About the job

Job summary

1) Armoured Main Battle Tank

Armoured Main battle Tank (MBT) programme (also referred to as Challenger 3 – CR3).  With overall responsibility for the whole programme, which is primarily an Equipment centric programme, consisting of the procurement of a modernised turret, a new lethality systems and associated ammunition suite, a UK sovereign armour capability and other in-service enhancements.

In addition, the SRO will be responsible for the delivery of the supporting projects that are in direct support of the delivery of the capability known as CR3, specifically the Training project.

2) Land Mobility Programme (LMP)

LMP will deliver the Future Soldier requirement for highly capable, modernised platforms fitted with functions and mission systems that are fundamental to Defence outputs in the Land Environment. LMP will underpin the requirements of the Joint Force, with some of those requirements existing as an extant risk on the Defence Environment Capability Assessment Register (DECAR). LMP will be a central programme and deliver common based platforms (CBPs) through four discrete projects, each defined by capability group. LMP High Level Characteristics (HLCs) will provide the benefits of mission system commonality, generic vehicle architectures (GVAs) and continuous modernisation. LMP will be aligned to the Boxer Strategic Pipeline (BSP), the Land Industrial Strategy Operating Framework (LISOF) and the Land Integrated Operating Services (LIOS) strategy.

3) Military Engineering

As Head Military Engineering (Hd Mil Eng), with overall Line Management responsibility for the whole of the Military Engineering team, whilst being SRO for a max of 3 of its 5 programmes.  The Mil Eng team deliver coherent long-term provision for, and delivery of, appropriate, balanced Land Environment military engineering capabilities, which are capable of through life, sustained, expeditionary full spectrum operations across the Defence Battlespace, in joint and combined contexts, in all types of terrain, under both direct and indirect fire. The 5 programmes are; Military Engineering Combat 2028 (ME Cbt 28), Defence Infrastructure 2028 (DI 28), Next Generation Wide Wet Gap Crossing Capability (NG WWGCC), CBRN Medical Counter Measures (CBRN Med CM) and CBRN Protective Measures (CBRN PM).

4) The Land Integrated Operating Services (LIOS)

The LIOS programme is a Cat A DMPP programme that will improve the through-life management of the MOD’s Land equipment. It will deliver a commercial framework that maximises the effectiveness and efficiency of support arrangements for in-service equipment and deliver integrated upkeep, update, and iterative upgrades through-life.

Supporting over 30,000 Land platforms, LIOS will improve the through-life management of our Land equipment by targeting the MOD’s support contracts resulting in better equipment availability and readiness, improved technical performance through life, and a more routine and deliverable programme of iterative upgrades.

Job description

• As an SRO, this role is responsible for briefing the Sponsor Group and for ensuring that programme outcomes remain aligned to the Departments strategic direction and key business drivers. This role is required to show visible leadership at key communications events and ensure the visible and demonstrable commitment of the sponsoring group.
• Establish appropriate, robust and efficient governance to ensure the programme is governed responsibly. Delegate responsibilities and agrees clear limits and performance criteria with the Programme Director(s).
• Is a visible, engaged, active leader who creates an open and honest culture.
• Accountable for the management of strategic risks and issues in the operating environment and is aware of all high-level risks and issues affecting successful delivery of the programme. Ensures appropriate mitigation plans are developed and followed through
• Provide senior-level expertise and capacity to the Army’s wider PD function, mentoring and developing other leaders and providing hands-on support as required; champion project delivery within the Army and beyond; support the strategic development of the project delivery profession and building project delivery capability; influence decision making to ensure that projects are properly resourced and successfully delivered.
• Accountable for delivery of the programmes and the associated benefits and capabilities.
• Influence and manage the operating environment into which the programme outcomes will be delivered, including relationships with key stakeholders, business owners and other project sponsors.
• Influence and manage the operating environment into which the project outcomes will be delivered, including relationships with key stakeholders, business owners and other project sponsors.
• Responsible for engaging high-impacting stakeholders and for ensuring that emerging issues are identified and managed appropriately.
• Builds effective relationships with key strategic stakeholders obtaining their commitment to the project objectives and benefits. Effective management of all interdependencies.

Person specification

The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate their experience and skills against the following essential criteria:

• A credible and persuasive project delivery professional who will command the confidence of a range of Senior stakeholders including Ministers and Senior Officials and to support Board-level investment decisions. Displays professional courage with the confidence and authority to articulate, challenge, explain and justify decisions to stakeholders whilst remaining resilient in the face of extraordinary pressure.
• Proven experience in leadership roles which have required them to develop a vision that drives forward the organisation’s work and its future; motivating, enabling and empowering teams to deliver, with experience of leading organisational change and creating a lasting legacy beyond that particular programme. The post holder will also need to demonstrate an ability to lead and energise outside their immediate line management responsibilities.
• Extensive breadth and depth of major project delivery experience, leadership of multiple complex projects/programmes across all project phases a number of times and performed a variety of leadership roles. Able to evidence successful delivery in terms of the complexity of what has been delivered and the scale of challenge.
• Experience of performing at high level over a sustained period, in a large organisation which has a complex operating environment, where there is uncertainty and continual change
• Ability to think strategically and respond quickly to complex changing circumstances and high-pressure situations, maintaining integrity and a clear view of overall project priorities. Comfortable making decisions and setting direction without having the full picture and can re-focus as detail emerge. Can and does apply project delivery knowledge and techniques to set projects up for success, reduce ambiguity and ensure successful delivery.
• Strong commercial awareness, and able to understand the value of and exploit commercial advice.
• Will have a good understanding of project delivery methodologies and techniques, have relevant project qualifications (MSP/APMP/Prince 2/Agile), and may have, or be working towards, external accreditation and professional membership.
• Graduate of the Major Projects Leadership Academy (or willing to undertake the course for those new to Civil Service)

This person specification has derived from the Project Delivery Capability Framework (PDCF). At sift and interview you will be asked to draw upon evidence, knowledge, skills and experience from the following behaviours listed on pages 97- 98:

Visible Leadership; Influencing; Credible Action; Working with ambiguity; Resilience.

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Things you need to know

Selection process details

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process accessed via the advertisement listed for this role. This should be completed no later than 23:55 Sunday 14th January 2024 and will involve providing the two documents outlined below via the Civil Service Jobs portal:

• A CV (no more than 2 pages) setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
• A Personal Statement (no more than 2 pages) explaining how your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, referencing the essential criteria.  

Both documents are weighted equally in their scoring, so it's important to consider this when uploading your application. Failure to submit both documents will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification. 

For further information about the role and full application process, please refer to the candidate pack attached below. If you wish to receive any material in a different format for accessibility, then please contact People-CivHR-SCSCandidateSupport@mod.gov.uk.

The vacancy manager will also be offering an online Q&A session on Wednesday 10th January 15:00 - 16:00 to provide an overview of the roles and welcome any questions you may have. Candidates can access the meeting by clicking here. Please note, this is not part of the formal assessment process. 

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

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

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.