About the job

Job summary

A multi-billion-pound investment is required over the next 30 years to recapitalise facilities and services throughout His Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Devonport to ensure the Naval Base is ready for Dreadnought, SSNR-AUKUS (nuclear powered fleet submarine) and other future platforms. The future Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) will have responsibility to lead this full programme, with the full responsibilities outlined on the next slide.

You will be responsible for managing technical and project management positions located in HMNB Devonport to co-ordinate activity and to ensure the projects within the wider change programme are resourced at the right time with the correct skills and capacity.

The programme organisation will include staff from the following:

• Submarine Delivery Agency – currently leads the MOD major project management and contracting for the Babcock site.
• Defence Infrastructure Organisation – project management and contracting for MOD site
• Naval Base Commander’s Infrastructure Organisation
• Devonport Royal Dockyard Ltd (DRDL) – Babcock
• Navy Infrastructure

Job description

The current responsibilities of the role include:

• Confirming the Vision and long-term strategy for development of the Devonport site (jointly owned by the Naval Base Commander (Navy Command) and Managing Director of Devonport Royal Dockyard Ltd (DRDL) (Babcock International Group)).
• Developing and achieving approval of the Devonport Infrastructure mandate.
• Producing and securing approval of a Strategic Outline Business Case for the Devonport Infrastructure Programme, to include definition of future tranches, and establishing the programme in the GMPP.
• Being accountable for completion of Tranche 1 projects and realisation of their associated benefits.
• Lead the programme team delivering future tranches against the endorsed mandate that sets out the outcomes and benefits required.
• Establishing and assuring with the Naval Base Commander that appropriate processes, systems and behaviours are in place to co-ordinate and integrate programmes across all lines of development, consistent with the Devonport Governance Framework (DGF).
• As a member of the Submarine Directorate Senior leadership team take an active role in shaping and leading the wider Submarine portfolio particularly long-term infrastructure requirements and options.

Person specification

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

• An exceptional programme delivery leader with a proven track record of leading multiple complex projects and/or programme, as a Project Director or Senior Responsible Owner. Able to evidence the ability to successfully integrate and deliver technically challenging projects as well as the scale of challenge.
• Excellent leadership skills with an ability to create and present a compelling vision and set clear direction, that motivates and empowers others to work towards a common goal. You will also need to demonstrate how you are able to build and lead diverse high-performing teams in a matrixed environment.
• 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, applying knowledge and experience to reduce ambiguity.
• Proven experience of senior stakeholder management in a political, pressured environment and evidence of building credible and respected relationships, especially at board level, including excellent influencing skills with the credibility to command the trust and confidence of senior officials.
• Must hold the relevant Professional Qualification such as Major Projects Leadership Academy (MPLA), Chartered Project Professional (ChPP), APM Project Professional Qualification, ARM Practitioner Qualification (PQ) or APM Registered Project Professional or equivalent.
• Level 6 qualification in a related subject or discipline. Chartered status registered with a relevant accredited professional body.

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 on Sunday 17th December 2023 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. 

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 6th December between 11:00 – 11:45 to provide an overview of the role 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.

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.