The job

Personnel Branch officers have the most diverse portfolio of any branch in the Royal Air Force. To ensure the Service operates at the cutting edge, there is a continuing need to develop, train and support our personnel. Our Personnel Branch officers are there to make this happens.

As a result, you will be engaged in a wide variety of roles from administrative support functions that have parallels in civilian life. Working on developing programmes that help engender team spirit, personal robustness and general resilience, to the parachute training of the United Kingdom’s Airborne Forces, you will lead and manage essential support services for the Service.

Personnel Branch officers are based on permanent Royal Air Force bases, known as stations, and on expeditionary operations around the world.

To provide a fresh challenge, and enable you to develop your skills as a generalist and as a specialist, you will change jobs, known as posts or appointments, every few years.

The time spent in any one job is known as a tour, and tour lengths vary from post to post. In the early years of your career it is unlikely that a tour will be less than eighteen months or longer than three years. Additionally, you could be detached from the United Kingdom for anything from a few days to a few months. You could be posted on an overseas tour, or go on operations in your ordinary work role.

Typical work roles include:

• Human Resource Management.
• Infrastructure, Facilities and Estate Management.
• Accounting and Finance.
• Media and Communication.
• Community Support.
• Force Development.
• Training Management (including Training Requirements Analysis, Design & Development, Delivery and Assurance).
• Operational Training (including Flying, Synthetic and Ground Training).
• Governance of Training (including interaction with legislative bodies such as OFSTED, SFA and SCC).
• Language and Cultural Capability Training.
• Physical Education.
• Adventurous Training.
• Exercise Rehabilitation.
Your first tour

Your first tour could be as a Station Adjutant on a Royal Air Force station, where you will assist the Station Commander with the day-to-day running of the base. Your role will include internal communications, public relations, disciplinary and ceremonial duties, management inspections and contractor liaison. It will also give you a chance to learn how a Royal Air Force base works and you will gain experience that will be valuable during the rest of your career.

Alternatively, you could be the Training Officer on a Royal Air Force station, developing programmes of activity to get the best from individuals, small teams and larger organisations. You will work alongside training and physical education specialists to help you achieve your aims; however, you will be responsible for the strategy and the planning, known as Force Development, of unit personnel.

You could also be the Accounts Officer for a Royal Air Force station, ensuring the smooth running of financial matters and budgets – a key activity if the unit is to function well. Or in some cases, and depending on previous experience, you could be appointed as the Human Resources Officer, known as Personnel Services, where you will ensure that our people are managed according to industry best practise.

Entry qualifications

Age Limits 17½–26

Academic qualifications

There are two methods of entry to the Personnel Branch: Qualified Entry and University Graduate Entry.

• Qualified Entry
You will need a minimum of 5 GCSEs/Scottish Standard Grades at GradeC/3, including English Language and Mathematics. In addition, you must have a minimum of 2 A Levels/3 Scottish Higher Grades at Grade A, B or C (excluding the subjects of General Studies or Critical Thinking). If you do not have A Levels but have at least 5 GCSEs (including English Language and Mathematics) at Grade C or equivalent, and a qualification of at least EdExcel (formerly known as BTEC) Higher National Award or NVQ Level 4 standard in a technical, management, business, modern language or training-related subject, you may also be considered for Qualified Entry.

• University Graduate Entry
You should hold a recognised degree to be considered for University Graduate Entry. However, you may also be considered if you possess a complete pass in the final examination of a Chartered Institute which is relevant to one or more of the Personnel Branch roles.

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