About the job

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced IT Project Manager to play a key role overseeing a variety of change projects to ensure that IT services and business systems are fit for purpose at the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

About the CMA

We help people, businesses, and the UK economy by promoting competitive markets and tackling unfair behaviour. Our work is wide ranging, ambitious and often new and challenging.

About the role

You will support the Director of Business Services and the Senior Project and Business Lead in implementing a portfolio of IT enabled change projects, encompassing a mix of estates, infrastructure, and applications-based projects.

You will work proactively with product owners and business analysts to implement business change requirements using a variety of traditional (waterfall) and agile methods, dependent on the complexity of requirements.

Your key responsibilities will include: 

• Maintaining project plans and where needed integrating these within broader programme plans.
• Managing project governance and reporting regimes
• Maintaining risk, assumption, issue and dependency logs
• Managing project resources and timely completion of project tasks throughout the project lifecycle
• Managing the workload and output of the Project Officer, Project Support Officer and other project team resources

About you

We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We have exciting opportunities which we hope will appeal to a diverse candidate pool from a variety of backgrounds. Importantly, you will be someone who embodies the qualities of hard work, creativity, and strong team spirit, whilst bringing a vibrant and positive attitude to your work.

The role requires strong interpersonal skills in order to liaise with multiple internal and external stakeholders, ICT colleagues and third-party suppliers, with the ability to manage the output of others to strict deadlines.

Proven experience of successfully managing and delivering multiple IT projects, using both waterfall and agile project management methodologies is essential.

You will need good understanding of and exposure to some or all of corporate business systems such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), case management, forensics, intelligence and analytics and of Costed Off The Shelf (COTS) and Cloud applications and Software as a Service (SaaS)/solutions.

You will also need PRINCE2, APM, MSP or other recognised project management qualifications, ie: Scrum Master or Agile Project Management.

Job description

• Work with product owners and business leads to ensure business requirements, project scopes and Statements of Work are clearly defined and resourced appropriately.
• Define and maintain project plans and where needed integrate these within broader programme plans.
• Define, manage and maintain project governance and reporting regimes, considering the audience and adapting format and content to suit whilst continuously applying project management disciplines.
• Define and maintain Risk, Assumption, Issue and Dependency logs and define, manage and implement associated risk mitigations and contingency plans.
• Define, acquire and manage project resources and timely completion of project tasks throughout the project lifecycle.
• Acquire and manage third party resources including those suppliers who’s responsibilities spread across the project portfolio and Business as Usual (BAU).
• Manage and/or supervise the workload and output of the Project Officer, Project Support Officer and other project team resources through the lifecycle of each project.
• Work with the ICT Programme Management Office (PMO) in accordance with the project management methodology and technical approach being used and in accordance with CMA’s records management and governance processes.
• Use of corporate business systems such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), case management, forensics, intelligence and analytics and of Costed Off The Shelf (COTS) and Cloud applications and Software as a Service (SaaS)/solutions.
• Producing and maintaining Project Information Documents (PIDs), Scope of Work (SOWs) and project proposals.
• Ensure that project and quality assurance regimes are implemented to support audits, peer reviews and gateway checks as necessary.
• Act as IT representative on relevant governance boards and provide the project interface and input into business case development.

Person specification

It is essential that you can provide evidence and examples for each of the following selection criteria in your application. If you do not meet the lead selection criterion in your application, the panel will not be required to score your application against the remaining essential criteria of the role. 

• Proven ability of successfully managing and delivering multiple IT projects, using both waterfall and agile project management methodologies (Lead Criteria)
• Good understanding of and exposure to some or all of corporate business systems such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), case management, forensics, intelligence and analytics and of Costed Off The Shelf (COTS) and Cloud applications and Software as a Service (SaaS)/solutions (Lead Criteria)
• PRINCE2, APM, MSP or other recognised project management qualifications, ie: Scrum Master or Agile Project Management.
• Excellent communication skills with a proven ability to communicate technical information to stakeholders and technical and non-technical audiences at all levels.
• Evidence of working as part of a team and the ability to supervise and motivate colleagues at all levels.
• Experience of producing and maintaining Project Information Documents (PIDs), Scope of Work (SOWs) and project proposals.
• An understanding of acquisition and supplier management including commercial and procurement aspects; for example, Crown Commercial Services frameworks.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,100, Competition & Markets Authority contributes £15,417 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 and Experience.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement and an online application form. Further details about application requirements are listed on the application form.

The selection process will comprise of the sift (CV & application review), assessment and an interview. Arrangements for the interview will be enclosed in the invitation.  Interviews will be either conducted either virtually, by Microsoft Teams, or in-person at a CMA office. 

An initial sift based on criteria 1 and 2 (Lead Criteria) may be held if a large number of applications are received. If your application progresses to a full sift, all elements of the essential criteria listed under Person Specification (above, below and in the attached candidate pack) will then be considered.

The sift will take place between 11th to 16th April 2024.

If your application is successful you will be invited to attend an interview. You will be notified via email to log-in to your Civil Service Account and book your interview slot. You will be sent an email with full details of your arrangements for interview.

Interviews will be held week commencing 22nd April 2024.

The first part of the interview will comprise of a presentation, details of which will be forwarded in advance of the interview.  The second part of the interview will be a 45-minute -1 hour panel interview where you will be asked questions based on the Behaviours and Experience skills outlined in the role profile.

Reasonable adjustments

We want to make sure no one is at a disadvantage during our recruitment process because of a disability, condition or impairment. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should 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 example, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you are deaf, a Language Service Professional. You might also require additional time to complete a timed assessment or a sign language interpreter to support with the relaying of information.

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.