Defence Digital Strategic Services Project 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 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!

Job description

In this role, you will be one of the PMs in small but high performing teams to deliver projects or programmes ranging from £100M to £300M. These programmes are at all project lifecycle stages, where you will have the most influence and impact driving the course, tempo, and processes of a programme and ability to drive delivery partners or agencies. The outputs range from typical DD communication deliverables to infrastructure outputs.  Within the team you will have clearly defined responsibilities that will mesh with the rest of the team. There is an emphasis on learning and growing as a project/programme manager within the team so we will look to provide opportunities to learn outside of your immediate responsibilities.

As the Project Manager, your role is to steer and manage project execution, ensuring that all objectives are clearly outlined and achieved within the set time, cost, and quality constraints. You will work with a wide array of stakeholders, such as team members, government representatives, and external collaborators, to define precise project targets and outcomes. Your crucial contribution includes formulating detailed project strategies, tracking advancements, and maintaining adherence to schedules, financial plans, and quality benchmarks. Additionally, you are tasked with pinpointing and alleviating potential risks, tackling emerging issues, and keeping stakeholders informed about project developments.

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)

**Due to security and information access restriction, the role is only open to a sole BRITISH national**

Person specification

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.

Responsibilities:

• Day to day management and input to all programme outputs.
• Identify, record, and manage key stakeholders and develop effective relationships.
• Oversee contracts ensuring quality of delivery against the requirements.
• Create, maintain, and update the schedule.
• Identify and monitor project risks and issues and develop mitigating actions and escalate as appropriate.
• Oversee test programme to independently check that a product, service, or system meets requirements and specifications and that it fulfils its intended purpose.
• Conduct assurance activities across the programme.
• Provide key reports and support effective governance and decision making.
  Write business cases for approval.
• Set, control, and ensure effective configuration and change control is applied to all documentation and records.
• Ensure effective change management processes are in place to agree and document changes to deliverables as agreed with stakeholders.

When submitting your application, you should highlight your experience in line with the below essential criteria:

• Good knowledge and experience of project management practices, methodologies, tools, and techniques including planning, scheduling, risk and issue management.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

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.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

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

• Planning
• Risk and Issue Management
• Stakeholder Engagement

Benefits

We offer a generous total package to our employees which includes the following:

• 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).  This position 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.  Due to the nature of the role and the IT systems you will be required to use on a regular basis, this role will require you to be in office approx. 4 days a week. There may also be some travel required to other sites.