Navy Command - Head of Scottish Engagement - Clyde Transformation Programme

Job summary

Clyde Transformation Programme: Delivering a warfighting ready Naval Base, securing our nation, creating jobs and regional growth. This is an exciting time to join the team; the delivery environment is both challenging and rewarding.

Navy Command Headquarters (NCHQ) is the nerve centre of the Naval Service. It supports operations around the globe and provides the ships, people, aircraft and equipment to deliver the UK’s defence policy.

In Navy Command, our civil servants work alongside their military colleagues in jobs that matter; jobs which often have a direct impact on the quality of the operational capabilities we deliver. Roles can offer great job satisfaction and there are many opportunities to develop and progress both within the Ministry of Defence and across the wider Civil Service.

The Submarine Directorate in Navy Command is responsible for all submarine in service capability and availability, including oversight of the Submarine Flotilla and Clyde Naval Base.

The Grade 6 Communications & Engagement Lead provides strategic leadership for all external and internal engagement across the Clyde Transformation Programmes. The role is responsible for shaping stakeholder relationships with Scottish Government, local authorities, MPs, HMNB Clyde, community groups, regulatory bodies, and other government skills and infrastructure initiatives.

The postholder will lead the communications team, set strategic direction for all communications and engagement activity, and provide senior-level advice to the SRO, Programme Director, and wider SCS leadership. This is a senior role requiring strong judgement, political awareness, and the ability to influence across complex delivery and governance landscapes.

You will report directly to the Deputy Director Clyde Capital Programmes and will work in conjunction with Naval Regional Commander Scotland and Northern Ireland and HMNB Clyde.

You will have line management responsibility for the Clyde Transformation Programme Communications Team.

Nationality, visas, and vetting: For security reasons this role is open to sole UK nationals only. A ‘sole UK national’ refers to an individual who holds citizenship solely in the UK, without dual citizenship or nationality from another country.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

Engagement

Lead Clyde Transformation Programme strategic engagement with Scottish Government, local authorities, MPs, education providers, community groups, and wider government skills initiatives. Represent the Clyde Transformation Programme at external forums and ensure stakeholder alignment.

• Act as the primary liaison with Scottish Government officials to align Clyde Transformation Programme with national infrastructure and skills policy.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with local authorities to support planning, consenting, and community integration of programme activities.
• Coordinate engagement with Members of Parliament to ensure political awareness and support for Clyde Transformation Programme objectives.
• Develop partnerships with education providers and community organisations to promote STEM pathways and workforce development aligned to programme needs.
• Represent Clyde Transformation Programme at regional and national forums, ensuring visibility, influence, and alignment with wider government initiatives.

Communications

Manage the communications team, including the Strategic Engagement Lead. Provide strategic direction, oversee delivery of communication plans, and ensure integration with programme objectives.

• Set strategic direction for all communications activity, ensuring alignment with Clyde Transformation Programme milestones and priorities.
• Oversee development and delivery of external engagement campaigns, including media, digital, and stakeholder-facing content.
• Support internal communications planning to support organisational culture, change management, and staff engagement.
• Provide coaching, performance management, and professional development for communications team members.
• Ensure all communications products meet MOD branding and policy standards, and are tailored to diverse stakeholder audiences.

Internal Communications and Programme Support

Support internal communications across the Clyde Capital Programmes. Ensure staff are informed and engaged, and that messaging supports programme delivery and organisational culture.

• Maintain and evolve internal communication platforms (e.g. SharePoint, Teams, newsletters) to support transparency and collaboration.
• Develop messaging that supports programme delivery, change initiatives, and strategic alignment across Clyde Capital Programmes.
• Coordinate with programme leads to ensure timely and accurate dissemination of key updates and decisions.
• Lead initiatives to capture and share lessons learned, success stories, and best practices across the programme.
• Support onboarding and orientation of new staff through structured communications and welcome materials.

General

Undertake additional tasks as required to support the successful delivery of the Clyde Transformation Programmes. This may include reporting, event coordination, and contribution to cross-functional initiatives.

• Provide strategic communications advice during periods of reputational risk or high-profile programme activity.
• Lead coordination of major programme events, including stakeholder briefings, site visits, and public engagement sessions.
• Contribute to cross-functional working groups to support integration of engagement and communications across delivery functions.
• Develop and report on KPIs and impact measures for engagement and communications activity.
• Support the SRO and future SCS1 leadership with briefing materials, stakeholder mapping, and strategic engagement planning.

Person specification

Essential Experience:

• Proven leadership experience in communications, engagement, or stakeholder management at a senior level.
• Strong understanding of devolved government structures and intergovernmental engagement.
• Ability to negotiate and influence with credibility across complex organisational landscapes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience delivering clear advice to senior officials.
• Strong judgement in handling sensitive or contentious issues.
• Ability to work at pace, manage competing priorities, and lead teams through complex environments.

Desirable Experience:

• Proven leadership in strategic engagement, public affairs or stakeholder management.
• Experience managing complex stakeholder environments (government, military, corporate, public).
• Experience working within Defence or large-scale infrastructure programmes.
• Knowledge of Scottish education and skills development initiatives.
• Experience in public sector communications and policy.
• Experience advising board-level executives or ministers.
• Familiarity with digital tools and platforms that enhance engagement and communications strategies.

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £72,840, Ministry of Defence contributes £21,101 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 with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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.

Candidates can apply online via the Civil Service Jobs website by completing the application form before the deadline shown. Apply using the Civil Service Jobs apply button, filling in all required details in all sections. Using the Success Profiles link for information on format and style, ensure you provide evidence for all Behaviours requested in the appropriate competency style.

Sift Stage

Candidates will be required to complete an online CV template to include job history and previous experiences and skills. Please also include any relevant responsibilities and achievements.

Candidates will be required to complete a Statement of Suitability/Personal Statement of no more 500 words, providing details relevant to the essential and desirable experience in the job advert.

The requirements for the role have been benchmarked, and these will be used to sift all candidates, with those meeting the minimum requirements invited to interview.

Interview Stage

At interview, you will be assessed against your Experience and the following Behaviours:

• Seeing the bigger picture
• Delivering at pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership

Further Information

Candidates who are found to meet an acceptable standard at interview but are not successful in one of the advertised posts may be considered for similar roles within the Business Unit.

You will also be expected to achieve Security Check clearance for this role. Developed Vetting maybe required in the future.

Nationality, visas, and vetting: For security reasons this role is open to sole UK nationals only. A ‘sole UK national’ refers to an individual who holds citizenship solely in the UK, without dual citizenship or nationality from another country.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to 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 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

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 : navysm-dirclyderesource@mod.gov.uk
• Email : navysm-dirclyderesource@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

20260128-Submarines Directorate Candidate Pack-O Opens in new window (pdf, 7165kB)MOD Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)Candidate Information Pack Opens in new window (docx, 31kB)