Defence Digital Programme Manager

Defence Digital ensures our Armed Forces remain among the most technologically advanced in the world. We do this by putting innovative and effective technology into the hands of over 200,000 users, from the boardroom to the front line.

We lead on cutting-edge data science, automation, and cybersecurity at scale. Our mission goes beyond the battlefield by leading humanitarian efforts and driving digital innovation that impacts lives across the globe.

Defence Digital forms part of Strategic Command which manages the MOD’s joint capabilities for the Army, RAF, and Royal Navy.

Watch our video to see what we do at Defence Digital!

Passionate about using your skills to make a critical difference? Your next career move could be here!

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

Do you want to be part of a major programme transforming the way digital end-user services are delivered for all of Defence’s users worldwide?

You will play a key role in ensuring the MODNET Evolve programme meets its objectives, delivers the projected outcomes, and realises the required benefits. You will also ensure the strategic direction of the project remains aligned with any changes in political or business priorities, identifying emerging opportunities and threats.

This exciting role, reporting directly to the Senior Responsible Owner, involves leading and engaging positively with a wide range of key stakeholders to ensure the programme successfully enables and delivers benefits across Defence.

Responsibilities:

• Ensuring benefits are owned, delivered, and measured during and after the programme, putting in place plans and monitoring post-programme to assure sustainability and enable long-term benefits realisation.
• Assisting the SRO in identifying, influencing, and managing the environment into which the project outcomes will be delivered, including relationships with key stakeholders, business owners, and impacted parties.
• Keeping the approving authority up to date on progress, coordinating submission of any Information Notes and Review Notes, and navigating them through the approvals system.
• Ensuring programme delivery aligns with government standards and practices through close collaboration with the programme teams.
• Providing the SRO with full and timely visibility of risks to successful delivery and benefits realisation, whether strategic, financial, or otherwise.
• Ensuring robust, efficient, and effective governance is in place in line with departmental guidance.

For further information on the role of a Programme Manager, please refer to the Project Delivery Capability Framework: Project Delivery Capability Framework - GOV.UK

Person specification

We are looking for someone who has a proactive approach, seeks out opportunities to effectively engage, and is used to operating with a high degree of autonomy in environments with change. You will be able to apply your skills to a range of risks, with a sound understanding of how they relate to wider strategy, knowing when and how to escalate effectively.

It is pivotal that you have experience leading large, complex, or high-risk projects within agreed time, cost, and quality constraints. It is important that you are comfortable networking throughout the business, challenging and influencing decision-making when required. A large part of the role will involve identifying, engaging, and collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders to understand and drive wider transformation and change activities needed to maximise the benefits to Defence from the outcomes of the MODNET Evolve programme.

When submitting your CV, please highlight your career history and experience relevant to this role. Additionally, refer to the "Things You Need to Know" section of the advert and provide a personal statement (max. 1250 words) demonstrating the essential criteria listed below:

• Experience leading large, complex, or high-risk projects through key stages of their life cycle, from defining the vision to benefits realisation.
• Experience in setting and clearly articulating programme and project objectives, understanding the wider strategic organisational context, and managing the relationship between the two.
• Experience and credibility in dealing with a broad and complex range of stakeholders, with the confidence to engage with senior officials and clearly articulate complex programmes in a meaningful way.

Qualifications

The successful post holder will likely already hold a relevant professional Project Delivery qualification, such as Management of Portfolios (MOP), Management of Successful Programmes (MSP) or similar.
Candidates will be expected to provide documentary evidence of achievement if called forward for interview. Equivalent qualifications will be considered. Please detail in your supporting statement what equivalent qualifications you hold. Please note all qualifications need to be in date.

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

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

Technical skills

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

• Stakeholder and Communications Management
• Business Change and Implementation

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £70,540, Ministry of Defence contributes £20,435 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Flexible working options- we understand the importance of adapting work to your life.
• Inclusion and diversity- our culture celebrates uniqueness and encourages collaboration of diverse thought.
• A pension scheme which secures your future.
• Generous annual leave- starting with 25 days and growing to 30 after just 5 years.
• Minimum of 15 Days Special Leave in a rolling 12-month period to volunteer for military or emergency service reserve commitments.
• Special Paid Leave for volunteering up to 6 days a year.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave.
• Most sites have good travel links with free car parking; many also have other facilities such as a Sports & Social Club and Gyms
• You can read more here- Civil Service Employee Benefits , Civil Service Careers (civil-service-careers.gov.uk)

Equality and Diversity 
Our people are at the heart of everything we do at Defence Digital. It’s vital that our workforce reflects the diversity of both our audience and the wider society in the UK, so we’re proud to be an equal opportunities employer and we actively seek candidates from diverse backgrounds and communities. We also recognise the importance of a good work life balance, so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including part-time and job shares for all our roles. Please let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process if this is something you want to explore.

Professional Framework Statement
Defence Digital operates an organisation model in which every individual belongs to a Government Profession. The successful applicant will be posted into one of the defined Government Professions on Standard Terms of Reference for the grade. Defence Digital reserves the right to move individuals between roles, within their allocated profession, to meet the needs of the business and in support of agile resourcing.  Within Defence Digital each profession is led by a Professional Head of Community who will lead professional development and support the Continuous Professional Development path for their group.

Learning & Development
In Defence Digital we have a strong learning and development ethos, supporting you to fulfil your potential by providing:

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• Professional and Personal Development of skills
• Access to thousands of training courses through Civil Service Learning, some free or paid by MOD
• Ability to obtain industry recognised qualifications supported by MOD

Things you need to know

Selection process details