About the job

Job summary

Are you an experienced programme or project management professional?

Do you have strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills?

If so, we want to hear from you!

We are looking for a Programme Manager to join our Capability Development team.

In this position you will play a pivotal role in driving forward projects to make a meaningful impact to overseas aviation security.

Job description

We are looking for a candidate with programme management experience and with a passion for security. Someone who wants their day to day work to have a real world impact and has the flexibility to work alone, within a small team and with colleagues across government.

The UK has the third largest aviation industry in the world, and aviation security has become a high priority in light of the current threat environment. Whilst we have control over security arrangements applied in the UK, our influence over security procedures applied to inbound flights is much less direct. Yet it is of great importance that the right security measures are applied for flights to the UK, for the safety of all passengers on those flights whether UK citizens or not. And it is of economic importance, for the UK and partner countries, that we maintain the conditions under which essential air lines can continue and grow.     

The Capability Development team sits at the heart of the Aviation Security International Operations (ASIO) Division, working with teams in the UK and overseas as well as with UK security companies to ensure that we can offer the most relevant and up to date advice, guidance and support to our partners to raise aviation security standards. This role will play a pivotal part in ensuring this can happen.

This role will work across HMG to ensure that the work of ASIO is highlighted and linked in appropriately at all levels within the wider CT community. Regular engagement with colleagues in Home Office and FCDO will be required often at short notice. This role will represent ASIO interests across the CT community and will report back on changes of posture overseas and other Departmental CT programmes.

The main duties and responsibilities include:

• Using strong Project Management skills to manage the CONTEST Programme requirements including drafting a programme plan, putting together a bid for financial support for agreed priority countries, monthly reporting, monitoring, and acting on recommendations from CONTEST, etc.
• Developing effective relationships and managing the day-to-day engagement with CONTEST and the Home Office. 
• Working with the ASIO overseas Aviation Security Assistance Officers and coordinators to identify Capability Development (CapDev) actions within priority countries and lead on compiling these into an overall prioritised CapDev Programme. 
• Supporting the team leader with financial management of the approx. £2 M annual CapDev budget, in line with finance best practice.  
• Effectively engaging with teams across DfT and wider HMG, including Maritime, JOPP, MoD etc to ensure awareness and synergy across Capability. Development programmes as required. 

Person specification

About You

To thrive in these roles, you will have experience managing projects/programmes and can deliver on time and with excellent results. You will be numerically confident and have experience/understanding of bidding for financial support.

You have excellent communication skills and can effectively communicate complex information to a range of audiences. You enjoy working collaboratively and utilise your stakeholder management skills to build strong working relationships.

You have experience working in an operational environment with an understanding of Counter Terrorism or other national security threats.

Additional information

A minimum of 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. 

The nature of the work means that the post may include out of hours and shift working on occasion, including in the event of a security incident, but we make every effort to allow for your personal circumstances. There may also be the need for occasional overseas travel.

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) 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.  

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, Strengths and Experience.

How to Apply  

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a CV and 750-word Personal Statement.

Please tailor your CV to suit the role.

For your Personal Statement, please provide detailed evidence of the following:

• Project management skills with the ability to deliver project requirements to time and excellent quality.
• Demonstrated experience/understanding of bidding for financial support or managing a large budget.
• Working collaboratively and maintaining effective relationships with a variety of stakeholders internally and externally to deliver corporate objectives.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The sift is due to take place week commencing 25th March.

Interviews are likely to be held week commencing 8th April.

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 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. 

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.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

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.

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 meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (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.