About the job

Job summary

We recognise the challenges that people with 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.

Are you an experienced programme or project management professional?

Do you have strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills?

If so, we would like you to apply for our Programme Manager position, where you will play a pivotal role in driving forward projects supporting the Economic Deterrence Initiative.

Job description

The invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022 triggered the mobilisation of a significant international response to support the people of Ukraine and apply economic and social pressure on Putin’s regime. The Department for Transport (DfT), working closely with other departments across Whitehall, has been at the forefront of HM Government’s historic response, both enforcing transport sanctions against Russia and providing humanitarian and reconstruction support to Ukraine. Examples of such activity included the banning of Russian ships and aircraft entering the UK, detention of Russian transport assets and provision of rail equipment and supplies to restore movement of goods and people in Ukraine.

In September 2023, the Department established a new division, Transport Sanctions and Ukraine Response (TSUR), to lead and coordinate all work on transport sanctions (previously the Russia sanctions regime had been led by the Ukraine Response Cell while all other sanctions regimes were overseen by DfT’s International Directorate). The new division has been established to lead DfT’s work on transport sanctions and coordinate activity across the department, working closely with colleagues in aviation, maritime, rail, local transport and legal, and the wider transport sector.

This role will support the establishment and running of the EDI Transport Programme Office within the TSUR. The postholder will be responsible for delivering effective and proportionate programme management of the EDI Transport Programme including drafting the programme documentation required under the Integrated Security Fund (ISF), previously the Conflict Security and Stability Fund (CSSF), framework.

Role responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Contributing to the drafting of the programme documentation, theory of change, results framework, and risk register for the EDI Transport Programme. These documents are required to be signed off by the Transport Programme Board and the EDI Portfolio Board.
• Organising the meetings of the EDI Transport Programme Board and providing the secretariat to it so it can provide timely decisions and sufficient oversight of the programme.
• Commissioning all reporting from projects in the programme and compiling responses into reports for the EDI Programme and Portfolio Boards.
• Managing and regularly updating the programme risk register. Ensuring that the EDI Programme Lead and Programme Senior Responsible Officer is kept informed and sighted.
• Manage the programme budget, ensuring that projects report monthly against anticipated spend and forecasts are regularly updated.
• Contributing to the drafting of the programme annual and final reports at the end of the reporting years.

For further information, please refer to the role profile attached.

Person specification

We are looking for someone who has great communication and stakeholder management skills, who can help to shape success and provide excellent programme management to enable the delivery of important transport sanctions. You will work alongside multiple stakeholders across departments, developing your skills in a challenging fast paced environment.

We also require the following experience:

• Experience of project/programme planning methodology and experience of working on projects/programmes.
• Experience of working on business cases, risk management and board papers.
• Experience of budget management.
• Experience of writing reports and briefings.

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.

This post is offered on a Fixed Term Appointment (FTA) basis to complete a finite piece of work.  

Permanent Civil Servants will be appointed on an inward loan and subject to the terms of the agreed inward loan. You must have your home departments approval to return to them at the end of the loan before you apply. Internal candidates will return to their previous post at the end of the loan period, which will need to be agreed with your line manager in advance. If your home department cannot agree to release you on loan, there is the opportunity for you to move across to the department on a fixed term appointment. In this instance the Department for Transport would become your home department and if there is no role available for you at the end of this appointment, you would be subject to the redeployment and redundancy process. 

If you're employed by a non-departmental public body (NDPB) by moving jobs this will involve a change of employer and you may break the statutory rules on continuity of employment. 

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.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please tailor your CV to suit the role.

For your personal statement (1000 words) please provide detailed evidence of the following:

• Experience of project/programme planning methodology and experience of working on projects/programmes.
• Experience of working on business cases, risk management and board papers.
• Experience of budget management.
• Experience of writing reports and briefings.

The sift is due to take place 26th February 2024

Interviews are likely to be held week commencing 11th March 2024

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.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, DfT is 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.

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.

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.