About the job

Job summary

At Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), we supply and maintain vital equipment and services for the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force. Together, we deliver a vast range of essential defence programmes, and strive for what's next. Because it helps keep our military at the top of their game and our nation safe – for today, and tomorrow.

We offer 25+ days’ holiday, flexible and hybrid working, enhanced parental leave schemes, shopping discounts, and an exceptional employer pension contribution of around 27%, to help work, work for you.

Nationality, visas and vetting: Please note, for security reasons some of these roles may be open to sole UK nationals only. A ‘sole UK national’ refers to an individual who holds citizenship solely in the UK, without dual citizenship or nationality from another country. If successful, you’ll be required to pass Security Check clearance and for some posts, may be required to undergo more in-depth security checks (Developed Vetting). We are unable to offer visa sponsorship.

These roles require you to have lived in the UK for the last 5 years and to obtain Security Check (SC) security clearance. Clearance must be obtained without any caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role you have been recruited for. If it isn’t obtained or is obtained but with caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role, any conditional offer made to you will be withdrawn. Obtaining SC security clearance can be a lengthy process, and we reserve the right to withdraw any conditional offer made if the necessary security clearance isn’t obtained within 12 months.

Job description

Join us at Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) and unlock a world of possibilities where your expertise will help shape the defence industry of tomorrow!

As a Through Life Support Manager, you'll be at the forefront of designing, developing, and procuring cutting-edge defence technology and equipment. Your expertise will help shape how we maintain and optimise equipment operational availability while delivering innovative support solutions. You'll play a pivotal role in managing technical risks, enhancing resilience, and driving forward support solution innovations and capabilities.

We have opportunities in our Through Life Support Management areas for Integrated Logistic Support Managers (ILSM)s and Equipment Support Managers (ESM)s.

• ILS Manager (ILSM) – You will be leading the ILS Engineering activities for designing and developing ILS/Integrated Product Support (IPS) programmes/projects/elements for procuring new equipment/products or upgrades to existing equipment/products.
• Equipment Support Manager (ESM) – You will be leading the Product Asset Management activities for the control of the product’s In-Service ILS performance. This includes the monitoring and continual improvement of maintenance and support solutions.

We are keen to support your professional development within these roles and will provide you with access to outstanding specialist training within both DE&S and the SDA, which will underpin your continued professional development in these roles, across Land, Ships, Submarines, Air and Space.

These roles are based in our Bristol offices. In-office attendance is expected: the normal requirement is 3 days per week.

Please note: Positions will be offered in Interview Merit order. Further details can be found in the Selection Process Details.                                                                                                                         

What you’ll be doing

• Setting the requirements and factors that contribute to achieving the best possible long-term support outcomes during the process of acquiring and designing Equipment/Products.
• Establishing and managing the ILS programme for developing optimal and sustainable cost effective through life support solutions in collaboration with Industry.
• Offering valuable insights and suggestions to address complicated support challenges related to emerging failures or trends observed by our armed forces and partners during the operation and maintenance of Products/Equipment.
• Planning and monitoring obsolescence management controls and through life resolution decisions.
• Managing Through life logistic support technical data information requirements and configuration management of technical documentation.

Person specification

To be successful with your application, you'll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

• Experience of working in at least one of the following fields: ILS/IPS, support engineering, maintenance planning or operational logistic support management.
• Experience in evaluating and analysing support performance and trends, for improving support and resolving disputes.
• Evidence of delivering continuous improvement activities and reducing whole life cost expenditure.
• Background or knowledge in tendering for Work or Post Design Service Tasks and/or responding to them.

In addition to the responsibilities above, the following technical competences and behaviours will be assessed at interview:

• Review, Validate and Assure Support Solutions – Practitioner Level
• Continuous Improvement to Optimise Support – Practitioner Level
• Making effective decisions – CSBC3
• Communicating and influencing – CSBC3

Benefits

• 25 days’ annual leave +1 day a year up to 30 days, 8 bank holidays and a day off for the King’s birthday
• Flexible and hybrid working options
• Market-leading average employer pension contribution of 27%
• Annual performance-based bonus and recognition awards
• Access to specialist training and funded qualifications
• Support for progression
• Huge range of discounts
• Volunteering days
• Enhanced parental leave schemes

Improving innovation and enriching our culture, diversity of thought is vital to our success. So whether you’re looking for a new opportunity, a next step, or a helping hand as you return from a career break, bring your experiences and help deliver for the defence of tomorrow. Here you’ll find a supportive, family-friendly organisation to be a part of - and if you need any assistance with your application, just let us know.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

Your application will go through the following stages of assessment:

1. Pre-sift - We will check that you meet any essential or eligibility criteria that are listed in the Person Specification section of this advert. On your CV, please clearly show how you meet the essential criteria.
2. Sift - Your CV will be assessed against the following categories, using a simple numerical scoring system: Key Achievements; Relevant Experience; Applied Knowledge and Skills

Please follow our guidance on CV writing for best chance of success.

1. Interview - If you're invited to interview, you'll be assessed against the Sift categories listed above, as well as the Technical Competences and Behaviours listed in the Person Specification section of this advert. When two (or more) candidates are on equal interview scores, positions will be offered based on the scores assessed at interview, in this order – 1st) Technical competence, 2nd) CV Review, 3rd) Behaviour one, 4th) Behaviour two.

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.