About the job

Job summary

We are recruiting three HEO grade posts to join the Directorate of Overseas Bases (DirOB) Programmes Team. These posts are 3-year Fixed-term Appointments as a Project/Programme Officer.

If you are a permanent MOD civil servant and are found successful for an advertised Fixed term post on promotion, you will retain the substantive promotion grade at the end of your posting period.

This post is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

DirOB as a sub-organisation is a mixed military and civilian team responsible for the operational command and management of the UK’s Permanent Joint Operating Bases (Cyprus, Gibraltar, British Indian Ocean Territory, Ascension Island, and the Falkland Islands) along with joint units based either overseas or who deliver their roles and missions overseas.

P3M (Project, Programme and Portfolio Management) Team within DirOB has responsibility for the management and delivery of a broad span of projects including building infrastructure, capability delivery and workforce reform.

Close liaison and coordination with colleagues in Head Office, throughout the Front Line Commands and across Other Government Departments will be required; therefore strong interpersonal and engagement skills are needed for this post.

This is an exciting opportunity to join an expanding team which has clear contributions to Defence Outputs and the UK’s international standing. Travel to various Defence location both UK and abroad may be required.

The successful candidate will be:

Reporting to a lead for one of the specific geographical areas, each HEO will use their P3M project support skills to assist in their responsibilities of:

• Support the programme manager by clearly defining and driving the delivery of the project’s objectives ensuring these are achieved within the agreed time, cost, and quality constraints.
• Identify, track and report on Risks, Issues and Dependencies, putting in place mitigating actions and escalating information where required.
• Identify stakeholders and being output focused when engaging them to work with DirOB.
• Implement and maintain appropriate ways of working for effective Planning and Scheduling projects.
• Bring together the outputs from the Enabling Organisations (which help to deliver defence projects) to enhance the communication and coordination of project activities.
• Develop project documents using DirOB information management practices to ensure visibility of progress is reported clearly and coherently.
• Support the co-ordination of Business Cases, Review Notes and other formal documentation.

The recruitment process:

This is a Fixed-term Appointment as a Project Support Officer in the Directorate of overseas bases. Your responsibilities will be as described in this job advert. The reason why you are appointed for a fixed period is due a recruitment freeze and funding allocations. This post will therefore begin on your appointment and end 36 months after that date. You should be aware that when your Fixed-term Appointment at MOD comes to an end, arrangements will be made in line with the FTA policy.

Strategic Command is going through a significant transformation programme which aims to improve the way the Command conducts its business and delivers for Defence and the nation. As a consequence of this, all posts within Strategic Command Headquarters and in time the wider organisation, are/will be subject to review and potential changes as we continuously improve across the period of the transformation programme. These changes may be minor or could be more substantive and will generate new opportunities.  Throughout, the Command’s transformation programme is committed to following the MOD’s framework on managing and supporting people through the change process and places an emphasis on early and open consultation and engagement with the Command’s personnel and Trade Unions.

Person specification

These roles are suitable for people with experience of working in a project environment. It is desirable to hold any form of project/programme management qualifications or have the willingness to work towards one (e.g., Association of Project Managers (APM PFQ), Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) Foundation, PRINCE2 Foundation).

Confidence in using a range of communication skills is required when articulating potentially complex and detailed information to stakeholders of DirOB. This person will take their initiative to deliver relevant information at the appropriate level to the right stakeholders.

The role is heavily involved with overseeing reporting and ensuring information is accessible. Strong administration skills are essential, including use of Office-365 software.

The team is multi-disciplinary, dynamic and is a fast paced environment, DirOB is looking for adaptable and passionate individuals looking to enhance their career experience, learning as they work.

Please see the Project Delivery Capability Framework, HEO, Project Support Officer (Pg. 202 – 203). assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65561f36046ed4000d8b9a33/PDCF-V3.pdf

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £35,290, Ministry of Defence contributes £9,528 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.

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include: job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability.

At sift, you will be assessed against your CV, statement of suitability and the following Behaviours:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Making an effective decision

At interview, you will be assessed against the following Behaviours:

• Delivering at Pace
• Seeing the Bigger Picture
• Changing and Improving

Please see the Project Delivery Capability Framework, HEO, Project Support Officer (Pg. 202 – 203). assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65561f36046ed4000d8b9a33/PDCF-V3.pdf

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.
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 

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.