About the job

Job summary

The Defence Safety Authority (DSA) is responsible for the regulation of Defence Health, Safety and Environmental Protection, operating under a Charter from the Secretary of State for Defence (SofS). The DSA provides independent assurance direct to the SofS that the law is complied with and his policy on safety in Defence is being promoted and implemented whilst Defence activities are conducted. This regulation is achieved through proportional and appropriate evidence-based assessment of the activity that supports the Defence’s operational imperatives.

Within the DSA, the Defence Maritime Regulator (DMR) is tasked to provide regulation, assurance and enforcement across the Defence Maritime Domain. This comprises all activity conducted by MOD Shipping, in the Defence Ports and at Defence Harbour Facilities and in Defence Diving, both Military and Commercially contracted diving, in support of defence activities. As new technologies and vessel types, such as autonomous vessels or the involvement of AI emerge, DMR are constantly looking at the maritime scope to ensure that safety and environmental protection are assured going forward.

DMR consists of four areas: Executive and Enabling, Regulation and Compliance, Shipping Inspectorate and Maritime Assurance Inspectorate, the Project Management Lead forms part of the Executive and Enabling (E&E) team. The primary function of E&E is to provide the administrative, analysis and planning capabilities needed by DMR to enable us to meet our declared aim of reducing risks to life and the environment across Defence activity within the maritime domain.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week. 

Job description

• Own the ongoing management of DMR’s 5-10 year plan setting out the activities, resource requirements, training and skills needs, tool development and associated financial provision.
• Management of the DMR Master Activity Plan setting out activities in more detail for in-year activities for approval at the Management Board formal meeting.
• Lead the development and drafting of our annual Business Plan and its' co-ordination with the higher-level DSA Business Plan.
• Report progress against delivery of the outputs set out in the Business Plan expediting and proposing amendments to the plan for consideration by the Management Board.
• Support to the Senior Risk Analyst, and wider DMR Stakeholders in the generation of future requirements, by leading on the contracting and of system enhancements, acceptance testing and go live.
• Support DMR teams in the development of new business processes especially those involving DMR software tools and information gathering/creation
• Develop and lead effective Business Risk Management within DMR and work with DSA HQ to understand higher level risks.
• Develop our Annual Budget Cycle submission and the processes required for its creation making sure they are in tune with associated processes in DSA is achieved.
• Drive the creation and maintenance of DMR skills development and training plans allowing for our contribution to wider DSA long term capability.
• Ensuring our Operating Model and associated process meet the needs of DMR going forward and support the planning and progress monitoring of any required changes. 

Person specification

Essential criteria:

• A highly organised individual with meticulous attention to detail
• Proven experience in business planning, business risk and change management.  
• Experience in financial management
• An understanding of project scheduling and tools
• Excellent communication skills to liaise with team members, stakeholders and senior management.
• Collaboration skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams and resolve conflicts that may affect schedules. 

Desirable criteria

• Desirable industry recognised project management qualification such as APM PMQ, or willingness to obtain on joining DMR.

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 and Experience.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience. Please provide an example against each behaviour where you have demonstrated this in line with the criteria for the specific behaviour. 

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include: job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.  

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability (1000 word max), this should demonstrate your skills and experience against the essential criteria.

We'll assess you against experience and two Civil Service behaviours during the selection process at sift:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Seeing the Big Picture

We'll assess you against these Civil Service behaviours during the selection process at interview:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at pace

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  

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. 

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 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.