About the job

Job summary

Military Capability sits at the heart of the MOD’s major decisions. It is headed by the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Military Capability) (DCDS(MilCap)), a 3-star military officer (equivalent to a Director General) with responsibility for taking a pan-Departmental view of MOD’s strategic balance of investment decisions and the Department’s financial planning rounds.

The Future Combat Air System Team sits within DCDS(MilCap)’s domain and is critical to UK military capability. FCAS supports Defence Tasks and wider National Security Objectives and is a key element of both the UK’s industrial base and our international partnering. The Future Combat Air directorate defines policy in line with the 2018 Combat Air Strategy, and enables Government decisions on investment, programme and partnering choices. The Director Future Combat Air provides leadership across the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) Enterprise. He acts as the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) for both the FCAS Acquisition Programme and Technology initiative Programme.

Our vision is to deliver the UK’s strategy for Combat Air by rebuilding the nation’s capability and creating a viable, UK-led option for Future Combat Air System acquisition.

We actively seek to provide an inclusive working environment which gets the best from every member of our team, and which recognises team members for their commitment and professionalism. We are a learning organisation in which you will be encouraged to develop your skills and knowledge, building on our wide range of work areas, and given support to develop your career on your own terms.

We seek and encourage diversity of thought, background, experience and approach. We also recognise that everyone has different personal and family commitments and encourage applications from those who require flexible working patterns.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

The Role will be acting as the Embedded Client (Project Manager) within the FCAS WP1 Domain, consisting of a breadth of complex Concepting activities. The integration requirements of the Programme mean that effective performance within the role is dependent upon significant stakeholder engagement and management across a range of domains, between multiple organisations, Mod and Industry focused.

• Fulfil the role of embedded client (Programme Management) as per the FCAS Joint Engineering Management Plan (JPEMP) through working closely with both the Lead System Integrator (LSI) and Lead Sub System Integrators (LSSIs).

• Act as a key interface between Industry and MoD stakeholders across Programme & Requirements Managers, Technical SMEs, Engineers and Commercial Officers both within/out of own Work Package (WP)

 

• Ensure Programme Objectives are being effectively delivered against Performance, Cost and Time and that Industry are being held to account through the internal MoD Governance and reporting processes;
  • Ensure JPEMP is implemented and fit for purpose, address at working level and escalate as required
  • Manage inter/intra Engineering Team and Component level Risks, Issues and Impediments
  • Support the Snr Project Managers within WP1 in the validation of Cost Forecasting and Accrual against the drumbeat
  • Manage Industry activity and progress through review of Artefacts and Deliverables
  • Undertake ad-hoc Project Management activities in support of Programme objectives

 

• Personnel assigned to this role shall have the capability, accountability and authority to specify desired outcomes on behalf of the Customer and how those outcomes are planned, managed and delivered, within agreed constraints.

Person specification

• Experience of managing and complex and broad projects with multiple stakeholders preferably in the Air Domain.
• International collaboration experience, with work with foreign countries
• Experience of working with a multidisciplinary team, and influencing wider stakeholders to achieve your objectives.
• Experience of managing change effectively within an organisation.
• Experience of working closely with industry to build strong, effective and cooperative relationships while challenging their delivery.
• Comfortable engaging with technical SMEs and dealing with technically complex issues and problems.
• Understanding of MOD systems and processes to manage governance and budgets.
• Experience with Agile practices is desirable but not required.

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 Technical skills.

Your application will go through the following stages of assessment:

1. 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.

If you're invited to interview, you will be assessed against the following Success Profiles Behaviours:

• Delivering At Pace
• Making Effective Decisions

You will also be assessed against the following Technical Competency listed below: 

• Stakeholder Management

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

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

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.