About the job

Job summary

Do you want to be at the heart of real Defence issues and play a key role in the United Kingdom’s (UK) national security?

Established in April 2016, the Defence Nuclear Organisation (DNO) delivers nuclear capability to deter threats and protect our nation.

The DNO leads all aspects of defence nuclear business (excluding operations) and is responsible for providing nuclear deterrence; sponsoring the Defence Nuclear Enterprise (all the organisations, programmes and people that sustain the UK’s nuclear deterrent); including advising on UK nuclear policy, planning and international co-operation on nuclear matters.  The UK’s independent nuclear deterrent has existed for over 60 years to deter the most extreme threats to our national security and way of life, and that of our NATO Allies.  

Here at DNO we truly believe that diversity and inclusion is not only the right thing to do but is also essential for a thriving and successful organisation. We know that diverse teams bring a wide range of perspectives, skills, experiences, and ideas, which lead to better decision-making, creativity, and innovation. We have a culture where differences are celebrated and our people feel supported, included, and empowered. If this sounds like the organisation for you then come and join us and be part of something that can make a positive impact on the world.  

Within DNO, the Warhead Directorate leads the UK nuclear warhead programme which provides a stockpile of reliable, safe and effective nuclear warheads to support the UK’s strategic nuclear deterrent now and in the future.

The Warhead Directorate has staff based in MOD Main Building, MOD Abbey Wood (Bristol), Aldermaston (Reading), HM Naval Base Clyde (Scotland) and British Embassy Washington DC. This post can be based in Bristol, Aldermaston or MOD Main Building. Regular travel to other sites around the UK, especially AWE Aldermaston, will be required, as will travel to the United States.

This post is on the MOD Civilian Nuclear Post Control List (PCL) and may attract the Nuclear Recruitment and Retention Allowance (RRA). This is a discretionary allowance. The post being listed on the PCL does not mean that the post holder will have an automatic entitlement to receive the RRA. The NSQEP RRA is not a contractual allowance and can be amended or withdrawn without notice in line with MOD Main and Submarine Delivery Agency policy.

This post is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

The Replacement Warhead Materials Requirements Manager post holder will be responsible for leading the Replacement Warhead Materials Requirements team in ensuring that the Programme’s material needs, particularly for strategic materials such as fissile and Other Special Materials (OSM), are appropriately being met. They will help ensure that the Programme has a set of material requirements for the UK’s next nuclear weapon.

The job holder will line manage one Higher Executive Officer and represent the programme in relevant working groups and forums with government, industry and international partners.

The job holder will also be responsible for remaining an awareness of relevant projects that have an impact upon programme materials requirements and taking action to ensure programme requirements are adequately accounted for within those.  

Materials are important dependencies across the whole of the Warhead Group, influencing both in-service Stockpile Management and replacement nuclear warhead design. The post holder will work especially closely with the Infrastructure and Materials Directorate within the Warhead Group area to ensure that decision-making in this area is fully cognisant of programme requirements and ensuring that the supply of strategic materials will meet the demand signal for the replacement nuclear warhead in alignment with the programme’s Master Schedule.

The job holder will have opportunities to receive unique training specific to nuclear warheads which will provide a unique insight into the world of Defence Nuclear. 

This is a unique opportunity to lead a multi-disciplinary team in an area of strategic national importance for defence. It will allow you to hone your skills in project delivery and will provide you opportunities to develop your understanding of the nuclear weapon enterprise and will open innumerable possibilities to develop your career further. This will be a highly challenging and engaging post presenting an excellent opportunity for interaction with the senior staff within the Ministry of Defence, wider government, industry and international partners.  

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who wishes to join the defence nuclear programme. You will be joining a diverse and multi-disciplined team delivering key elements of the UK nuclear deterrent. Few projects are as meaningful as this one, and our nuclear programme is a key priority for the Government. This leads to a hugely exciting sense of making a real contribution to defence objectives.

Person specification

Responsibilities:

This role will be primarily responsible for leading the Replacement Warhead Materials Requirements team in the development and delivery of aspects of the Replacement Warhead Programme of work and its related schedule concerning the Management of Strategic Material requirements.

These requirements will feed into internal engineering, technical and programmatic work across the programme, and influence the wider Warhead Group.

The post holder will contribute to this effort by:

• Leading all aspects on the development of the Engineering development plan related to strategic materials, to support the conceptual design of a replacement nuclear warhead.
• Leading the development of relevant sections within programme business cases.
• Leading on development of a communications plan to highlight programme materials requirements to the wider Warhead Group and key stakeholders.
• Leading on the creation and maintenance of a Bill of Materials and demand signal, informed by key stakeholders, to record the material requirements and associated demand stemming from the programme.
• Working closely with the Infrastructure and Materials team to deliver an aligned understanding of material requirements at the portfolio level, ensuring that programme needs are understood and accepted within this.
• Providing updates to senior decision-makers at relevant governance for a on matters relating to programme materials, escalating blockers as required.
• Developing a detailed understanding of the current and forecast materials stockpile for the programme.
• Ensuring decision-making is taking place in alignment with the realisation of programme benefits.
• Leading the identification of key materials requirements and make recommendations to ensure optimal decision-making and cohesion across the Warhead Group.
• Working closely with the Risk and Assumptions Manager to allow early mitigation of emerging risks.
• Working closely with the Infrastructure and Materials team to develop the body of evidence to make investment decisions.
• Acting as the Intelligent Customer for Replacement Warhead on Materials, ensuring that Subject Matter Expertise across the DNO and Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) is leveraged to deliver programme requirements.
• Line managing a Higher Executive Officer to support in the delivery of the above.

The post holder will also be expected to support wider directorate activities on infrastructure and materials to ensure that programme requirements are achieved and provide general support in the management of day-to-day programme administration on an ad hoc basis.

Qualifications:

• Level 5 or above qualification in a relevant discipline or equivalent relevant experience

Skills:

• Excellent Communication Skills 
• Knowledge of fissile, fissionable and other special materials, their use and management 
• Knowledge of Energetic materials, their use and management 
• Experience with requirements management 

Desirable Qualifications:

• Formal qualification in project or programme management (PLP, APM, MSP, Prince2, etc) 
• Nuclear Fuel Life-Cycle Course 

Desirable Skills:

• Knowledge of the Nuclear Weapons Programme and Nuclear Fuel Cycle 
• Experience working in the Defence Nuclear Programme, with knowledge of policies and procedures across all life cycle phases, or related experience 
• Awareness of the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement (MDA) and Polaris Sales Agreement (PSA), and underlying technical arrangements therein 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £43,080, Ministry of Defence contributes £11,631 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, Experience and Technical skills.

Candidates can apply online via the Civil Service Jobs website by completing the application form before the deadline shown.

Apply using the Civil Service Jobs apply button, filling in all required details in all sections. Using the Success Profiles link for information on format and style, ensure you provide evidence for all Behaviours and Experience sections requested in the appropriate competency style.  

You have 250 words to answer each Behaviour (competency style) and around 1250 words for a Personal Statement, where you have the opportunity to show how you meet the requirements of the role. 

Candidates will be required to complete an online CV template to include job history and previous experiences and skills. Please also include any relevant responsibilities and achievements.

At application and interview you will be assessed against the following behaviours : 

• changing and improving

At interview you will be assessed against the following behaviours: 

• leadership
• working together

At application and interview you will be assessed against the following Technical Skills : 

• Nuc 2.2 – Management of the Nuclear Weapon Programme
• Nuc 4.2 - Nuclear Weapon Concept, Assessment and Design

Candidates who are found to meet an acceptable standard at interview but are not successful in one of the advertised posts may be considered for similar roles within the Business Unit.

The requirements for the role have been bench marked and these will be used to sift all candidates, with those meeting the minimum requirements invited to interview. 

Candidates are advised that due to the sensitivity of the role we can only accept UK Nationals and you will also be expected to achieve Developed Vetting clearance, above the normal clearance level expected for the MOD.  

No application can be accepted after the closing date.  
*Please note that not following the appropriate format will mean that you may be unable to reach the required grades for sift or interview*  
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.  

Nationality Requirements - Further Information for Candidates

1. This post is classed as ‘Reserved’ as per Civil Service Nationality Rules Section 3. In accordance with these rules, ‘only UK nationals may be employed in reserved posts in the Civil Service’[1] (Paragraph. 3.1).

UK National Definition

     2. The definition of a ‘UK National’ can be found at Paragraphs. 1.4-1.8 of the Civil Service Nationality Rules.

Dual Nationals

     3.  As per Paragraph. 1.41 of the Civil Service Nationality Rules:

     a)   ‘Candidates with dual nationality are in principle eligible for employment in the Civil Service provided that they meet the requirements in relation to one of their nationalities [i.e. UK National]. They may not be eligible, however, for employment in certain reserved posts where additional nationality requirements are imposed.’ 

Additional Restrictions for Reserved Posts

      4. As per Paragraphs. 3.10-3.11 of the Civil Service Nationality Rules: 

      a) Departments and agencies are entitled to impose additional requirements in reserved posts if this is considered necessary. This could include, for example, requirements as to the residency of the applicant or the nationality of one or both parents of the applicant.’

      5. If you are a Dual National who possesses UK Nationality and wish to check your eligibility for the post, please contact our recruiting team at the details below. Please be advised that we will not be able to provide a justification for our decision for security reasons. 

DNO External Recruitment DNO-ExternalRecruiting@mod.gov.uk

[1]  Irish nationals and Commonwealth citizens are also eligible for employment in reserved posts if they were in the Civil Service at 31 May 1996 or before, or were appointed from a recruitment scheme with a closing date for receipt of applications before 1 June 1996. (Paragraph. 3.1)

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical.

The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk 

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

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.