Job summary
We have an exciting job opportunity for a Programme Director to lead delivery of a key strategic defence programme - the Future Cruise / Anti-Ship Weapon (FC/ASW) programme. This programme will�deliver a new generation of deep strike and anti-ship missiles for the 2030s and 2040s, to meet both Air Force and Naval requirements for the UK.
The Programme is currently at the end of a joint assessment phase with France and is about to move into the next phase of work, with plans to bring Italy on board as a third partner nation.
FC/ASW is a Category A programme and sits on the Government Major Projects Portfolio list.
This post offers an excellent opportunity to shape programme direction on both a UK and international stage. A key element of the Lancaster House Treaty, the programme will support UK Freedom of Action and Operational Advantage in this key capability area, as well as driving prosperity and sustaining UK sovereign industrial capacity.
The FC/ASW Programme Director post sits within the Complex Weapons team in the Strategic Programmes Directorate in the Ministry of Defence, working alongside a portfolio of other strategic teams and programmes delivering for UK defence needs. �
This is an exciting and challenging post, requiring a proactive individual with drive and excellent team-working skills. The successful candidate will be flexible, adaptable, confident, and able to establish strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels and across culture / language barriers.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.
Job description
The Programme Director will be responsible to the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) for leading the FC/ASW programme and the associated business change activities. They will have primary responsibility for successful delivery of the required outcomes, including the direction and evolution of appropriate governance and assurance, monitoring progress, managing risks and issues, and ensuring the business readiness for change.
The role provides an opportunity to be an integral part of the delivery of a key future capability within one of the most important portfolios in defence, supporting our armed forces and maintaining UK security and Freedom of Action.
The successful candidate will be working within a complex programme, operating strategically in a multi customer-facing environment. You will oversee and drive delivery with the joint MOD / industry international programme team, ensuring delivery of the maturing business case and programme benefits.
The role requires experience of programme management and an understanding of the complexities of defence and international procurement would be beneficial. The successful individual will have strong stakeholder skills as they will be working closely with the whole of the Complex Weapons team, our delivery agent Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), the Front Line Commands (FLCs), the broader MOD Head Office community, with external bodies such as the Infrastructure Projects Authority (IPA) and with our key suppliers (MBDA) and International partners.
The post-holder will be responsible for:
1. Programme Delivery � setting and directing the overall plan across all Defence Lines of Development to achieve programme outcomes and benefits.
2. Leadership vision & objectives � Create an environment in which projects can succeed � working together and managing dependencies and driving transformation to enable delivery at pace.
3. Business case � Lead the development of the Full Business Case for the Demonstration & Manufacturing phases. Ensure alignment with senior stakeholders and agreement through Programme Board / Senior Responsible Owner / Scrutiny / Investment Appraisals Committee / HM Treasury.
4. Communications & Stakeholder Management � Ensure stakeholder interests are identified and managed. Build consensus across a large and often diverse group of stakeholders and develop strategic relationships with internal and external suppliers. Work closely with the SRO to co-manage senior stakeholders, including in the international environment.
5. Resource Management � Build and maintain a strong delivery-focused programme team both with Strategic Programmes and across the wider enterprise. Provide leadership and direct multi-disciplinary teams to deliver successfully. Manage project financial aspects within tight constraints.
6. Risks & Issues � Accountable for ensuring strategic and operational risks and issues are identified, prioritised, assessed and mitigated. Ensure senior stakeholders are briefed, updated and where appropriate, enrolled in the management and control of key risks. Identify and engage specialists as appropriate.
7. Benefits realisation � Provide strategic leadership in monitoring benefit delivery and to maximise benefits from the programme.
8. Programme Performance & Controls � Responsible for identifying success criteria, set programme controls and be accountable for performance. Monitor and control progress, engage fully with assurance and respond to recommendations.
9. Dependency Management � deliver a robust dependency management process, work with senior stakeholders to resolve issues and act as a link between the programme and business governance.
Reporting to the SRO, the post-holder will have line management responsibility for a central team of 3-5 individuals � a mixture of military and civilian roles, as well as access to broader stakeholder resources in Defence Equipment & Support, Front Line Commands and Industry.
Person specification
Suitable for candidates with experience in successfully managing complex programmes, who can demonstrate a breadth of Project, Programme, and Portfolio Management (P3M) skills, supported by relevant professional qualifications or memberships. (Eg, Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) Practitioner, PRINCE2 Practitioner, MSP Advanced Practitioner, APM Registered Project Professional, Project Leadership Programme)
The individual must have strong communication and organisational skills and seek to develop understanding of a complex programme and portfolio.
This role requires an individual with the following personal attributes:
Essential
10. A proven ability to lead and deliver large, complex programmes.
11. Demonstrable experience of programme / project management and related governance / assurance systems.
12. Excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to present data and information clearly to senior and expert / non-expert audiences.
13. A proven track record of establishing strong working relationships with the ability to influence and challenge across a wide range of stakeholders, both internally and externally, including on technical issues (although you don�t need a technical background to do this).
14. A good understanding of the political and wider strategic context.
Desirable
15. Experience of working in defence and with complex technical engineering projects.
16. Knowledge of defence capability management and MOD approval process
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
17. Leadership
18. Seeing the Big Picture
19. Communicating and Influencing
20. Delivering at Pace
21. Working Together
Benefits
Alongside your salary of �67,820, Ministry of Defence contributes �19,647 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
This is an excellent development opportunity for someone who wishes to expand and enhance their project/programme management skills to include experience of working within a complex portfolio, operating strategically in a multi customer-facing international environment.
The Strategic Programmes Directorate encourages knowledge development and supports wider learning.
This role provides the opportunity to develop skills and qualifications across a range of disciplines (Benefits, Acquisition, P3M and Performance and Change Management) in a unique Head Office directorate.
Learning and development tailored to your role
22. An environment with flexible working options
23. A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
24. A Civil Service pension
25. 25 days paid annual leave rising to 30 days on completion of 5 years' service
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.
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