About the job

Job summary

Project Manager

Salary: £51,997

Are you experienced in defining and successfully delivering complex, high-risk technology projects?

If so, we would love to hear from you!

Job description

We are looking for experienced technical Project Managers to take responsibility for driving and overseeing the delivery of our key strategic projects.

Your day-to-day responsibilities will include managing one or more complex, medium/high risk technical programmes or projects, delivering changes via multi-disciplinary, matrix-managed teams. You will work with the Senior Responsible Officer and Change Sponsor to define and own the successful delivery of the business benefits, planning and aligning project outcomes at a strategic programme/portfolio level.

As a strong and experienced leader, you will be responsible for creating a cohesive delivery environment, motivating and supporting your teams with any challenges that they may face. You will be responsible for securing and managing internal resources and external suppliers, taking full responsibility for budgetary forecasting and management, managing the dependencies and interfaces with other projects, programmes and BAU operations.

You will lead multi-disciplinary teams delivering digital, technology and business change projects, planning in detail and working collaboratively to realise benefits and achieve business outcomes. We are particularly looking for individuals that have an interest and experience in delivering change through technology, which may include managing the software delivery cycle or delivering infrastructure changes. 

Our Project and Portfolio Management (PPM) capability sits within the IT Services (ITS) Directorate, where we take responsibility for managing and delivering strategic change programmes across the entire Agency. This role will report directly to one of our Portfolio Managers, where you will work as part of their senior team within a programme environment. You will play an active and critical part in improving the performance of the wider project delivery environment, both through supporting the ongoing professional development of our dedicated PPM workforce (currently over 100 PPM professionals) and through driving the continuous improvement of our change lifecycle and methodologies.

At the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), PPM is about more than just technology delivery. Our projects and programmes encompass the full business change lifecycle, covering areas such as customer migration and digital channel shift, business process improvement, strategic procurement and asset replacement, IT infrastructure and estates delivery. All the while, we focus on improving outcomes for our customers, stakeholders and staff, which makes the DVLA Change Portfolio an exciting and challenging environment within which to work.

The DVLA G7 Project Manager role aligns to the Project Manager role aligns to the Project Manager 3 role within the Government Project Delivery Capability Framework (PDCF) as set out by the Government Project Delivery Profession, along with encompassing aspects of the Delivery Manager role within the Government Digital and Data Framework. 

For full list of responsibilities please refer to the attached Role Profile.

If you would like to find out more about the role, the digital team and what it’s like to work at DVLA, we are organising a familiarisation session for this role where you can virtually 'meet the team', the session will be taking place on 17th January 2024 at 12:30pm - please click here to book on.

Person specification

You will have a depth of experience of successfully managing medium or large-scale technical projects, with a track record of delivering a range of business outcomes. You may have gathered relevant professional project management qualifications over the course of your career (Prince2, Prince2Agile, MSP, MoP, and/or APMP, or equivalent).

We are particularly looking for people with experience of working with technology change, either in a change delivery role or delivering IT services directly to internal or external customers.

Your leadership approach will see you lead from the front and drive those around you to achieve shared objectives, while using your team and wider networks to ensure the right things happen. You will be comfortable with empowerment, using your problem-solving skills to evaluate the best solutions while presenting your findings persuasively in order to gain buy-in.

You will be confident when making decisions and handling difficult conversations with others, professionally and with sensitivity. You will have excellent communication skills, adapting your style and quickly developing rapport to maximise both impact and understanding.

You will be comfortable engaging at all levels across DVLA, DfT and Government where required, acting as an ambassador for DVLA change delivery and the wider Government Project Delivery Profession.

Working for the DVLA Digital Team 

At the DVLA our work matters. We’re at the forefront of digital within government, providing new and improved services that are reliable, easy to use and offer value for money for our customers. With over 49 million driver records and over 40 million vehicle records, the opportunity to work at this scale is unrivalled across the region. Our services generate billions in revenue and make a difference to the lives of 9 out of 10 households in the UK. 

If you would like to read more about the great opportunities with the DVLA Digital Team then click here. 

Our people are transforming our digital services, head over to our DVLA Digital Services Blog to read about what we have been up to. 

Benefits

• Best in class learning and development tailored to your role  
• An environment with flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance  
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues  
• Generous employer contribution of at least 26.6%, depending on rate of salary and chosen pension scheme
• Digital communities with clear career frameworks 
• On-site gym plus personal training available 
• On-site nursery, restaurants and coffee bar  
• 25 days holiday, increasing by 1 each year (up to 30) 
• Free parking  
• Ability to buy and sell annual leave  

Visit our careers website or to find out more about the great opportunities and benefits of working at DVLA.

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 

To apply please click 'Apply at advertiser's site' at the bottom of the page. You will be required to submit a CV providing detailed evidence of your experience of the following essential criteria:  

• Demonstrating your depth of experience in successfully leading and implementing complex technical projects or programmes: describing how you took personal accountability for project outcomes.
• Demonstrating the application of your leadership skills within a project management environment: outlining how your actions personally made a difference to the team and project outcomes.
• Building strong relationships, managing stakeholders at a senior level effectively and with confidence.
• Experience of working with technology change, either in a change delivery role or delivering IT services directly to internal or external customers

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include: 

• an interview and presentation exercise.

 Assessment and Interview

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a CV to Inspire People (our Recruitment Partners) which outlines your experience and suitability for the role (based on the experience points outlined in the essential criteria on this advert).   

On receipt of your CV, Inspire People will send this through to DVLA Hiring Managers to complete an internal sift. Please note; the sift will be completed on a rolling basis whilst the campaign is still live and so there may be potential for feedback to be shared with you (on your CV) before the advert closes. 

If at sift your application is successful, you will be invited to the first stage of the interview process (hosted by inspire people), where you will be asked to complete a pre-recorded video interview (this again will be based on the experience points outlined in the essential criteria on this advert).   

If you are successful at this stage, you will be invited to a final stage interview (which will include a presentation ) and be conducted by DVLA Hiring Managers. 

Final stage interview/assessments will take place from week commencing 19th February 2024.

At the final interview stage, you will be assessed against various Behavioural and Technical elements. (Find more information around these elements by following the Success Profiles and Technical Links in the advert).   

This interview will be conducted via a video, details of which will be provided, 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. 

Please take note that DVLA does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship. 

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

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.