Director of Corporate Services - Marine Management Organisation (MMO)

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Hybrid

Expires: Expiring in 6 days

Management

Flexible

£86,000 per year

Job summary

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is an executive non-departmental public body of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural

Driven by government’s aim for clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas, MMO’s purpose is to protect and enhance our precious marine environment, and support UK economic growth by enabling sustainable marine activities and development.

We are the independent regulator for England’s seas, professionally delivering service-focussed outcomes for our customers.

We are a team of around 500 people and combine our Newcastle upon Tyne and London operations with a local presence around the English coastline in Brixham, Beverley, Harwich, Hastings, Lowestoft, North Shields, Hayle, Plymouth, Poole, Portsmouth, Preston, Scarborough, Shoreham, Whitehaven

The Director of Corporate Services provides strategic leadership and oversight for the MMO’s core enabling functions, including Finance, Human Resources, Estates, Commercial & Procurement, Corporate Governance, Business Planning, Risk & Assurance. The post-holder ensures that the MMO operates as a financially sustainable, well‑governed, transparent, and high‑performing organisation, capable of delivering its statutory marine management responsibilities.

The role is central to ensuring that the MMO has the resources, systems, culture, and organisational resilience required to deliver its strategic goals. The Director leads the development of corporate strategies, oversees statutory and regulatory compliance, and ensures that corporate services operate to the highest professional standards. The post-holder acts as a key adviser to the CEO, Executive Leadership Team (ELT), and MMO Board on financial stewardship, organisational performance, and corporate risk.

Providing strategic leadership for all Corporate Services functions, ensuring they operate as a unified, high‑performing directorate that supports MMO’s operational and regulatory delivery. Leading the development and delivery of the MMO’s financial strategy, ensuring long‑term sustainability, value for money, and compliance with Managing Public Money.

Oversee the Estates Strategy, ensuring safe, modern, and efficient workplaces across MMO’s national footprint.

Job description

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The role holder provides visible, strategic leadership and direction across all corporate enabling functions, ensuring they work cohesively to support MMO’s mission. This role requires “vision, drive, and creativity” to shape services that “make a significant and lasting difference through their work and your ability to influence others” by providing strategic leadership for all Corporate Services functions, ensuring they operate as a unified, high‑performing directorate that supports MMO’s operational and regulatory delivery.

Lead the development and delivery of the MMO’s financial strategy and People Strategy, ensuring long‑term sustainability, value for money, and compliance with Managing Public Money.

Leadership of the People function, shaping the MMO people strategy, defining and shaping alignment to MMO

Lead the MMO’s financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and reporting.

Ensure compliance with HMT, Defra Group Finance, and NAO requirements.

Oversee financial controls, audit responses, and stewardship of public funds.

Provide strategic advice to the CEO and Board on financial risks and opportunities

Lead the development of the MMO Corporate Plan, Annual Report & Accounts, and business planning cycle.

Ensure effective governance structures, including Board and Committee support.

Oversee organisational performance reporting and corporate risk management.

Lead the delivery of the Estates Strategy, ensuring safe, compliant, and cost‑effective workplaces.

Act as a key member of the ELT, shaping corporate strategy and organisational direction.

Provide cross‑cutting leadership across the MMO, ensuring alignment between corporate services and operational delivery.

Accountabilities

The Director of Corporate Services holds full accountability for the strategic direction, operational delivery, and integrity of MMO’s corporate services teams. This includes responsibility for the performance of finance, HR, Governance and risk. The post-holder reports directly to the MMO CEO and operates with a high degree of autonomy and discretion.

Financial stewardship of the MMO’s budget and funding.

Oversight of estates contracts, commercial agreements, and corporate suppliers.

Statutory reporting, including Annual Report & Accounts.

Corporate governance, risk management, and audit response.

Organisational performance reporting to the CEO, Board, and Defra.

The post-holder has overall responsibility for the success and impact of Corporate services across MMO, including governance, finance, and HR.

Accountable for ensuring that corporate services aligns with MMO’s organisational goals, enabling evidence-based decision-making and long-term value creation.

Building and mentoring teams, fostering a culture of innovation.

Accountable for delivery to the CEO to provide robust and credible outputs and information to support MMO funding and efficiencies – including commissions to inform Ministerial decision making.

Accountable as SRO for corporate services for the MMO. This includes putting measures in place, and monitoring/responding to Governance/Audit and organisational capability.

Ensuring the department uses public money legally, efficiently, and transparently.

Embedding value-for-money principles across HR, estates, digital, procurement, and other corporate functions.

Providing assurance to ministers, Parliament, and the public that the department is compliant, well‑run, and transparent.
Accountable for the MMO financial budget (people and contracts) which equates to circa £6m per year. This includes acting as SRO for delivery of the grant funded projects up to £4m.

Person specification

Essential criteria

Senior Leadership - Proven track record of senior leadership across corporate functions (Finance, HR, Estates, Governance, Commercial), with demonstrated success in building a unified, high-performing "corporate core." Proven experience as an inspiring people leader skilled at building, mentoring, and empowering multidisciplinary teams, driving high performance, and shaping a strong people-centered culture.

Financial Governance- Strong knowledge of public sector finance, Managing Public Money, and audit requirements. Proven capability acting as a Senior Responsible Owner (SRO), with full accountability for multi-million-pound budgets (including core operational budgets and grant-funded programmes) to ensure value for money, legal transparency, and robust advice to Ministers and Boards.

Governance & Strategic Assurance - Extensive experience overseeing robust corporate governance, risk management, and statutory reporting cycles, including the delivery of Annual Report & Accounts, Corporate Plans, and performance frameworks. Proven ability to provide credible, evidence-based assurance to Chief Executives, Boards, and external oversight bodies in a highly regulated environment.

Stakeholder Management- Experience operating with political sensitivity and integrity in a cross-departmental environment. Ability to act as a dynamic, enthusiastic change agent who collaborates cross-functionally with senior leadership and Directors to align corporate strategy with operational delivery. A strategic thinker with a commitment to driving the strategic aims of MMO.

Strategic Insight- Ability to Interpret complex financial, operational, and risk information to inform long-term strategic decisions, influence policy, and shape ministerial commissions. Demonstrated experience balancing competing organisational needs to deliver resilient, cost-effective, and safe operational footprints.

Desirable Criteria

CCAB or equivalent professional finance qualification.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £86,000, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £24,914 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%

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

As part of the application process, candidates are asked to complete a CV and Personal Statement (no more than 1000 words) on how your relevant skills and experience meet the essential criteria. Completed applications must be submitted to CS Jobs no later than the closing date of 23:55 24th August 2026.

Sift

A sift will be conducted against the essential criteria and will assess your experience.

Applications will be assessed by the selection panel and shortlisted. (please note: feedback is not given at the shortlist stage)

Assessment

If you are shortlisted, you will be asked to take part in an Individual Leadership Assessment (ILA) advance of the final panel interview. This assessment will not result in a pass or fail decision. Rather, it is designed to support the panel’s decision making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview.

Full details of the assessment process will be provided to shortlisted candidates at the earliest opportunity.

For further information regarding the assessments please visit - https://scs-assessments.co.uk/

Interview

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend a panel interview to have a more in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification.

As part of the process there may be assessment of skills either by a presentation or simulated exercise with follow up questions. Full details of the requirements will be given to shortlisted candidates ahead of their interview.

SELECTION AND FEEDBACK

Regardless of the outcome, we will notify all candidates as soon as possible, and will offer the opportunity to discuss feedback for all candidates who reached interview. A reserve list will be held for up to 12 months, which we may use to fill future suitable vacancies.

EXPECTED TIME LINE

We will try and offer as much flexibility as we can, but it may not be possible to offer alternative dates for assessments or interviews. You are therefore asked to note the below timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process, to meet the dates given.

Please note that these dates are only indicative may be subject to change. If you anticipate any difficulties attending, please alert scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk upon application.

The anticipated timetable is as follows:

Advert Closing date: 23:55, Monday 24th August

Shortlist: W/C 7th September

Assessments: W/C 14th September

Panel Interviews: W/C 28th September

It is expected that interviews will be conducted in-person in London, however this will be confirmed during the shortlisting process and successful candidates will be informed accordingly.

Reasonable Adjustment

We're committed to making reasonable adjustments for Disability Confident Scheme applicants and will try to remove any barriers so you're not at a disadvantage during the selection/recruitment process/ Interview / assessment including; allowing extra time during selection tests: ensuring that information is provided in an accessible format or; by providing training. We're also committed to interviewing all applicants with a disability who meet the minimum criteria for the role applied for.
If you feel that you may need a reasonable adjustment to be made, or you'd like to discuss the disability confident scheme In more detail please contact us in the first instance. If you wish to receive a hard copy of the information, or in an alternative format e.g. Audio, Braille or large font then please contact: scsrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further Information

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact: scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Reserve lists

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months, which the Civil Service may use to fill future suitable vacancies across government for candidates who are considered appointable following interview.

Complaints

Civil Service Commission Selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit, on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.

In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles, our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of appointment on the basis of merit by fair and open competition. If you feel 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; scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk and more information can be found at www.civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.

As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.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

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Contact point for applicants

Salary range

£86,000 per year