Clerk of Works - South West

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

Do you have a keen eye for quality and a passion for ensuring high standards are delivered?

This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic organisation that responds to the evolving needs of military personnel, the way in which they live, work and train. We care about the Defence estate, and we are looking for a Clerks of Works to join our team. In this rewarding role, you will provide on-site quality assurance across construction, refurbishment and maintenance projects, ensuring work is delivered to the required contractual, technical and safety standards. Using your technical expertise and attention to detail, you will inspect works, identify potential issues, recommend practical solutions, and support the successful delivery of safe, compliant and high-quality outcomes across the MOD estate.

You will also provide independent assurance on project delivery, identifying and reporting fraud, errors and non-compliance while contributing to the effective management and oversight of projects and programmes. Working closely with regional delivery teams, industry partners and other stakeholders, you will produce accurate reports, build strong working relationships and help drive continuous improvement, ensuring public funds are used effectively and value for money is achieved.

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.

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.

Person specification

• Conduct regular site inspections to ensure work meets contractual, safety, and regulatory standards.
• Verify that materials and workmanship comply with specifications, identifying defects, poor workmanship, and deviations from approved plans, reporting them immediately.
• Assess and report compliance with the approved site safety plan, keeping a log of observations from site inspections with additional reporting on health and safety as required.
• Monitor construction works including demolition, foundational, building envelope construction, service installation, internal fit-out completion, above and below ground infrastructure works, and landscaping.
• Work with the Regional Delivery team and industry partners to assess and address the technical issues that arise, and co-ordinate and manage these appropriately in line with appropriate policy.
• Manage quality assurance processes and identification with the Regional team, assessing and managing risks and issues at a national and regional level.
• Maintain a register of issues and risks and lessons learned, developing a lesson learnt database accessible to regional delivery staff where improvements are identified, and successful methods that have improved quality are shared.
• Establish and develop effective relationships to progress, achieve the best outcomes and build the MOD’s reputation including relationships with the delivery teams, industry partners, and all other key stakeholders; and where necessary ensure any conflict between parties is resolved, with a strong focus on contractual responsibilities and formal accountability and governance relationships.
• Promote the MOD’s infrastructure, new homes, and Service Family Accommodation (SFA) works programme, where appropriate, internally, and externally to the MOD.
• Ensure the ongoing provision of clear and concise communications and responsiveness to all key stakeholders, providing consistent and accurate reporting.
• Raise and manage any issues arising within the respective region and Clerk of Works Lead effectively, so that further escalation is minimised, and a ‘no surprises’ culture is promoted.
• Identify common defects, delays, and risks to enhance initiative-taking risk management.

Membership of the Institute of Clerk of Works and Construction Inspectorate (ICWCI) or Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) would be advantageous. However, if you don't already hold professional membership, we'll provide support and development opportunities to help you achieve this.

Person specification

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

• Technical understanding of the UK development and building industry, design and building processes including knowledge of the: Building Act and building regulations, Health and Safety at Work Act, Codes of Practice and supplier specifications, and AWAABS law.
• Experience in quality control, snagging and ensuring work meets specification.
• Demonstrable experience in construction, site inspection or building control.
• A HNC or HND in Construction Management, Building surveying or Civil Engineering, OR equivalent qualification alongside relevant industry experience in construction works and construction management.

Licences

Full UK driving licence.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• Changing and Improving

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 and Experience.

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:

Behaviour #1: Leadership

Behaviour #2: Making Effective Decisions

Behaviour #3: Communicating and Influencing

Behaviour #4: Managing a Quality Service

Behaviour #5: Changing and Improving

In the event of a tied score at interview, the order of merit will be distinguished based on the ranking of the assessed behaviours 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)