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.

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.

This role 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or is obtained but with caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role, any conditional offer made to you will be withdrawn.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.

Job description

Are you a Cost Estimator with a desire to work on sophisticated and high-volume defence programmes? If so, we have an incredible opportunity for you to join the Submarine Delivery Agency.

As a Cost Estimator, you will form part of a multi-disciplinary team responsible for delivering valuable projects and services on budget, on time and aligned with the organisation’s visions. These roles provide an excellent opportunity to develop your core skills and leadership whilst delivering successful outcomes and working on one-of-a-kind projects. You will learn and develop to become a vital member of the team, providing robust support within a complex environment.

In the SDA, continuous professional development is actively encouraged. You will have access to a defined development pathway including professional accreditation and ongoing support to prosper. You will integrate with accomplished, multi-disciplinary teams and migrate across several projects in the portfolio, gaining full exposure to the organisation and operating at the core of what we do. You will collaborate to solve challenges unique to our industry and, by linking with fellow minds and allies across the world, will provide a significant contribution to the success of our projects.

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 and organisational requirements. 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

• Independently deliver complex cost estimates and support delivery of estimating products utilising Generic Cost Models and a range of estimating tools, techniques and methodologies.
• Analyse data from sources across SDA, international partners and defence suppliers to identify cost trends and support benchmarking and production of robust cost models.
• Apply correlation techniques to deliver robust cost estimates, ensuring effective analysis.
• Communicate complex risk and estimate modelling data to stakeholders.
• Providing mentoring and coaching to ensure continuous improvement and sustainment of the teams’ capabilities.

Person specification

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

• Relevant experience of either Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) or Business Subject.
• Experience generating complex estimates for projects, including supporting documentation and artefacts such as the ‘Basis of Estimate’.
• Knowledge and experience in the use of cost analysis tools and techniques, such as Excel to produce estimates and cost models.

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

• Controlling a project - Practitioner
• Estimating - Practitioner
• Making Effective Decisions CSBC 3
• Communicating and Influencing CSBC 3

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,600, Ministry of Defence contributes £11,502 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.
3. 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.