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 make 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’ve 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or is obtained but with caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role, any conditional offer made to you will be withdrawn.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 looking to kick start your career as a Cost Estimator? Do you want to develop your knowledge whilst learning on the job? Then we may have the perfect opportunity for you. The Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) is looking for a Junior Cost Estimator to join our team in the Cost Management Group (CMG).

What is Cost Estimating? It is a vital part of what we do, ensuring the delivery of significant projects to our customers, on budget and on time. You will be involved in supporting the delivery of various Submarine projects, ranging from estimating the next generation to the disposal of older submarines and everything in between.

You will have the opportunity to join our Estimating Capability Development Scheme (ECDS), an innovative 2-year development scheme, providing you with the skills and knowledge required to become a Cost Estimator. The ECDS involves developing broad Estimating skills over several months, this will involve undertaking study through classroom sessions, tuition and independent study and will be assessed during the scheme. This will be blended with placements to advance your capability, completing a variety of tasks to develop your skills which will enable you to undertake projects independently.

Want to hear what someone currently in the scheme thinks of this opportunity?

“I joined the CMG in March 23 and was made welcome straight away, it’s very much a family feel, with a supportive network of colleagues and a positive, upbeat attitude. We work well together.  I’ve worked on key Submarine programmes, managed stakeholders, presented to senior colleagues and provided feedback to help drive positive changes. I’m given a lot of latitude with how I approach tasks, support with my dyslexia and have taken part in lots of amazing training.”

If you are successful, you will be required to pass Knowledge Based Assessments during the scheme. At the end of the scheme, you will be invited to interview to demonstrate your competence at the next level and if found successful, you will regrade to the next level.

It is expected that you will work full time hours for part of this scheme when you will be expected to attend classroom-based training over 12-16 weeks at a training venue based in Bristol.

Growing your career as part of the SDA, we will provide you with the diverse opportunities at the forefront of ensuring the delivery of crucial and significant projects. You will be supported by your manager and wider team to achieve your career goals and aspirations with mentoring available to fulfil your potential. Willingness to undergo further training is preferred such as APM and ACostE, these types of training are funded by the SDA, and you will be provided the support and guidance needed to help you achieve this.

At the SDA, we champion flexible ways of working. Regular in-person attendance is required (this is expected to be a minimum of 40%) 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.

Please note if applying for Barrow-in-Furness: External and internal candidates may be entitled to relocation expenses for this position. This will depend on the outcome of an eligibility check by Defence Business Services (DBS).

What you’ll be doing

• Assist in the creation of robust Basis of Estimate.
• Identify and manipulate data using a range of sources, normalisation requirements and techniques.
• Support the generation of confidence level outputs using Monte Carlo techniques.
• Assist in the creation, maintenance and operation of cost models and support the generation of cost estimating outputs.
• Monitor key stakeholder outputs to ensure that estimates are provided to the required standard and completed prior to submission timelines.
• Communicate key estimate information and uncertainties to members of the project and programme.

Person specification

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

• Knowledge in the use of analytical tools and techniques, such as Excel.
• Strong literacy and numeracy skills gained through education or experience.

It will also benefit your application if you are able to demonstrate the following desirable criteria:

• Evidence of experience of working in a Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) area.

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

• Setting the Project/programme context Awareness
• Controlling a project Awareness
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £27,800, Ministry of Defence contributes £7,506 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.