About the job

Job summary

The Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) is a part of the Ministry of Defence responsible for the procurement, in-service support, and disposal of the UK’s nuclear submarines. Our work is of unparalleled strategic importance nationally and internationally, ensuring the security of the UK’s continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent, and delivering some of the most technically complex programmes in defence.

Here you’ll find a community to belong to – whether that’s alongside project teams with a shared vision or as part of an employee network of like-minded individuals. We believe that, by celebrating different backgrounds and perspectives, together we’ll achieve the extraordinary.

Discover more about our work:

We offer 25+ days’ holiday, flexible and hybrid working, enhanced parental leave schemes, shopping discounts, and an exceptional employer pension contribution of around 27%, to help work work for you.

Nationality, visas and vetting: For security reasons this role is open to sole UK nationals only. A ‘sole UK national’ refers to an individual who holds citizenship solely in the UK, without dual citizenship or nationality from another country. We’re unable to offer visa sponsorship.

These roles requires you to have lived in the UK for the last 5 years and obtain Security Check (SC) security clearance. Clearance must be obtained without any caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role you have been recruited for. If it isn’t obtained, or is obtained but with caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role, any conditional offer made to you will be withdrawn. Obtaining SC security clearance can be a lengthy process, and we reserve the right to withdraw any conditional offer made if the necessary security clearance isn’t obtained within 12 months.

Some of the roles may also require you to have lived in the UK for the last 10 years and obtain Developed Vetting (DV) security clearance. You’ll join us once Security Check (SC) clearance is obtained, and then the more enhanced DV checks will continue after you’ve started your employment.

Job description

We have exciting vacancies available within the SDA for Cost Control specialists. Successful candidates will take key roles within the function to provide robust support across a variety of high value and complex projects and portfolios.

As a Cost Controller you will be responsible for the consistency and accuracy of management cost information and financial performance reporting the purchase of military equipment, as well as the support for it once its in use. The main part of this role is to record, analyse and report project costs and undertake related cost control activities, ensuring all financial and performance reporting requirements are met. You will also be required to provide assurance that projects comply with SDA and Departmental policy in respect of all cost activities, providing support to, and working under the guidance of the Cost Control Finance Lead and the wider team.

You'll benefit from various routes to develop your career which includes access to specialist training and the opportunity to be supported in attaining professional qualifications. Once you have been working for at least 6 months you will become eligible to apply for the Finance Internal Scheme (FIS) which, if you are successful, will allow you the opportunity to study for a financial qualification such as AAT/CIMA. To note, this scheme is open for applications once a year and provides individuals with not only the funding for the relevant qualification but also study leave.

At the SDA, we champion flexible ways of working. Regular in-person attendance is required to promote the benefits of face-to-face collaboration alongside flexibility of hours to support work-life balance. Initially, you may be expected to attend more frequently to familiarise yourselves with the site, the team, and your role.

What you’ll be doing

• Working with the Project Delivery Team to produce and report financial forecasting for 12-month and 10-year periods, collaborating with project managers, providing challenge, conducting variance analysis including financial risk commentary.
• Monitoring and recording spend using a variety of financial reports and systems; and reconciliation with accounting systems to produce month end management accounts. Ensuring a clear audit trail and consistently monitor project cost spend against these approvals.
• Producing accrual and general journals to ensure robust supporting evidence is included.
• Actively supporting the Cost Control Finance lead with any audit and compliance requests.
• Providing Financial input, challenge and information at the Monthly Financial Performance review with the wider delivery team to empower stakeholder decision making.
• Working closely with the wider delivery team to implement Cost Loaded Schedules to drive forecasting.
• Assisting with the production of Earned Value Management analysis to demonstrate project performance and analyse variances to plan, determine impact on the schedule and cost to complete the scope of work.
• Ensuring consistency with In-Year Management and Earned Value Management reporting.
• Communicating complex financial performance data in a simple and understandable form to key members of the Project Delivery Team and non-financiers.
• Working with Cost Estimators and Cost Control Lead to develop cost models and assist in the production of Investment Appraisals.
• Working closely with Cost Control and Risk Management to ensure cost and Risk are appropriately identified and managed in the project plan and to support Schedule Risk Analysis for decision making.

Person specification

To be successful with your application, you'll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

• Previous experience in budgeting and forecasting
• Experience of working independently and within a team
• Be able to provide advice on specific financial subjects to Stakeholders

In addition to the responsibilities above, the following technical competences and behaviours will be assessed at interview:

• Cost Management
• Stakeholder Management
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £34,800, Ministry of Defence contributes £9,396 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

Your application will go through the following stages of assessment:

1. Pre-sift - We will check that you meet any essential or eligibility criteria that are listed in the Person Specification section of this advert. On your CV, please clearly show how you meet the essential criteria.
2. 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.

1. Interview - If you're invited to interview, you'll be assessed against the Sift categories listed above, as well as the Technical Competences and Behaviours listed in the Person Specification section of this advert.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Security

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.