FORWARD and advise Command on DTC matters, support the development of training delivery staff in the unit and be the lead for the quality assurance and maintenance of training delivery standards through the implementation of unit self-assessment relating to the management of the unit’s trainers and the promotion of good practice.
• Coordinate the Unit’s 1PA activities and lead on preparations for all external audit and assurance processes involving the Unit.
• Own the Unit’s Risk Register and Risk Management process and have specific responsibility for inputting and managing the Unit’s Security and Outputs risks and issues.
• Support the XO in managing the duties and routines of the Unit and in implementing all directives from the Chain of Command.
• Maintain Ship’s Standing Orders following provision of updates provided by MR HQ.
• Support the CO and RPM in pursuing courses of action to provide sustained and assured growth of the Unit’s trained and untrained strengths.
• Support the XO and UTO in coordinating and delivering the Unit’s Annual Training Programme.
• Liaise with HMS TEMERAIRE’s Deployable Regional Units (DRUs) to facilitate opportunities for SCoY to undertake PES, Phase 1 fitness assessments and other PDev and AT.
• Be the full-time assurance for the Unit’s mobilisation support construct to ensure that Reservists understand the mobilisation process and are effectively managed during their transition to full-service contracts.
• Assume secondary duties within the Unit: Unit Security Officer, Local Data Protection Officer, Unit Visits Lead, Defence Trainer Manager.

COMMITTEES

The post holder chairs the following committees and groups: Unit Senior Management Board. The post holder attends the following meetings, conferences and events: MR Unit Operations Officer Conference (Annually), Unit Bounty Waiver Board (Annually), MR Initial Naval Training and CLM Pre-CEB (6-Monthly), Unit Health and Wellbeing Committee (Termly), MR Training Assurance and Welfare Duty of Care WG (Termly), Regional SMB (Termly), Medical Branch SMB, Unit Training Management Meeting (Termly), RNR Unit Operations Officer Call (Fortnightly).