Director of Engineering and Operations

Job summary

At FCDO Services, we protect the UK’s interests at home and overseas. We design and construct secure government buildings, courier diplomatic packages worldwide, safeguard government technology, and a whole lot more. Our work is as varied and vital as it gets, but we never lose sight of our people. Their skills, aspirations and growth mean as much as the global mission we're on. In our world, it all matters.

Protecting overseas technical solutions.

Strengthening value for our customers.

Transforming partnerships through delivery.

Leading change for UK security.

It all matters.

Job description

Shape a customer-focused approach to global delivery

An incredible role, with global impact. This is your opportunity to lead the teams that design technical security and engineering solutions, reinforce embassies against seismic activity and hostile threats, deliver critical infrastructure upgrades in active crisis zones, and manage multimillion‑pound secure construction programmes across challenging locations. Commit to work that matters.

You will lead a broad portfolio that covers engineering, construction, architecture, design, security systems and project management. Previously, we’ve replaced radar domes on the Falklands, a visible deterrent, crucial for security. And we’re working on a rebuild of an embassy in a new location in Tokyo. These are the types of projects that you’ll see realised. You’ll be working for a singular, vital purpose, which is to keep the UK safe. As adversaries advance, we need to do our utmost to keep up with new developments and secure our systems.

Through a close partnership with peers and senior stakeholders, you’ll oversee that projects and programmes achieve agreed outcomes, timescales, and budgets. You’ll improve customer relationships and increase the value that we add to both the FCDO and other customers across government. Plus, you’ll uphold the organisation’s technical and professional integrity by maintaining robust engineering and sustainability standards that meet current and future customer requirements.

You will be accountable for an operational and delivery budget of approximately £60m and for leading a team of around 300 people. As a leader, you will ensure ministerial targets are met, drive innovation and continuous improvement, and promote a strong health and safety culture to keep our people working safely around the world.

Join us and you’ll do purpose-led work, every day. You’ll face challenges and feel proud when you resolve them. Lead global design and build projects, inspire a high‑performing team, and leave a lasting legacy in keeping the UK safe overseas.

Bring strong leadership and engineering expertise

To be successful in the role, you’re a driven individual, excited to bring strong leadership to engineering and operations. You’re a proactive, motivated by purpose, and have an eye for even the smallest details.

You’ll bring extensive senior operational management experience with a track record of leading a business and multidisciplinary teams at a strategic level, including large budget responsibility

You’ll have a degree in engineering, construction management, architecture or significant demonstrable experience in one or more of these fields.

Project experience is critical. You’ve led large-scale project and programme delivery in the UK and overseas, understanding and adapting to different requirements. Plus, you’ve ensured performance meets or exceeds customer, business and personal goal metrics in a global, complex project delivery environment. You have a proven ability to convert business opportunities into secure and sustainable projects and services. Your pragmatic approach is paired with exceptional commercial acumen and financial management skills.

As a leader, you’ll have strong interpersonal and communication skills. You know just how to empower, develop, and influence your team. And at a senior level, you can have a personal, credible impact.

Person specification

• Extensive senior operational management experience with a proven track record of successfully leading a business and multidisciplinary teams at a strategic level including large budget responsibility.
• A degree in Engineering, Construction Management or Architecture, or significant demonstrable experience in one of these fields.
• Significant experience in growing businesses, delivering continuous improvement and converting business opportunities in to secure and sustainable products and services in a global, complex project delivery environment to ensure performance meets or exceeds customer, business and own personal goals and metrics
• Demonstrable experience of leading large-scale project and programme delivery in the UK and overseas with an understanding of the requirements and interactions of different skill sets in a complex organisation.
• Exceptional commercial acumen and financial management skills with a pragmatic approach and drive for outstanding customer service.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with demonstrable record of personal impact with the ability to influence, develop and empower others at all levels, both internally and externally, to foster long term relationships.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Changing and Improving
• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £86,000, FCDO Services 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.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension (the example above is for illustrative purposes based on the minima)
• A leave allowance of 25 days per annum
• 9 days per annum public and privilege days

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.

Applicants should complete the online application form where they are asked to provide a personal statement and a current CV. Applicants should pay particular attention to outlining their interest in the role, relevant experience and how they meet the criteria as defined in the person specification.

In the event of a large number of applications the recruitment team will longlist against the essential criterion -

Extensive senior operational management experience with a proven track record of successfully leading a business and multidisciplinary teams at a strategic level including large budget responsibility.

For this reason, please ensure that your application addresses this criterion under a clear heading on your personal statement.

Applicant's not demonstrating the required experience in this criterion will not have passed the sift and other aspects of the personal statement will not be assessed.

Longlisted candidates may be invited to a preliminary interview which will determine progression to the shortlist. Full information will be provided in advance.

At shortlist the panel will assess and score your application in order to select those demonstrating the best fit with the role by considering both the evidence you have provided against the essential criteria set out in the ‘Person Specification’ section and the detail within your CV. Failure to address any or all of these may affect your application.

If you are shortlisted, you will be asked to take part in a series of assessments which may include psychometric tests and staff engagement assessments. Full details will be provided at the time. These assessments will not result in a pass or fail decision. Rather, they are designed to highlight areas for the panel to explore and support and inform the panel’s decision making at interview.

Shortlisted candidates will have the opportunity to speak with a representative of FCDO Services prior to the formal interview to find out more about the opportunity and the organisation. This will not form part of the formal assessment process.

Shortlisted candidates will be asked to attend a panel interview, to have an in-depth discussion of previous experiences and professional competencies in relation to the criteria set out in the ‘Person specification’. It is likely that a presentation will also be required at the interview. Full information will be provided to those invited.

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 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.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

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.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 : melissa.scott@fcdo.gov.uk
• Email : melissa.scott@fcdo.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : melissa.scott@fcdo.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact FCDOServices.Recruitment@fcdo.gov.uk in the first instance.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from FCDO Services, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For more information, please visit their website.

Attachments

Candidate Pack - Director of Engineering and Operations Final Opens in new window (pdf, 1816kB)