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or is obtained but with caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role, any conditional offer made to you will be withdrawn.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 passionate and driven individual who thrives on working closely with stakeholders? Are you looking to further your career in a complex and ever-evolving environment? If so, this could be the perfect position for you! We at the Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) are seeking Project Controls Managers to join our team in Bristol.

What does a Project Controls Manager do in the SDA?

As a Project Controls Manager, you will lead on the delivery of Project Controls providing scheduling, risk, and cost control support to Project Managers via a multi-disciplined team. A key part of your role will involve performance reporting, ensuring that the right management information and Subject Matter Expert (SME) analysis is provided at the right time and quality.

Within this role, you will oversee one or more projects within a portfolio, supporting the integration of project controls within the team. You will work alongside a variety of internal and external stakeholders to monitor supplier performance, which may involve the management of a small number of internal Project Controls staff.

A key part of your role will involve engaging with accomplished multi-disciplinary teams to enable informed decisions and provide a significant contribution to the successful delivery of our projects. You will collaborate to solve challenges unique to our industry and, by linking with fellow minds across the nuclear enterprise, 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 (this is expected to be approximately 60% of your working week) to promote the benefits of face-to-face collaboration alongside flexibility of hours to support work-life balance and business need. 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

• To act as the focal point and to integrate all project controls activities on the Project or Portfolio, ensuring the quality and accuracy of all project controls data and artefacts produced by the project controls team utilised by the project.
• Develop the Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB), incorporating at an appropriate level both OPEX and CAPEX to aid effective performance analysis and project management.
• Manage resource planning in line with the project schedule, ensuring resource demand is underpinned by robust BOE (driven by schedule activities).
• Co-ordinate and Analyse project risks (Threats and Opportunities), alerting senior stakeholders to the need of appropriate recovery action.
• Manage project scope and change through robust assumptions management and change control mitigation to ensure that only documented authorised changes are made at the right level.
• Coach and advise Level 1/Level 2 Project Controls staff to ensure continuous improvement and that required skills and capabilities are available.

Person specification

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

• Previous experience within a Project Control Manager position OR relevant project delivery experience.
• Evidence of having managed one or more elements within a project environment (e.g., risk management, estimating, planning & scheduling, cost control).

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

• Controlling a Project (Practitioner)
• Stakeholder Management (Practitioner)
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace

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:

 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.

1. 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.
2. 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.

Offering at a lower level

If you’re not successful at interview, we may offer you a role at a lower level if this is a match for your skills and experience. If this applies to your application, you’ll be scored against criteria for the lower-level role and offers will be made in merit order. If you accept this position, you’ll be able to take advantage of opportunities to develop your career as part of our team.

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.