About the job

Job summary

Reporting to Director Logistics & Support Operating Centre, as Programme Director you are responsible for a wide range of activities including: leadership of a circa £7bn Defence logistics contract; the procurement of commodities such as food, clothing and medical supplies; the provision of global logistics support to the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and Strategic Command; the storage and movement of a wide range of Defence materiel; management of a number of UK logistic depots; whilst also providing immediate logistics response to MoD operations worldwide.

You will drive continuous improvement and optimisation across the portfolio in line with DE&S and wider MoD policies & processes.  You will  contribute to DE&S and the MOD as a senior leader at a strategic level.  

Job description

The role has three key areas of responsibility :​

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1. Provide leadership to a key DE&S delivery team, ensuring coherence between team objectives, the Armed Services’ priorities and DE&S strategy.  This is the ‘business as usual’ part of the role and ensures:​

• Customer requirements are met with expected levels of performance, safety, time and cost.​
• Team Leidos are undertaking their responsibilities.​
• Projects are properly planned and managed.​
• Commercial activity is in line with DE&S policy.​
• Engineering Support activity is consistent with providing safe, serviceable, and legislatively compliant capability.​
• Value is driven through the supply chain, balancing the need for efficiency with the requirement for resilient supply.​
• You will be accountable for the operations of LSOC Rail.

2. Guide both the direct team and the wider enterprise managed by Team Leidos through a crucial period of change activity, including:​

• A network review of Depot locations and movements.​
• Introduction of new systems and technologies across the portfolio.​
• Preparing the team for organisational change as part of the ongoing DE&S Operating Model design work.​

3. Prepare for the contract renewal of LCST due in 2028. This will be a significant re-let of contract, currently worth circa £7Bn over 13 years and will test your ability to balance keeping performance at exceptional levels whilst preparing the ground for a new or revised set of requirements and significant commercial activity. ​

Person specification

The internal title of the role is Head of the Commissioning and Managing Organisation (CMO).  This title is used because the Head CMO both commissions new business through the main contract with Team Leidos and then manages the contract.  The contract is known as the Logistics & Commodities Services Contract (LCST).  Team Leidos are responsible for the day to day running of the LCST and developing new workstreams. 

To be successful with your application, you will need to be able to demonstrate the following 6 essential criteria and experience:

• Demonstrable experience of successfully operating as a senior people leader in a large organisation, driving and leading cultural change.
• A proactive commitment to Diversity and Inclusion, that demonstrates the value it adds to an organisation
• Evidence of complex programme/ portfolio management that demonstrates strong financial and commercial acumen with management of multi million-pound budgets.
• Ability to influence at all levels both internally and externally, managing stakeholder expectations and conflicting priorities and communicating effectively on complex issues.
• Comprehensive experience of a complex Supply Chain within a fast-moving commodity sector
• Experience of safety management of equipment, sites, and associated infrastructure

Desirable Criteria:

• Track record in optimising operational efficiency within a Supply Chain environment
• Good knowledge of sustainable practices
• An understanding of markets associated with service provision, including modes of transport and movement of dangerous or hazardous items

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Things you need to know

Selection process details

To apply, please complete the application at the link below.  As part of the application, you will be required to submit your CV and a separate supporting statement of no more than two pages in a Word document, providing clear evidence of how you meet the essential criteria listed above.

Applications must be submitted at the link below by 23:55, 07 January 2024.

This is an external competition open to candidates with a background in either the public or private sector. 

We have tailored our assessment process to allow a more balanced scoring of our applicants across all stages of recruitment.  This means that applicants receive a score against each stage, and each stage has a weighted outcome towards the overall final assessment score. 

Application & Shortlist (weighting of 10%)

You will receive an email acknowledgment of your application. As part of your application you will submit your CV and Supporting Statement, from which the panel will consider the evidence you have provided against the essential criteria set out at page 9 of this candidate pack, they will then score how well you have demonstrated this and select a shortlist of applicants accordingly.  The full timeline on the next page indicates the date by which decisions are expected to be made and all candidates will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible thereafter. 

Staff Engagement Exercise  (weighting of 20%)

If you are shortlisted for interview, you will be asked to complete a Staff Engagement Exercise. Where you will be asked to deliver a 10 minute presentation (subject will be shared with you following shortlisting) to a small audience of DE&S employees. During this session, DE&S colleagues will have the opportunity to ask you questions and following the session will score you on your presentation. This assessment is designed to provide more insight into you as an engaging leader and will contribute  to the panel’s decision on who to appoint following interview. You will also be asked to complete a Leadership Questionnaire which will not contribute to the assessment score, but will assist the panel in forming interview questions. 

Presentation (weighting of 20%) & Interview (weighting of 50%)

Shortlisted candidates will be asked to attend a face to face panel interview to deliver a presentation on a pre-arranged subject and have an in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the essential criteria set at page 9 of this candidate pack. Both interview and presentation will be scored separately by the panel to contribute to final candidate scoring.

Offer

Following the final interview candidates will have their total scores calculated and the order of merit will be determined from this. The candidate who's scored the highest overall will be offered the role and reserves will be determined from highest to lowest appointable score. Should a candidate score below our appointable benchmark they will be unsuccessful and unappointable. Candidates will be notified of the outcome, as soon as possible after the final interview.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. 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

Open to UK nationals only.

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.