Senior Project Manager

MOD Abbey Wood, Filton, Bristol, BS34 8JH

Job Summary

“Support Major Programmes is an ambitious, transformation programme that will address both shortcomings in the effective delivery of Support, pan-Defence, and deliver £Bns of financial savings over the next 10 years. Driving change together with external consultants, industry, DE&S and the Front-Line commands, we will enable Defence to achieve greater agility and efficiency, achieving both value for money for the taxpayer and also operational advantage.” 

BMfS is, first and foremost, a business change and process re-engineering programme. It seeks to transition Defence from legacy processes to align with leading practice across both the commercial Support sector and with allies. This in turn allows for future Defence business processes to be underpinned by COTS, cloud-enabled, evergreen IS, integrated with the Defence Digital Backbone, cyber-secure and accessible globally. The introduction of Robotic Process Automation and AI where appropriate will remove the need for human intervention in non-value-adding tasks, and the implementation of a simple, intuitive ‘Amazon-style’ interface will reduce the need for specialist training, minimise instances of human error and improve the user experience.

Aligned to this will be the introduction of Operational Data Services that will increase access to both current and future data. This, combined with the delivery of a coherent, assured suite of IS capabilities, will deliver a step change in data accuracy, completeness and timeliness. Together, these are essential enablers of the wider Defence Support Major Programmes (DefSp MP) ambition (e.g. the exploitation of AI-enabled predictive-sustainment and innovation). Standardisation with allied and industry-leading best practice, enabling integration or exchange of data, will be a key plank of delivering the MDI ambition at the heart of the Defence Support Strategy.

The BMfS Senior Project Manager post will assure coherence of Project Management and Project Controls processes to align plans, outputs and outcomes across BMfS Business as Usual (Sustain), Update (Modernise) and Transformation (Transform) activity, to ensure the successful realisation of the Defence Support Information Services Vision.

The post will co-ordinate and cohere project and programme activities spanning a variety of organisations and functions. The post holder will be required to liaise extensively with other project staffs including project managers and project controllers as well as technical, commercial and financial colleagues.

This position may have line management responsibilities.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job Description

• Act as the focal point for the delivery and co-ordinating of project management activities, alignment of plans and deliverables with delivery projects and delivery agents as well as coherence with other programme and project management activity:
• Develop P3M artefacts associated with securing approval and the ongoing management of projects.
• Ensure the effective implementation of functional procedures used for planning and control.
• Providing input to business cases, strategic plans, customer presentations, bid evaluations and contract negotiations.
• Support Project Controls audits to ensure the quality of management and planning activities.
• Reporting performance and making presentations to the SpTx Programme, senior management and stakeholders providing input for decision making.
• Lead stakeholder engagement both internal and external to the Programme of work.
• Identifying, analysing and providing innovative solutions to project and cost management planning/scheduling problems.
• Ensure the quality and validity of project management activities associated with cohering the delivery of projects including:
• Coherence and control activities.
• Project management of Discovery, Proof of Concept, Pilot projects and or in-flight projects.
• Development of project management strategies, the maintenance, monitoring, impact identification and recovery of planned development activities.
• Earned value management analysis.
• Workforce planning and staffing plans.
• Development of business cases, strategic plans, customer presentations and technical requirements.
• Benefits and risk management.
  
  

• Act as the focal point for the delivery and co-ordinating of project management activities, alignment of plans and deliverables with delivery projects and delivery agents as well as coherence with other programme and project management activity:
• Develop P3M artefacts associated with securing approval and the ongoing management of projects.
• Ensure the effective implementation of functional procedures used for planning and control.
• Providing input to business cases, strategic plans, customer presentations, bid evaluations and contract negotiations.
• Support Project Controls audits to ensure the quality of management and planning activities.
• Reporting performance and making presentations to the SpTx Programme, senior management and stakeholders providing input for decision making.
• Lead stakeholder engagement both internal and external to the Programme of work.
• Identifying, analysing and providing innovative solutions to project and cost management planning/scheduling problems.
• Ensure the quality and validity of project management activities associated with cohering the delivery of projects including:
• Coherence and control activities.
• Project management of Discovery, Proof of Concept, Pilot projects and or in-flight projects.
• Development of project management strategies, the maintenance, monitoring, impact identification and recovery of planned development activities.
• Earned value management analysis.
• Workforce planning and staffing plans.
• Development of business cases, strategic plans, customer presentations and technical requirements.
• Benefits and risk management.
  

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Experience in complex Major Programme Delivery
• APM Practitioner or Prince2 Practitioner
• Agile Project Management (AgilePM)
• Experience in working within a project or programme with sound understanding of the principles required to effectively implement programme controls.
• Experience of both Agile and waterfall methodologies, and in particular digital delivery.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage and bring together stakeholders to ensure collaborative working.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, demonstrating an ability to foster strong working relationships outside of the delivery team.
• Ability to develop effective working relationships with a wide variety of people and operate as part of a multi discipline joint delivery team
  
  

Desirable Criteria

• Managing Successful Programmes (MSP)
• Management of Risk (MoR)
• Experience in use of Jira.
  
  

Qualifications

APM Practitioner or Prince2 Practitioner

Agile Project Management (AgilePM)

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Seeing the Big Picture
  
  

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
  
  

Alongside your salary of £44,590, Ministry of Defence contributes £12,917 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 employer contribution of 28.97%
  
  

Our On-site Facilities Include

• Subsidised canteen
• Gym
• Coffee bars
• Shops
• Free parking
  
  

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.

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/.

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.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability. (250 - Word count)

At sift, you will be assessed against your CV, Statement of suitability and the following:

• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
  
  

At Interview, You Will Be Assessed Against The Following

• Working Together
• Seeing the Bigger Picture
  
  

If there is a high volume of applications an initial sift will be conducted on the essential criteria.

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: [email protected] .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to 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. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It 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.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

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.

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.

Nationality requirements

This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups

• 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
  
  

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact

• Name : BMfS Ops Team
• Email : [email protected]
  
  

Recruitment team

• Email : [email protected]
  
  

Further information

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: [email protected].