Defence Digital Project Manager – SATCOM Maritime

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 to find out more about what we do.

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

Are you an experienced project manager looking to make a significant impact?  A career in Civil Service Project Delivery at Defence Digital offers a fulfilling and demanding path within the Government and the Project Delivery field. The role is ideal for someone who has experience as part of a project team handling large or medium complexity tasks, or as a specialist or lead for a work stream in a small, low complexity project.

The SATCOM Programme is responsible for the sustainment and development of the MOD's strategic, worldwide communications capability. This role sits within the Maritime team of SATCOM and is responsible for the Naval EHF/SHF Satellite terminals (NEST) programme, which aims to deliver robust and secure satellite communication (SATCOM) capability to UK submarines.

In this role you will be focused almost exclusively on the Royal Navy’s Dreadnought submarines, and it will be particularly exciting as it will involve integrating satellite communications onto the latest platforms. The role will involve some international travel, negotiating Foreign Military Sales agreements and being part of an International Partner Programme as well as dealing with the Submarine Delivery Agency and its delivery agencies. You will be collocated with teams delivering the overall space enterprise so will get wide exposure to this exciting frontier.

Person specification

This is a fantastic opportunity to stretch your existing knowledge as a project professional and learn more about the SATCOM Programme and the Maritime aspect in particular. This will give you a unique perspective on how Defence Digital delivers for its front-line customers.

We are looking for someone excited by this opportunity, who would relish the chance to stretch their skills. You will be essential to making sure the programmes deliver as planned and that the benefits are realised.

Responsibilities:

• Ensuring that the Dreadnought communication capability is delivered to time, cost, and quality in a consistent and timely manner.
• Day to day project management within the SATCOM Maritime team, ensuring that critical tasks are tracked and managed.
• Track and support development of programme business cases, Information/Review Notes as well as progress through approvals processes.
• Working with Finance, ensure ready access to accurate/up to date budgetary information in relation to the programmes and supporting work around the annual budgetary cycle.
• Guide, support, and champion work within the programmes to deliver benefits. Ensure appropriate Benefits Realisation Strategy is in place and monitor longer term delivery of benefits against the Business Case.
• Identify key stakeholders for the Maritime (and wider SATCOM) team and develop effective relationships.
• Ensure that robust processes are in place so that the SATCOM Service Owner has effective oversight of risks and issues across the Maritime projects. Develop mitigating actions with programme teams and escalate as appropriate.
• Provide key reports and support effective governanceand decision making.
• Support or set appropriate project assurance.
• Ensure effective Change Management processes are in place to agree and document changes to deliverables, as agreed with stakeholders.
• Seek appropriate support, guidance and coaching from the project community. Show commitment to personal development. Promote effective individual and team performance.
• Build Project Plan and apply appropriate project principles to deliver stated objectives. Identify and set appropriate Project Controls. Track and report delivery against milestones.

For further information, please refer to the Project Delivery Capability Framework: 6.7775_IPA_Project Delivery Capability Framework 2021 Refresh sample pages (publishing.service.gov.uk)

*Please note that this role is only open to Sole UK British Nationals**

Qualifications

It would benefit your application if you had the below qualifications, however these aren't mandatory. Candidates will be expected to provide documentary evidence of achievement if called forward for interview. Equivalent qualifications will be considered. Please detail in your application or on your CV what equivalent qualifications you hold. Please note all qualifications need to be in date.

• Practitioner Level Qualification, e.g. PRINCE2 Practitioner.
• APM Project Management Qualification.

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

• Leadership
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

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

• Stakeholder Management
• Risks and Issues

Benefits

• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• 25 days annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
• Ability to roll over up to 10 days annual leave per year
• In addition to 8 public holidays per year you will also receive leave for HM The King's birthday
• Minimum of 15 Days Special Leave in a rolling 12-month period to for volunteer military or emergency service reserve commitments
• Special Paid Leave for volunteering up to 6 days a year
• Enhanced parental and adoption leave
• Employee Assistance Programme to support your well-being
• Most sites have good travel links with free car parking; many also have other facilities such as a Sports & Social Club and Gyms
• Benefit Pension Scheme: Civil Service pension
• Please see Benefits link for more info: Civilian Discover My Benefits (mod.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

Hybrid Working

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 employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity.  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).  The post is advertised at 37 hours per week.  The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.  Please note that there will be regular travel to other sites so please be aware of this when considering an application. Further details can be discussed at the interview.

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.

*Please note that this role is only open to Sole UK British Nationals**