About the job

Job summary

The Ministry of Defence employs over 50,000 Civil Servants. Within that, the Army Top Level Budget (TLB) employs around 7,500 MOD Civil Servants located at over 300 locations. Ours is a diverse workforce, with roles ranging from trainers, human resources, teachers, firefighters and psychologists to storekeepers, financiers, project and programme managers, and policy secretariat staff. There are many different functions and professions delivering key outputs for the Army. As such using data to aid understanding of our workforce is vital.  Data and Information is valued, exploited, and protected as a critical Army asset to maximise advantage in a trusted single information environment.  Digital and Data transformation is central to the Army’s current and future potency; novel, ambitious technology and innovation is essential. Our vision in the Information Directorate is to enable the Army to become a data-centric, digitally optimised Army by 2030, improving warfighting, competitiveness, and corporate effectiveness, delivering advantage across all domains. The Army’s Assistant Head - Digital, Data and Transformation is an influential, delivery driven leader. Their ambition in developing and evolving teams and a vision to enable and support business areas to own, assure and share data by operating and utilising coherent toolsets to derive better business and operational outputs whilst saving efficiencies across the Army. This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

  In this proactive role you will:

1. Lead, manage and evolve the AAIC (Army Artificial Intelligence Centre) on behalf of the Army’s Chief Information Officer, currently approaching IOC, in line with the Army (and Defence) Strategy for the use and governance of Artificial Intelligence.
2. Set direction for the ADAT (Army Data and Analytics Team) and maintain collaborative engagement with the Digital Discovery and Advisory Branch as well as all other branches across the Information Directorate.
3. The role will drive the Data Transformation function within the CDDO (Chief Digital & Data Officer) pillar, pulling together the use of Artificial intelligence, on collated data that, in conjunction with digitalisation of operational and business processes and emerging technology (Digital transformation) will improve the decision-making capability of operational force elements.
4. Line Management of Civilian, Military and Contractor teams within the Data Transformation function under direction of the CDDO.
5. Support and enable the development of the Information Directorates Operating Model by being a key contributor/ assessor of new and emerging digital demand.
6. Develop, maintain, and expand relationships with digital and data stakeholders for the benefit of the Data and Digital communities across the Army.
7. Influence and enable strategic, pan-Army, Data Transformation with key stakeholders, as well as outreaching across Defence, Industry, and Academia.
8. Support the Army CIO (Chief Information Officer), CTO (Chief Technology Officer) and CDDO deliverables under the Army’s Digital and Data Plan, being delivered by the Digital Transformation function under Programme THEIA.
9. Monitor and manage a Service Contract to enable additional resource during times of surge activity, co-ordinated with the other functions under CDDO and within Control totals and HLB budgetary limits.

This role will require the following business and management skills and abilities:

Essential

• Self-motivated with proactive and results-oriented mindset, and a passion for driving innovation.
• Proven expertise in digital transformation, business process improvement, and data, with a track record of successful implementation in complex environments.
• Strong leadership and communication skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate teams and stakeholders to embrace change.
• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a passion for data-driven decision-making.
• Proven experience of programme management in a complex data centric environment

Desirable

• Experience with applied AI (LMMs and non-LLMs), MS Power Platform, and other relevant tools.
• Familiarity with user focused agile methodologies and project management.
• Experience in performance and risk reporting and data visualisation.

Contracting, Purchasing & Finance experience.   

This role will require the skills defined under the DDAT Senior Delivery manager Delivery manager - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework (ddat-capability-framework.service.gov.uk)

Person specification

We are looking for enthusiastic individuals who can handle the pressure of coordinating a wide range of activities and should be comfortable working within the digital profession, willing to challenge established norms and process and be prepared to adapt to changing priorities. Applicants should also have effective written and verbal communication skills and display a positive and professional attitude. 

This opportunity will place you at the centre of digital transformation, requiring you to work across directorates and closely with Defence level organisations.  The need for digital skills is growing exponentially, and you will be able to influence much of this at the start of the transformation journey.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,670, Ministry of Defence contributes £15,570 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

Applications will be sifted on all Behaviours, but in the event of a significant number of applications, an initial sift will be conducted on the lead 1 or 2 Elements/Behaviours: (Leadership and Changing & Improving) In this instance the remaining elements will be tested at interview.

When choosing your Behaviour examples, please make sure you use real life scenarios that relate 
to your own experiences. Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, 
presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application 
being rejected. 

Please note that it is essential that your personal statement is aligned to provide evidence that you have the knowledge and recent practical experience for each of the following selection criteria in your application:

• List essential criteria to be used for the personal statement.

At application you will be assessed against the following:

• Behaviours: Leadership, Changing & Improving, Making Effective Decisions, Developing Self and Others 
• 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 (750 words)

At interview you will be assessed against the above along with the following:

• Behaviours: Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace, Working Together
• Technical : DDAT Senior Delivery Manager –
  • Communicating between technical and non-technical
  • Maintaining delivery momentum

Application sifting is scheduled to take place on 10 working days after closing date.

Interviews will take place at Army HQ, Andover. A minimum of 2 full working days’ notice will be provided for interviews. We endeavour to stick to these dates, but these are subject to change around business needs.

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: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .
As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into 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. 
The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and 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.

Security

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.