Director of Strategy and Transformation- The Marine Management Organisation (MMO)

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Hybrid

Expires: Expiring in less than 2 weeks

Flexible

£86,000 per year

Job summary

MMO has embarked upon an ambitious transformation that will realise our ambition to become a service organisation, reorienting the MMO to the delivery of end-to-end services, where the whole organisation collaborates to deliver shared outcomes. Building capability that supports cross functional service teams that are empowered deliver and change services. Leading and supporting the organisational design and enablement through expert support functions of project, service design and product owners.

The main objectives of the role will be to lead and oversee the Transformation Programme, creating a unified function of experts, who can collaborate within multi disciplined teams, that think and act as one, creating a culture of high performance, innovation and growth.

Overseeing the MMO programme to deliver Secretary of State regulatory reform priorities, including as senior representative at Defra Programme Boards and Committees

Lead on Organisational Design in collaboration with lead Directors for the services transformation, which will describe the delivery structure for the relevant service in an Operating Model, aligned to the needs of MMO in the future is able to flex as needs change. Our structure and approach will be sustainable, with a clear focus for investment in our people.

Provide strategic, visible leadership and direction to transformation, as well as having a proven strengths in communication and engagement with internal and external stakeholders.

Shape and lead strategic change and make a significant and lasting difference through their work and ability to influence others. To achieve this they will need vision, drive, and creativity. They will foster ongoing service flexibility, future proof business services in line with the MMO approach to Service Transformation and use creative solutions to sustain best practice in close collaboration with other ELT Directors and Defra Group partners.

Job description

The role holder will provide strategic visible leadership and direction to transformation, as well as having a proven strengths in communication and engagement with internal and external stakeholders.

This will include the Programme of change to deliver the Transformation programme, and use their delivery expertise to drive effective delivery, overcome barriers and engage stakeholders and staff. They will also provide professional support, persuasive argument and challenge to both the programme team but also the ELT (SCS) sponsors tasked with leading elements of the transformation. This role is critical to driving the delivery of far-reaching change, fundamentally reshaping how the MMO operates.
The post holder will shape and lead strategic change and make a significant and lasting difference through their work and ability to influence others. To achieve this they will need vision, drive, and creativity. They will foster ongoing service flexibility, future proof business services in line with the MMO approach to Service Transformation and use creative solutions to sustain best practice in close collaboration with other ELT Directors and Defra Group partners. They will be a champion and figurehead across the team.

The role will directly lead a small Programme team responsible for the effective delivery and/or co-ordination of key elements of the transformation of the function. The post holder will be responsible for leading with and through others, including the relevant ELT Director in their role as SRO, Leadership Team, the Function’s leadership team colleagues, and MMO through the successfully managed transformation to the new technologies, structures and ways of working. They will use their professional expertise to build in the right level of controls, sequencing and planning.
The post holder will also lead on business planning and workforce planning for the Directorate and work with colleagues to ensure our strong management control and milestone delivery across the wider function. To achieve this, they will combine knowledge of the strategic direction of MMO and align this with the corporate direction. The post holder will be accountable for the development people framework to keep developing their skills and capability, improve our use of data and information, streamline process and organisational structures, and give our people the technology and digital tools they need to succeed.
Director of Strategy and Transformation role will lead the strategic planning and delivery of transformation programmes across the organisation, ensuring modern, efficient, and citizen-focused public services. This role is pivotal in driving cultural, digital, and organisational change aligned with government priorities.

Director of Strategy and Transformation holds a critical leadership role within MMO, directly accountable for the success, integrity, and impact of strategic change initiatives. This post carries significant responsibility for decision-making, resource stewardship, and organisational outcomes, with a high degree of autonomy and visibility across the executive landscape:

Overseeing large-scale transformation initiatives that align with business goals and future growth.
Final say on the design, delivery, and evaluation of transformation programmes, ensuring alignment with MMO’s strategic objectives and future growth.
Accountable for translating executive vision into actionable change, the Director leads cross-functional initiatives that reshape how MMO operates and delivers public value.
Defining success metrics, tracking progress, and ensuring transformation efforts deliver tangible results.
Directly answerable for the outcomes of transformation efforts, including delivery against success metrics, stakeholder satisfaction, and long-term organisational impact.
Leads performance management across transformation teams, ensuring that delivery milestones are met and that corrective action is taken when needed.
Exercises broad discretion in determining how transformation is approached, prioritised, and implemented, within the bounds of MMO policy, government legislation, and public sector governance.
Makes independent decisions on programme scope, delivery models, and stakeholder engagement strategies, often in complex or politically sensitive environments.
While reporting to the CEO, the Director is expected to operate with a high level of autonomy and strategic judgment.
Creating a mindset shift, encouraging collaboration, and fostering an innovation-driven culture.
Plays a key role in corporate decision-making, shaping MMO’s strategic direction, operating model, and investment priorities through transformation leadership.
Ensuring transformation projects deliver return on investment and adhere to budget constraints.
Accountable for the effective use of public funds allocated to transformation programmes, ensuring value for money, transparency, and measurable return on investment.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

Strategic Transformation Leadership: Proven track record of leading and delivering complex, large-scale organisational transformation and service design, with the vision to translate strategy into sustainable, end-to-end operational change.
Senior Stakeholder & Collaborative Influence: Exceptional diplomatic and communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to navigate ambiguity, influence senior leadership teams and Boards, and build trusted partnerships across complex organisational boundaries.
Empowering & Inclusive People Leadership: Strong track record as an empathetic, visible leader who drives a high-performance culture, builds cross-functional capability, and inspires multidisciplinary teams through major change.
Public Sector Navigation & Regulatory Alignment: Deep understanding of governance, public accountability, and political environments, with the capability to align strategic priorities with broader government reforms and ensure value for public funds.
Programme Oversight & Agile Delivery: Expertise in shaping and executing major change portfolios, balancing rigorous risk and milestone management with flexible, modern delivery approaches to achieve tangible business outcomes.

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 7th September 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 7th September

Shortlist: W/C 21st September

Assessments: W/C 8th September

Panel Interviews: W/C 12th October

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