About the job

Job summary

As a Senior Project Manager you will be actively engaged in the strategy, planning, support or delivery of projects and programmes, leading on the delivery of outputs and providing expert guidance, support and insight on projects. You will be at the front end of delivering a portfolio of Business, Data, Technology and People changes working with a range of key stakeholders across the whole vetting enterprise. You will deliver the end-to-end project life cycle, from building the business case, requirements gathering and planning, driving forward delivery momentum and business change, and managing benefits realisation.

As a leader within the project delivery profession for UKSV, you will set the standards for professionalism and lead your teams to implement best practice, acting as a champion for Continuing Professional Development.

As UKSV embarks on a significant programme of change it is a busy, exciting and challenging area to work. If you are looking for a motivating and diverse role in a dedicated and passionate team, then UKSV has the potential to offer an exciting career pathway.

Project Managers will oversee the conception, delivery implementation and analysis of a range of internal and external-facing projects, reporting progress in line with governance to senior leaders. 

Job description

Your key duties will include but not limited to :

• Leading change delivery teams to drive forward project activity in terms of planning, dependency management, reporting and delivery across multiple work streams in a complex and changing environment.
• Overseeing effective stakeholder management, ensuring all key parties are identified and engaged with at the appropriate level across all work streams.
• Working collaboratively with stakeholders at all levels, both internally and externally, bringing teams together to work towards mutually beneficial goals.
• Delivering timely performance with energy, taking responsibility and accountability for quality outcomes within your projects and work streams.
• Working to agreed goals and activities and dealing with challenges in a responsive and constructive way.
• Helping to build a performance culture to deliver outcomes with a firm focus on prioritisation and addressing performance issues resolutely, fairly and promptly.
• Supporting the development of best practice project management and acting as a role model for Continuing Professional Development within the profession.
• Up skilling a team of up to 8 more junior grades on Project disciplines and approach.
• Leadership, management or support of a project e.g. as a programme manager.
• Providing expert guidance, support or insight on a project.
• Leadership, management or support in the handling of: Risk, Quality, Governance and Reporting, Resourcing, Assurance, Change / Engagement, Benefits & Realisation.
• Project Finance.
• Project Information.
• Leading or managing the Portfolio.
• Project Delivery strategy, planning or policy.

Person specification

As Senior Project Manager within UK Security Vetting, we are looking for people who have the following expertise and attributes

• Substantial experience of working in a project management environment, working with both internal and external stakeholders at all levels of seniority.
• Hands-on experience of project management of a medium or large scale project, using a range of project management tools and techniques to deliver successful outcomes.
• Excellent planning skills with the ability to effectively manage multiple projects with competing demands in a fast paced environment.
• Experience of building and maintaining effective working relationships with individuals at all levels, including senior stakeholders and external stakeholders. This includes an ability to effectively manage upwards and with complex stakeholders.
• Ability to use clear and effective written and oral communications, adapting style and method appropriately to the audience.
• A proven team leader with the ability to motivate high-performing teams and role model organisational values.

Essential Criteria

• At least one relevant Practitioner-level project or programme management qualification such as Prince2, APM, APM Agile or MSP
• Substantial experience in project management environment, working with both internal and external  stakeholders at all levels of seniority
• Hands-on experience of project management of a medium or large scale project, using a range of PM tools and techniques to deliver successful outcomes.
• Excellent Planning skills with the ability to effectively manage multiple projects with competing demands
• Experience of building and maintaining effective working relationships with individuals at all ranges, including senior stakeholders and external stakeholders. This includes an ability to effectively manage upwards and with complex stakeholders.
• Ability to use clear and effective written and oral communications, adapting style and method appropriately to the audience.
• A proven team leader with the ability to motivate high-performing teams and role model organisational values.

Desirable Criteria :

• Some knowledge of security vetting.
• Experience in working with technical / digital projects / programmes.

Additional information:

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Near Miss:

If you are not found appointable at the advertised grade you may be offered the lower grade role if you are considered to meet the skills, experience and behaviours for the lower level. 

The benchmark for appointing to the lower grade is set at the start of each campaign. All offers will be made in merit.

If you are found appointable at the higher grade but there are no positions available you may be offered an appointment at the lower grade.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £53,400, Cabinet Office contributes £14,418 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.

Application process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, 500 word personal statement as well as four 250 word behaviour statements. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form. 

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using only the lead behaviour of Changing and Improving, as well as the personal statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Selection process

During the blended interview you will be assessed against your experience and the behaviours that are contained within this advert.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – 08/05/2024
Expected interview date/s – 21/05/2024
Interview location - Google Meets Video Conferencing.

Further information

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

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Cabinet Office 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 at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Please note that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally need 5 years UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

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

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service or 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.

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

Reasonable adjustments

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. 
• Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

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

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. 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.