About the job

Job summary

We have an exciting opportunity to support delivery of one of Defence’s Strategic Programmes, as a Programme Support Officer.

The Programme Support Officer posts sit within the Complex Weapons team which builds and maintains choice for Defence by developing coherent strategies and plans for next generation weapon capabilities and delivers key military systems. Our work spans a wide breadth of the Defence enterprise, the international and industrial environments and is continually evolving to meet the challenges of a changing world. The team prides itself on bringing people together to achieve remarkable things; seeing the bigger picture, identifying and seizing opportunities, thinking creatively to solve difficult issues and proactively helping Defence to understand and make choices.

This is an exciting and diverse role, requiring a proactive individual with excellent team-working skills. The successful candidate will be flexible, adaptable, confident and able to establish strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels.

This position is advertied at 37 hours per week. 

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working.  This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements. 

Job description

The role of Programme Support Officer covers a diverse range of activities to support the delivery of programme objectives. Programme Support Officers enable the smooth running of the programme by supporting the Programme Director and Programme Manager through the operation of project management processes, and the co-ordination of business management actions and activities on their behalf.

Programme Support Officers will work closely with the Strategic Programmes Portfolio Office, DE&S Delivery Teams and Industry in support of the wider programme. Together with the Programme Manager, they will ensure that the full range of programme delivery specialisms are on track to deliver the programme efficiently and effectively. This role provides an opportunity to be an integral part of the delivery of a key Complex Weapons capability within one of the most important portfolios in Defence, supporting all our armed forces and maintaining UK security and Freedom of Action.

The successful candidate will be working within a complex programme, operating in a multi customer-facing environment. You will support establishment of effective programme management disciplines as part of the joint MOD/industry programme team, ensuring delivery of the maturing business case and programme benefits..

We actively seek to provide an inclusive working environment which gets the best from every member of the team, and which recognises people for their dedication and professionalism. We are a learning organisation in which you will be supported and encouraged to develop your skills, knowledge and career on your own terms, with access and support for online training, short courses and other related development.

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 wish to work flexibly. Some travel to other MOD and UK supplier sites may be required along with occasional international travel.

Person specification

Typical role responsibilities will include, but not be limited to:

• Planning and scheduling – Assist with and maintain appropriate systems to enable effective planning and scheduling.
• Monitoring and reporting – Assist in maintaining programme controls and in producing programme performance reports.
• Admin – Responsible for programme file management using robust version control. Organise key programme meetings and provide secretariat support.
• Resources – Management of staff as appropriate, including their development.
• Stakeholder – Assist with maintaining the stakeholder log for internal and external stakeholders. Act as the focal point for programme responses to external requests for information.
• Financial control – Assist with the monitor of programme spend and contribute to the compilation of budgets. Maintains an accurate asset register for the programme.
• Risks and Issues – Assist with and maintain risk and issue logs, escalating as appropriate

The successful candidate will have some experience of programme management and an understanding of the complexities of defence would be beneficial, but not essential. The successful individual will have strong stakeholder skills as they will be working closely with the whole of the Complex Weapons team, our delivery agent Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), the Front-Line Commands (FLCs), the broader MOD Head Office community, with external bodies such as the Infrastructure Projects Authority (IPA) and with our key suppliers and international partners.

Suitable for candidates with some experience of working in a project environment, and some programme management qualifications or willingness to work towards them. (Eg, Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) Practitioner, PRINCE2 Practitioner)
The individual must have clear communication and organisational skills and seek to develop understanding of a complex programme and portfolio.

This role requires an individual with the following personal attributes:

Essential:

• Strong stakeholder engagement skills.
• Demonstrable experience of programme / project management and related governance/assurance systems.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to present data and information clearly to senior and expert/non-expert audiences.

Desirable:

• Experience of working in the Defence industry
• Scheduling experience

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.

This post is classed as ‘Non-Reserved’ as per the Civil Service Nationality Rules. For further information please see the attached documents Thank you.

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 requested Behaviours.

Candidates will be required to complete an online CV template to include job history together with a personal statement. Please also include any relevant responsibilities and achievements.

The sift assessment will be based on the CV, required behaviours and the Personal Statement which should be a maximum of 500 words that sets out your motivation for applying and shows how your skills and experience meet the essential / desirable requirements for the role.

At sift and interview, you will be assessed against the following Success Profiles Behaviours:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership

If there is a high volume of applications received the initial sift will be carried out on just the Making Effective Decisions behaviour as well as the CV and Personal Statement. 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 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.