COMBAT HUMAN RESOURCE SPECIALIST

The Job

The Combat Human Resource Specialist is responsible for all personnel activities relating to officers and soldiers whether deployed on operations or in barracks. Their tasks include: Information Technology - the provision of management information, information administration (storage, retrieval, distribution and security of electronic documentation), IT Oracle software user. Finance – accounting, provision of banking services on operations, advice on allowances and payroll. Business Administration – all aspects of personnel administration ranging from soldiers annual reports, preparation of disciplinary paperwork to applications for training courses. Secretarial – Personnel Assistant to senior offices in Headquarters - National and Multi-National or Embassy / Foreign & Commonwealth Offices. Trained as a soldier and Combat HR Specialist, your skills will enable you to be able to support any unit in the Army including Parachute Regiment, Commandos and even Special Forces, but also the Royal Navy and RAF. You can be deployed close to the front line or further back in rear locations. As you change your unit every 2 years you can expect to get a great deal of variety and travel in your career.

The Right Job For Me?

The Combat HR Specialist works as part of a small team and regularly works as a pair – teamwork and communications are therefore essential. You need to be self-reliant, mentally and physically fit with an agile mind that is able to plan and think ahead because you are not only responsible for yourself, but as a pair, you are responsible for up to 120 soldiers.

What Skills Will I Learn?

Basic soldier skills. IT skills inc Word, Excel, Power Point, databases, Electronic Documents Management, Oracle software.Payroll, Bookkeeping and Accounting.Clerical techniques required for effective personnel and business administration.Communications skills and techniques.Category B driving Licence. You will be taught the clerical and financial techniques required for effective management of all the Army’s administrative systems.As major users of IT, Military Administrators gain additional computer skills in the course of their work in the Regimental Administration Office.

What Training Will I Do?

Initial training: Your military career will start on the Army Development Course at ATR (Army Training Regiment) Pirbright in Hampshire. During your 14 week basic training course you will learn military skills such as foot drill, how to handle and fire a weapon, how to live and work in the open and how to tackle an assault course, as well as developing your stamina and fitness. Having successfully mastered these basic military skills, you will take your place in the Passing Out parade in front of an invited audience of parents, relatives and friends before moving on to your specialist trade training. Further training: On completion of basic training, you will complete the 11-week Basic Military Administrator Course (BMAC) at the Staff and Personnel Support Training School in Worthy Down, Hampshire. There you will be taught the specialist skills required to provide effective HR support to your regiment, covering Management, Administration, Finance & Accounting and Computing & Information Technology.

What Qualifications Could I Get?

Education is an important part of your career as a Combat HR Specialist, the corps has a Whole Life Development programme thus your specialist technical training will bring with it the award of civilian qualifications and accreditation to professional bodies. On completing your basic administrative training you will gain: ITQ – NVQ/Apprenticeship in Information Technology and the Introductory Award in Management (equivalent to a Grade A-C GCSE). You will continue to undertake specialist courses at key stages in your career gaining additional awards, leading to a BA (Hons) in Strategic Administrative Management. Central to this is membership of the Institute of Administrative Management (IAM). The IAM is one of the largest professional bodies, recognising excellence in administrative management. In addition, you have the opportunity to gain many qualifications, including the following, throughout your career: Human Resource Management Postgraduate Certificate in HRM Masters in HRM Membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development Information Technology ITQ – NVQ/Apprenticeship in Information Technology Management and Business Studies Foundation, Honours and Masters Degrees in Business Membership of the Chartered Management Institute Finance and Accounting Membership of the Chartered Institute of Management Accounting Membership of the International Association of Book-keepers

Future Prospects

Opportunity Combat HR Specialists are one of the few corps to have the opportunity to serve as an integral part of a unit (Infantry, Artillery, Army Air Corps etc) and get the opportunity to move regularly. Additionally, they believe in a healthy body healthy mind and offer fantastic opportunities for sport and adventure training.Promotion prospects as a Combat HR Specialist are considered among the best in the Army. Soldiers who display good leadership and management skills and are competent at their trade may be promoted quickly. With the right effort, you could be promoted to Lance Corporal after only 18 months’, accompanied by an increase in salary. Your job will be varied and after building the foundations you can then begin to specialize or chose to branch out further as either a Military Instructor or a Physical Training Instructor. Few other soldiers have the job variety or range of unit types to which they can be assigned which will change every 2 years. Combat HR Specialists serve with every type of unit in the Army, as well as in Military Headquarters around the world. There are even opportunities to serve with Special Forces, where you will be actively encouraged to complete Commando or Parachute training. If you are a person that likes variety, you will enjoy opportunities available to the SPS.