Capital Build Project Manager

Job summary

Do you want to work on one or the most exciting transformation projects in the public sector?

The Defence Housing Service (DHS) is being created through the Armed Forces Bill to deliver a step-change in housing for the UK’s Armed Forces and their families following the publication of the Defence Housing Strategy on 3 November 2025, which marked the most significant change to Armed Forces housing in over 50 years. DHS will bring a dedicated focus to improving the homes, communities and lived experience of Service personnel, placing families firmly at the heart of everything it does.

This is one of the most ambitious housing transformation programmes in the UK today. Backed by a £9.2 billion investment, DHS will modernise tens of thousands of homes, introduce a more proactive and customer-focused approach to maintenance, and unlock new opportunities to develop housing on Defence land. DHS will have the focus and agility to deliver change at pace, combining public service values with greater flexibility to build the skills, systems and partnerships needed for the future.

This is a rare opportunity to be part of shaping its culture, influencing how it works, and helping deliver lasting improvements for Service families across the UK.

The Defence Housing team is currently part of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), who respond to the evolving needs of our military personnel, and the ways in which they live, work, train and deploy. We are proud to be the expert partner Defence needs for all their infrastructure requirements. From large scale infrastructure projects such as runways for the F35 fighter jets to net carbon-zero accommodation for our Service families, our activities focus relentlessly on our customers, and our outputs are unique in the UK and across the globe!

DIO , What we deliver every day.

The future delivery model for this team is currently under review and may change as part of potential organisational developments. This could include the team or function transferring to a different employer or organisational structure in the future. Should activities transfer out of the Ministry of Defence existing employees transferring with those activities will maintain the same, or substantially the same, terms and conditions of employment.

Job description

Are you an experienced construction Project Manager looking to deliver projects that make a real difference?

This is an exciting opportunity to join us and play a key role in the delivery of housing construction projects across the UK. Working as part of a collaborative, multi-disciplinary team, you’ll manage projects within a large and varied portfolio, ensuring they are delivered to agreed time, cost, quality and risk requirements.

Reporting to the Deputy Head of Housing Construction, you’ll take a hands-on approach to project delivery, working independently while engaging with project specialists, consultants, developers, suppliers and delivery partners. You’ll build effective relationships across a diverse stakeholder community, using your communication and influencing skills to resolve issues and keep delivery on track.

You’ll oversee project performance from planning through to delivery, monitoring progress, costs, risks and issues and providing clear reporting to senior leaders.

You’ll also support procurement activity and the development of business cases and evidence required for project approvals, ensuring activity follows appropriate governance and assurance processes. As a member of the team, you’ll champion effective project, programme and portfolio management (P3M) practices, applying relevant standards, frameworks and processes throughout your projects.

This is a great opportunity to use your project management expertise to influence delivery, overcome challenges and help deliver high-quality housing projects that support the wider Defence community.

A Full UK driving licence is essential, as the role requires regular travel to project sites across the Defence estate, many of which are remote and not easily accessible via public transport.

What you'll be doing

• Deliver your portfolio of projects on the DIO DHS Capital Build programme, setting project direction and ensuring alignment with Defence priorities and infrastructure delivery objectives.
• Provide project leadership across commercial, technical, financial and assurance activities, guiding cross-functional teams to deliver project outputs and programme outcomes.
• Oversee multi-million-pound budgets, procurement and supplier performance, ensuring value for money and effective financial and commercial management.
• Manage programme delivery from concept to completion, ensuring appropriate governance, assurance, risk management and compliance activities align with MOD standards and requirements.
• Lead business cases and investment submissions through the approvals process, supported by clear reporting, supporting evidence and artifacts and performance information.
• Build influential relationships with developers, contractors, TLBs, planning authorities, regulators, internal stakeholders and cross-government partners to resolve issues and enable delivery.
• Provide briefings, recommendations and advice to senior leaders and governance boards to support effective decision-making.
• Lead and engage with project delivery support employed on you projects promoting continuous improvement, inclusion and professional excellence across the Accommodation portfolio.

Person specification

To be successful with your application, you'll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

• Experience of supporting the delivery of large or complex projects or programmes within construction, infrastructure, property or estates.
• Experience of working collaboratively within multi-disciplinary teams to deliver projects or programmes.
• Experience of project or programme governance, planning and delivery, including areas such as risk, assurance, and financial management.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the confidence to influence decisions and resolve issues.
• Confident using Microsoft Office applications and project management systems.

Whilst this role is advertised as a full-time position of 37 hours per week, we recognise the benefits of flexible working and are open to discussing part-time hours, job share arrangements, or other flexible working patterns with suitable candidates. Regular in-person attendance is required (this is expected to be approximately 60% of your working week) to promote the benefits of face-to-face collaboration alongside flexibility of hours to support work-life balance and business need. Initially, you may be expected to attend more frequently to familiarise yourselves with the site, the team, and your role.

Licences

A Full UK driving licence is essential, as the role requires regular travel to project sites across the Defence estate, many of which are remote and not easily accessible via public transport.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Risks and issues - (Project Manager SEO - Government Project Delivery)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £46,040, Ministry of Defence contributes £13,337 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• 25 days’ annual leave plus one day a year up to 30 days after five years, and eight bank holidays
• An extra day off to honour the sovereign’s birthday
• Flexible and hybrid working wherever possible to support your work-life balance - attending site a few days each week will be required and encouraged, depending on your role and team.
• Market-leading employer pension contribution of around 28.97%
• Enhanced parental leave schemes
• Recognition awards
• Access to specialist training and funded professional qualifications
• Support for progression
• Huge range of discounts – plus more!

The post does not offer relocation expenses (move of home, excess fares or temporary transfer). Non Standard move applicants will be eligible for the full package, subject to eligibility.

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

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Your application will go through the following stages of assessment:

At sift stage, applicants will be required to provide:

• A CV in the Job History section, ensuring it clearly demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria outlined in the person specification. We encourage you to use specific evidence from your experience to illustrate your suitability for the role.
• A personal statement (no more than 500 words) providing specific examples of how you meet the two most critical criteria for the role. Further guidance is given within the Personal Statement section of the application.

Applications will be assessed against the essential criteria, with each criterion scored on a scale of 1 to 7. An overall score will then be calculated using the average of all criterion scores. To progress beyond the sift stage, applicants must achieve a minimum score of 4 on every essential criterion. This means that even if your overall average score is 4 or higher, you will not progress if you score below 4 on any individual essential criterion.

Please note that, in the event of a high volume of applications, the selection panel reserves the right to increase the overall pass mark.

At interview, you will be assessed against the following Behaviours/Technical Skills:

Behaviour #1: Leadership

Behaviour #2: Communicating and Influencing

Behaviour #3: Delivering at Pace

Behaviour #4: Managing a Quality Service

Technical Skill #1: Risks and issues (Project Manager SEO - Government Project Delivery)

In the event of a tied score at interview, the order of merit will be distinguished based on the ranking of the assessed behaviours and technical skills above.

We will try and offer as much flexibility as we can, but it may not be possible to offer alternative dates for interviews or assessments.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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

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.

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 : NAD Talent Acquisition Team
• Email : NAD-TalentAcquisition@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : NAD-TalentAcquisition@mod.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance you should contact department via email: NAD-Recruitment-Complaints@mod.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments

DIO Candidate Information Guide Opens in new window (pdf, 1963kB)Defence Internal Brief notice Opens in new window (docx, 25kB)MOD Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)Candidate Information Pack Opens in new window (docx, 32kB)