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.

Would you relish an opportunity to support the delivery of high value infrastructure programmes from inception through to delivery?

Do you enjoy collaborating and building relationships with a diverse range of partners?

If so, we are looking for two Project Delivery Professionals to join our teams, and we would love to hear from you.

Job description

The Government is committed to investing in the country’s infrastructure to improve productivity, level up our regions and provide low carbon transport. As part of meeting these goals, Rail Infrastructure Services and Delivery Group fulfils the sponsor role for the development and delivery of railway enhancements – delivering benefits now and for future generations.

The Integrated Rail Plan (IRP) outlines a £96 billion strategy of rail construction and upgrades in the Midlands and North to be delivered over the next 30 years. The IRP represents the biggest ever single investment in Britain’s rail network and will deliver a more modern network built to support the journeys that people want to make, benefiting small towns and big cities alike. Passengers are of course at the heart of the blueprint with major improvements focused on delivering more seats, shorter journey times, and more frequent and reliable services.

In these Programme Sponsor roles, you will be joining one of our teams responsible for developing the plans that will deliver the Integrated Rail Plan. It’s a constantly evolving, challenging and exciting environment to work in. You will contribute to the delivery of enhancements on either the East Coast Main Line or the Midlands Rail Hub programme.

In our East Coast team this will include working with Network Rail to oversee the planning, development, assurance and approvals of procurement plans for enhancements on the East Coast Main Line.

In our Midlands Rail Hub team this will include owning, developing, and implementing a critical train service planning workstream, whilst working closely with Network Rail, Midlands Connect, West Midlands Rail Executive, DfT Passenger Services, and Train Operating Company teams.

If you would like to find out more about what it's like to work at DfT Rail, please click here.

As one of our Programme Sponsors, your key responsibilities will include:

• Operating as an intelligent sponsor and ensuring project delivery in line with the agreed requirements.
• Advising and briefing senior leaders within the Department and responding to parliamentary business commitments as necessary.
• Ensuring that route-wide interface and project delivery risks and issues are identified, managed, and escalated.
• Ensuring value for money for the taxpayer and securing ministerial agreement and authorisation through the appropriate integrated Network Rail and Department for Transport governance processes for enhancement schemes.

Person specification

You will be a Project Delivery Professional with a broad range of project delivery skills, and experience of working on medium or large-scale projects and programmes in a complex environment.

You will have excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills to establish relationships with our industry partners, senior leaders and specialists across the Department. You will be a trusted adviser, with the credibility to influence and challenge effectively to support the successful delivery of the programme.

You will be comfortable interpreting data, and confident to simplify and present information to a range of audiences. You will welcome the autonomy to shape and lead a programme of work.

Additional Information 

A minimum 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. 

Occasional travel to other DfT offices will be required.

Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 30 hours per week.

For more information on the Project Delivery Capability Framework.

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, Experience and Technical skills.

How to apply 

When considering your experience, please tailor your CV and personal statement (maximum word count 500) to provide evidence of the following:

• Experience of working as a client, sponsor, or project manager within the development and delivery of medium or large-scale projects and programmes in a fast-paced and complex environment.
• Experience of engaging with internal and external stakeholders to identify the main issues, risks and generate solutions to ensure a project/programme was delivered in a timely manner and within budget.

The sift is due to take place from 10/06/2024.

Interviews/assessments are likely to be held week commencing 24/06/2024.

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.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are 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 undergo a criminal record check. 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.