Associate Delivery Manager

Job summary

This role is available on a permanent basis or on a 2 year secondment/loan, if you have a preference please let us know on your application.

The Government Digital Service (GDS) is the digital centre of government. We are responsible for setting, leading and delivering the vision for a modern digital government.

Our priorities are to drive a modern digital government, by:

1. joining up public sector services
2. harnessing the power of AI for the public good
3. strengthening and extending our digital and data public infrastructure
4. elevating leadership and investing in talent
5. funding for outcomes and procuring for growth and innovation
6. committing to transparency and driving accountability

We are home to the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (I.AI), the world-leading GOV.UK and at the forefront of coordinating the UK’s geospatial strategy and activity. We lead the Government Digital and Data function and champion the work of digital teams across government.

GDS is part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and employs more than 1,000 people all over the UK, with hubs in Manchester, London and Bristol.

The Government Digital Service is where talent translates into impact. From your first day, you’ll be working with some of the world’s most highly-skilled digital professionals, all contributing their knowledge to make change on a national scale.

Join us for rewarding work that makes a difference across the UK. You'll solve some of the nation’s highest-priority digital challenges, helping millions of people access services they need and protecting the security and prosperity of the nation.

Job description

The mission of the National Security Digital Centre within GDS is to accelerate delivery of shared digital and data outcomes by bringing the National Security data and technology community together and connecting it to the centre of the Public Sector - with a focus on the unique problems and challenges for national security.

The NSDC has complementary Data and Technology missions. The data mission focuses on driving National Security outcomes by unblocking the challenges to exploiting our data at speed and scale across wide-ranging intelligence, defence and security communities. We connect the UK’s ambitions and priorities to the data and technological environments needed to fulfil them – ensuring that we aren’t solving tomorrow’s problems with yesterday’s tools. We are part of the NS community as well as the cross-government Digital and Data function, aligning defence and security with best practices across the public sector.

As the Associate Delivery Manager for the NSDC you’ll:

• Provide the delivery expertise and support to ensure the NSDC data mission is a high-performing team which can flex and adapt to current and future priorities
• Build a deep understanding of the challenges of data interoperability in national security, and how the team is working to mitigate them
• Help the team develop and articulate their goals and outcomes into a coherent and deliverable plan, against which progress can be measured
• Identify and capture requirements for work by commercial suppliers, and steer the process of bidding for resources, setting contractual outcomes and monitoring progress to ensure value for money
• Co-ordinate the activities of the team, supporting a productive, purposeful and supportive team culture in a hybrid, multi-location working environment
• Ensure team plans, deliveries and challenges are visible, accessible and fed into NSDC, OCTO and GDS reporting channels as required
• Provide a proactive, informed and goal-oriented secretariat function for key NSDC delivery and governance groups such as the Data Interoperability Group and Data Expert Advisory Group.
• Build contacts and NSDC presence and influence in critical networks, including national forums and defence and intelligence partnerships

Person specification

We’re interested in people who:

• have experience of using skilled delivery management to create the right environment for motivated, collaborative teams
• can understand and manage dependencies in volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environments, helping teams overcome blockers and adjusting priorities and requirements accordingly
• can work effectively with technical and non-technical colleagues and enhance mutual understanding, supporting difficult discussions within the team or with diverse senior stakeholders
• show curiosity and enthusiasm for coaching organisations to enable digital transformation, through adopting data processes which may be radically different from traditional public sector ways of working
• Can demonstrate understanding of data management fundamentals and their application to business problems

Benefits

There are many benefits of working at GDS, including:

• flexible hybrid working with flexi-time and the option to work part-time or condensed hours
• a Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
• 25 days of annual leave, increasing by a day each year up to a maximum of 30 days
• an extra day off for the King’s birthday
• an in-year bonus scheme to recognise high performance
• career progression and coaching, including a training budget for personal development
• a focus on wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme
• job satisfaction from making government services easier to use and more inclusive for people across the UK
• advances on pay, including for travel season tickets
• death in service benefits
• cycle to work scheme and facilities
• access to an employee discounts scheme
• 10 learning days per year
• volunteering opportunities (5 special leave days per year)
• access to a suite of learning activities through Civil Service learning

Any move to Government Digital Service 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

Office attendance
The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.
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).

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

The standard selection process for roles at GDS consists of:

• a simple application screening process - We only ask for a CV and cover letter of up to 750 words. Important tip - please ensure that your cover letter includes how you meet the skills and experience listed in the “person specification” section above
• a 60 minute video interview

Depending on how many applications we get, there might also be an extra stage before the video interview, for example a phone interview or a technical exercise.

In the event we receive a high volume of applications, we will conduct the initial sift against the lead criteria which is:

• have experience of using skilled delivery management to create the right environment for motivated, collaborative teams

In the Civil Service, we use Success Profiles to evaluate your skills and ability. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, increases performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. We’ll be assessing your technical abilities, skills, experience and behaviours that are relevant to this role.

For this role we’ll be assessing you against the following Civil Service Behaviours:

• Working together
• Communicating and influencing
• Changing and improving
• Managing a quality service

We’ll also be assessing your experience and specialist technical skills against the following skills defined in the Government Digital and Data Capability Framework for the Delivery Manager role:

• Maintaining delivery momentum
• Planning
• Team dynamics and collaboration
• Commercial management

Want to know more about who Government Digital and Data are? Click Here

Recruitment Timeline

Sift completion: 9/3/26

Panel interviews: Starting from 16/3/26

Candidates that do not pass the interview but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.

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

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.

Security

This role requires Developed Vetting (DV) clearance. Due to the critical nature of the post, we require that candidates hold existing DV clearance before applying

DV isrequired when an individual has long term, frequent and uncontrolled access to ‘Top Secret’ (Information that could directly threaten the national security of the UK, cause long-term damage to our economy or lead to widespread loss of life) information.
To gain DV clearance an applicant will normally need to have been a UK resident for a minimum of 10 years. There are several stages to the vetting process which usually takes 6 month +:-

• SC Level Clearance
• Completion of a DV supplementary questionnaire
• Completion of a financial questionnaire
• A review of the candidate’s personal finances
• A medical and psychological assessment
• Interviews with the candidates referees
• A detailed interview with the candidate

More information on DV clearance is linked here

Nationality Requirements - Further Information for Candidates

1. This post is classed as ‘Reserved’ as per Civil Service Nationality RulesSection 3. In accordance with these rules, ‘only UK nationals may be employed in reserved posts in the Civil Service’1 (Paragraph. 3.1).

UK National Definition

2. The definition of a ‘UK National’ can be found at Paragraphs. 1.4-1.8 of the Civil Service Nationality Rules.

Dual Nationals

3. As per Paragraph. 1.41 of the Civil Service Nationality Rules:

4. ‘Candidates with dual nationality are in principle eligible for employment in the Civil Service provided that they meet the requirements in relation to one of their nationalities [i.e. UK National]. They may not be eligible, however, for employment in certain reserved posts where additional nationality requirements are imposed.’

Additional Restrictions for Reserved Posts

5. As per Paragraphs. 3.10-3.11 of the Civil Service Nationality Rules:

6. ‘…departments and agencies are entitled to impose additional requirements in reserved posts if this is considered necessary. This could include, for example, requirements as to the residency of the applicant or the nationality of one or both parents of the applicant.’

7. If you are a Dual National who possesses UK Nationality and wish to check your eligibility for the post, please contact our recruiting team at the details below. Please be advised that we will not be able to provide a justification for our decision for security reasons.

8. Irish nationals and Commonwealth citizens are also eligible for employment in reserved posts if they were in the Civil Service at 31 May 1996 or before, or were appointed from a recruitment scheme with a closing date for receipt of applications before 1 June 1996. (Paragraph. 3.1)

Please note offers of employment are subject to achieving satisfactory pre-employment and security checks. These include an Occupational Health Assessment and a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). As part of this you will need to confirm your identity, employment/education history, nationality and any criminal record (unspent convictions only).

Sponsorship

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.

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 developed vetting (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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : gdsrecruitment@dsit.gov.uk
• Email : gdsrecruitment@dsit.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : gdsrecruitment@dsit.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact gds-complaints@dsit.gov.uk in the first instance.

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission by email: info@csc.gov.uk Or in writing: Civil Service Commission, Room G/8 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ.