About the job

Job summary

Our priorities

Optimise public R&D investment to support areas of relative UK strength and increase the level of private R&D to make our economy the most innovative in the world. Promote a diverse research and innovation system that connects discovery to new companies, growth and jobs – including by delivering world-class physical and digital infrastructure (such as gigabit broadband), making the UK the best place to start and grow a technology business and developing and attracting top talent. Put public services – including the NHS and schools – at the forefront of innovation, championing new ways of working and the development of in-house STEM capability to improve outcomes for people. Strengthen international collaboration on science and technology in line with the Integrated Review, and ensure our researchers are able to continue to work with leading scientists in Europe and around the world. Deliver legislative and regulatory reforms to drive competition and promote innovation, including the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill and our pro-innovation approach to regulating AI.  

Our Inclusive Environment  

We have an inclusive culture which makes the Department a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it helps us be more innovative. We offer flexible working benefits, employee well-being support and a great pension. We are fortunate to have a range of staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive.  We welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion and fully support candidates with a disability or long-term condition who require adjustments in our recruitment process.  

Job description

Summary
The Geospatial Commission is looking for a Senior Project Manager to play a leading role in the delivery of a high-profile programme to build a new digital map of what is buried beneath our streets.  This is an opportunity to work within a high-performing team to deliver a significant innovation which will unlock huge economic value for the country. 

About the Geospatial Commission 
We are living through an extraordinary period of technological evolution that is changing how we live, work and travel. Location technologies enable us to be on the cutting edge of innovation and are increasingly valuable tools for businesses, public-sector organisations, and individuals. Spatial applications give us new insight into our place in the world, from tracking a parcel as it is delivered to your door, to our creation of a digital map of the pipes and cables that are buried underground. 

The Geospatial Commission has been set up to pursue an ambitious national strategy to unlock the economic, social and environmental opportunities offered by location data technologies and services across the whole economy. This means we:  

•  Provide strategic oversight of the geospatial ecosystem in the UK, setting geospatial strategy, policy and standards.
•  Hold the budget for the public sector’s largest investment in geospatial data.   
•  Make targeted investments in data projects that accelerate innovation and adoption of geospatial data applications. 

You can find out more about our current priorities in the UK's Geospatial Strategy https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-geospatial-strategy-2030. This role supports one of those key priorities, the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-underground-asset-register-nuar

NUAR is a live Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP) programme delivering a new digital map that will revolutionise the way we install, maintain, operate and repair the pipes and cables buried beneath our feet. NUAR for the first time standardises, centralises and makes available privately and publicly owned data from 700+ organisations about the location of their underground utilities assets. It is envisaged to deliver at least £490 million per year of economic growth through increased efficiency, reduced asset strikes and reduced disruptions for citizens and businesses. The use of NUAR will also underpin the government’s priority to get the economy growing; expediting projects like new roads, new houses and broadband roll-out. You can find out more information here .

Person specification

The Role 
You will be part of the NUAR programme management team, working across several areas of the programme to ensure that we are delivering on our policy, data, development and operational commitments. The role involves working with the team in the GC, as well as with the wider programme team from across the public and private sectors.
Key responsibilities include:
•  Project and Programme Planning: You will be responsible for defining the fundamental components of the projects you will be leading in terms of their scope, deliverables, time scales, resource requirements and budget tracking.
•  Project and Programme Scheduling: You will develop, produce and maintain schedules for activities that take account of dependencies, resource requirements and constraints in order to enable the efficient realisation of benefits and delivery of outcomes.
•  Risk management: You will identify and monitor risks & issues, produce mitigation plans and support risk owners with implementing mitigation measures.
•  Quality management and assurance: You will work with the Programme Manager to monitor project progress and compliance against these frameworks and through governance structures.
•  Change management: You will be responsible for capturing, evaluating and making informed recommendations towards the approval or rejection of any requests that alter the scope of any of the project.
•  Project documentation and knowledge management: You will be responsible for establishing and maintaining project documentation and keeping the Programme Manager aware of the project status.
•  Programme Management support: Provide effective support to the Programme Manager and the SRO, coordinate and facilitate key meetings, arrange provision of papers, provide follow-up actions, monitor compliance of project-related work and activities and ensure that information requests are actioned.
•  Capability building: You will be part of a network of project managers working across the department, working collaboratively to set best practice and raise awareness of project management best practice.

Skills and Experience

We are looking for an individual with the following attributes, skills and experience:
•  Experience utilising appropriate project management tools and techniques to deliver programme and project outcomes within quality, time and cost limits.
•  Ability to work autonomously, with a proactive approach to setting up and delivering to a clear set of objectives that advance your team’s work
•  A clear communication style, ensuring that there is clarity around shared objectives.
•  Experience leading or monitoring project initiatives through each phase of the project lifecycle (initiating, planning, executing, monitoring & controlling and closure).
•  Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with a range of stakeholders including at senior levels across the public and private sectors.
•  Proficiency in Microsoft Office or similar applications, with experience developing and maintaining project documents for scheduling, reporting and governance.

Desirable

We are keen to hear from candidates who have:
•  Proven working experience in project management or assurance with a project management qualification or other training.
•  Experience delivering projects in digital or policy environments.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £38,860, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £10,492 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.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement and behavioural statements.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please use your personal statement (in no more than 500 words) to align against the person specification that has been described in the job advert

Please note - the CV incorporated into the application form is for information purposes only and will not be scored.

In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on personal statement.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Sift and interview dates

Expected Timeline subject to change

Sift dates: w/c 18/03/2024

Interview dates: 01/04/2024

Interview Location: MS Teams.

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Further Information

Reasonable Adjustment

We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.

We fully support adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.

We do not have an exhaustive list of adjustments that we support but just some examples include additional time to complete your application form, behaviour questions up to 72 hours prior to interview and having extra time at interview.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

A location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home). 

DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk 

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

We regularly run events where you can find out more about the department and tips for the application process. You can sign up for upcoming events here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/departmentforsciencetechnologyandinnovation?  

You can also follow our LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/dsitcareers/    

Please note that DSIT are currently reviewing our terms and conditions and pay arrangements following Machinery of Government changes and as part of the outstanding August 2023 pay award. Please be aware there may be changes to terms and conditions and pay ranges listed in this advert ahead of you starting in post. Any changes would be implemented in early 2024.  

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

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.