CSM - Head of Governance

Job summary

Are you ready to support one of the most ambitious transformation programmes in Defence? Corporate Services underpin the daily operations of 250,000 people across Defence. From payroll to procurement, these services are critical to mission success. MOD is modernising HR, Finance, and Commercial services through policy, process, organisational, data, and systems transformation, aligned with the Government Shared Services Strategy. More information on the Shared Services agenda can be found through this link: A Shared Services Strategy for Government - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Our ambition is to:

• Enhance user experience through simplified processes, intuitive systems, and responsive support.

• Enable data-driven decision-making using Oracle ERP, HCM, and EPM technologies, integrated analytics, and AI.

• Improve productivity and efficiency by automating transactions, optimising shared service centres, and reducing costs for reinvestment into frontline Defence.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is seeking a proactive and detail-oriented Head of Governance to support the Corporate Services Modernisation (CSM) Programme, a top strategic priority for Defence.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Due to the nature of the role, part time and job share arrangements may be considered, subject to the requirement that full-time hours are fully covered (or business needs are met).

Job description

The Head of Governance builds, owns and continuously improves the governance management framework for the Corporate Services Modernisation programme. The role designs the framework through which CSM is governed, brings the programme into a single coherent governance model, owns the governance audit function, and manages governance integration with the wider Defence and government landscape.

The role reports to the Head of Governance, Assurance and PMO and line manages the Secretariat and Board Manager. It assures the secretariat function but does not run the secretariat itself: that delivery sits with the SEO.

Key responsibilities:

Governance management framework

• Build, develop, implement and maintain the CSM governance management framework, ensuring it is fit for purpose and evolves with the programme's needs and stages. (Governance and Reporting Manager 4; GovS 002 section 4.1)

• Bring the CSM programme into a single coherent governance model, developing governance arrangements for CSM Programme Board and Sponsor Group. (Governance and Reporting Manager 4)

• Manage board operating rhythms, terms of reference, decision rights, escalation routes and forward planning across all CSM governance fora. (Governance and Reporting Manager 4; GovS 002 section 5.2)
• Understand and communicate the organisation's governance pathways, driving appropriate use of boards and building governance into the programme lifecycle. (Governance and Reporting Manager 4)

Governance audit and assurance of the secretariat

• Manage the governance audit function, ensuring governance arrangements are operating as intended and meeting MOD, Cabinet Office and government standards. (GovS 002 section 4.1)

• Assure the secretariat function delivered by the Secretariat and Board Manager, ensuring the audit trail of actions and decisions is sound. (GovS 002 section 4.3)
• Ensure internal and external reviews, audits and compliance checks are escalated and signed off appropriately through boards. (GovS 002 section 4.2)

Wider integration

• Manage governance integration with other PMOs across wider Defence and cross-government governance structures, ensuring CSM governance aligns with the wider landscape. (Portfolio Manager 2)
• Engage senior stakeholders across Defence, wider government and delivery partners to ensure governance arrangements are understood and embedded. (Portfolio Manager 2)

Risk and issues in governance

• Ensure risks and issues are an integral part of the governance cycle and that boards give adequate time to key risks and issues. (Governance and Reporting Manager 4)

Knowledge and information management

• Set knowledge and information processes for governance that conform to organisational standards, quality assure adherence and disseminate lessons learned. (Governance and Reporting Manager 4; GovS 002 section 8.10)

Continuous improvement

• Regularly review and improve governance processes, drawing on feedback, audit findings and best practice, and foster a culture of transparency and accountability. (Governance and Reporting Manager 4)

Line management

• Line manage and develop the Secretariat and Board Manager, providing coaching, support and professional development. (Portfolio Manager 2)

Boundaries

The role owns the governance framework but does not own the following:

• Secretariat delivery: agendas, paper commissioning, minute drafting and action logging are run by the Secretariat and Board Manager. This role assures that function and approves its outputs.

• Assurance function and reporting regime: owned by the Assurance Manager and the Head of Governance, Assurance and PMO. This role ensures governance and assurance interlock.

• Business case, finance and benefits: owned by the Deputy Director and the finance and benefits functions.

Person specification

Essential:

• Significant experience in governance or portfolio and programme management in a complex, fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrable experience designing and owning a governance framework, including boards, terms of reference and decision rights.
• Strong understanding of risk, assurance and compliance frameworks, and of GovS 002.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to summarise complex issues for senior audiences.
• Proven ability to build relationships and influence stakeholders at all levels, including across organisational boundaries.
• Experience leading and developing staff.

Desirable :

• Experience in Defence, government or large-scale transformation programmes.
• Relevant professional qualifications, such as APM, PRINCE2, Managing Successful Programmes, Management of Portfolios or audit and assurance certifications.

Technical competencies :

Proficiency scale: A = Awareness , W = Working , P = Practitioner , E = Expert. Levels reflect the Governance and Reporting Manager 4 profile.

Competency

PDCF role family

Required level

Governance

Governance and Reporting Manager 4

Assurance

Governance and Reporting Manager 4

Frameworks and methodologies

Governance and Reporting Manager 4

Risk and issue management

Governance and Reporting Manager 4

W

Stakeholder engagement

Governance and Reporting Manager 4 / Portfolio Manager 2

W-P

Knowledge management

Governance and Reporting Manager 4

W

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Changing and Improving
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £61,630, Ministry of Defence contributes £17,854 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).

• 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 employer contribution of 28.97%

FTA:

The CSM portfolio is recruiting to two-year FTAs, with the possibility of extension subject to business requirements and approvals.

If you are a permanent MOD civil servant and are successful in securing an advertised Fixed-Term Appointment (FTA), it may be possible to agree a Temporary Transfer, subject to the agreement of your current MOD business area. Where a Temporary Transfer is agreed and the post is at a higher grade, any promotion will be temporary, and you will return to your substantive grade at the end of the Temporary Transfer.

Existing Civil Servants from outside MOD and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply but will only be considered on a loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant, including arrangements regarding grade on return

Hybrid Working
Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and working from home as part of a non-contractual hybrid working arrangement. All office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to site capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD workplace, will also count towards this level of office attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this and other flexible working arrangements may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Any move to MOD 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/.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

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.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and technical competencies from the Project Delivery Capability Framework; Project delivery capability framework - Government Project Delivery to assess your Behaviours and Experience during sift and interview.

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability. (750 Word count)

At sift, Candidates will be assessed against their CV, Statement of suitability and the following:

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving

Applications will be sifted on all Success Profile elements, but in the event of a high number of applications, the sift will be conducted on your Leadership, Making Effective Decisions and CV only.

At interview, Candidates will be assessed against the following:

Behaviours:

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving

Further information:

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.

There may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all DCS candidates that meet the minimum criteria for the job. For example, in certain recruitment situations such as a high volume of applications, seasonal demand, or peak periods, the employer may wish to limit the overall number of interviews offered to both DCS and non-DCS applicants.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category, and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system.
Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

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 : Michael Steinberg
• Email : Michael.Steinberg100@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-ResourcingTeam3@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: info@csc.gov.uk.

Attachments

Candidate Information 2025 Opens in new window (docx, 31kB)Defence Internal Brief Notice Opens in new window (docx, 39kB)MOD Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)