About the job

Job summary

We recognise the challenges that people with protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

Do you have experience in Project/Programme/Portfolio management (P3M) and looking for a fantastic development opportunity?

Would you relish the opportunity to be involved in the UK’s innovative approach to Connected and Automated Vehicles?

If so, then we would love for you to apply!

Job description

Connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) will revolutionise transport over the next ten years, bringing huge potential benefits to safety, productivity, and improved access to transport for UK citizens. The impacts of this change will be felt across the UK, creating new industries and opportunities, and making a fundamental change to how people and goods move around. This is one of the most exciting areas of government, at the cutting edge of innovation, as the world competes to be at the vanguard of this new technology.   

The Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV), a joint policy unit between DfT and DBT, is leading policy to cement the UK’s innovative approach to connected and automated mobility (CAM). DfT has a budget of £34m over the spending review period to deliver the multi-agency programme known as CAVPASS (Connected and Automated Vehicles: Process for Assuring Safety and Security) and it is currently taking the Automated Vehicles Bill through Parliament. Beyond this will be the challenges of implementing measures in the Bill, which is where CAVPASS research will have a substantial influence.

CCAV are looking for a dedicated Programme Manager to deliver the programme’s governance and assurance. This is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious individual to lead a Programme Management Office, delivering on a diverse range of projects that are on the cutting edge of government policy. The post holder will work closely for the Programme Directors, with policy leads and will report into CCAV’s Head of Portfolio.  

Candidates should have experience in managing programmes within agreed time, cost, and quality constraints; and, working alongside a range of experts, providing advice. Candidates should have achieved this using best-practice knowledge of Project/Programme/Portfolio management (P3M) tools and methodologies and be capable of designing and implementing governance and assurance frameworks. 

Responsibilities

Key accountabilities of the role include:

• Programme Management Office - Lead the CAVPASS PMO, building an effective team and day-to-day taskings and performance management of one team member.
• Governance and Assurance - Develop and manage Programme performance, status reports and governance controls. 
• Planning and Scheduling. Ensure Project/Programme systems are in place to enable effective planning and scheduling, including scope change and dependencies.
• Risk and Issue Management. Working with teams to ensure risks and issues are an integral part of the governance cycle and boards give enough time to consider key risks and issues. 
• Financial Management and Commercial Engagement. Contribute to the compilation of Project/Programme budgets and cost controls, assuring responsible spend which is well planned and forecast

For an in-depth insight into the role please refer to the Role Profile.

Person specification

We are looking for a proactive, organised, and ambitious individual who has proven experience of working in Project/Programme/Portfolio management (P3M) and has the capability of designing and implementing governance and assurance frameworks.  

You will display excellent interpersonal skills, be a confident communicator and trusted adviser, with the credibility to influence and challenge effectively and will display resilience dealing with ambiguity and uncertainty. With outstanding collaborative skills, you will build strong working relationships with colleagues and policy officials, across Government and with key industry partners.

Additional Information

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace, although requirements to attend other locations for official business, or carry out detached duty in another DfT workplace, will also count towards this level of attendance. 

Occasional travel to other DfT offices will be required.

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance. 

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport

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.

How to apply

When considering applying please look at how your experience relates to the role, and within your CV and 750-word Personal Statement please provide detailed evidence of your experience of the following:

• Experience managing a Programme/ Project/ Portfolio or leading a Programme Management Office (PMO). This should include implementing effective governance and assurance frameworks, risk and issue management, scheduling, and financial management.
• Experience of implementing effective assurance over programme/ project/ portfolio delivery.
• Stakeholder management, working with a range of stakeholders both internal and external.

The sift is due to take place from w/c 25th March 2024.

Interviews/assessments are likely to be held w/c 8th April 2024.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include:

• An interview.

This interview could be conducted online via Teams or face to face at one of our offices. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile and the Project Delivery Capability Framework, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.

The Department for Transport alongside other Government Departments recruit using Success Profiles. This means for each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

For further information on Success Profiles visit our Careers website.

Please see attached candidate notes for further information about our recruitment process.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Pre-employment Checking

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. 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.