SDA Integrated Logistic Support (ILS) Manager

Job summary

The Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) is a part of the Ministry of Defence responsible for the procurement, in-service support, and disposal of the UK’s nuclear submarines. Our work is of unparalleled strategic importance nationally and internationally, ensuring the security of the UK’s continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent (CASD), and delivering some of the most technically complex programmes in defence. At least one of four nuclear-armed submarines, supported by smaller attack submarines, is on patrol at all times: 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

At the SDA, we strive to Support, Deliver and Aspire and put our values at the heart of our recruitment process. We believe that everyone should feel comfortable to be themselves and be supported to do their best work. As part of a diverse and inclusive workforce, our team will find a community to belong to. We believe that, by celebrating different backgrounds and different perspectives, together we’ll achieve the extraordinary.

This position is advertised at full time is 37 hours per week.

The primary delivery location for this position is Bristol Abbey Wood.

Please note, due to the level of security, this role is reserved for UK nationals only.

Hybrid and flexible working can be considered for this post but will need regular workplace attendance due to security constraints. Candidates are encouraged to discuss options with the recruiting line manager before submitting an application.

Job description

The Integrated Logistic Support (ILS) Manager is responsible for leading, planning, and managing key aspects of the DEFSTAN 00 600 scope for the Dreadnought-class submarine programme.

You will collaborate closely with the Spares/Logistics Lead and the Technical Information Lead. Although not directly responsible for these disciplines, the role requires ensuring alignment, integration, and coherence across all logistic support elements as mandated by DEFSTAN 00 600.

The post holder will be accountable for contracting, overseeing, and assuring the delivery of ILS products and support solutions from Industry across all systems and equipment fitted to the submarine.

Working at the heart of a strategically critical national defence programme, the ILS Manager ensures that Industry delivers a coherent, integrated, and effective support solution capable of achieving the required platform availability and enabling Continuous At Sea Deterrence (CASD).

Key Responsibilities

ILS Programme Management

• Lead the planning, coordination, and delivery of all DEFSTAN 00 600 ILS activities for the Dreadnought programme.
• Develop, manage, and maintain the ILS programme plan, deliverables, and assurance activities.
• Ensure all Industry partners deliver ILS artefacts to the required standard, quality, and schedule.
• Interpret and apply DEFSTAN 00 600 requirements, ensuring they are contracted, understood, and implemented effectively across all systems and equipment suppliers

Contracting & Supplier Management

• Develop ILS statements of work, contract requirements, and acceptance criteria aligned to DEFSTAN 00 600.
• Engage with Industry to negotiate, place, and manage the ILS elements of equipment and system contracts.
• Monitor contractor performance, ensuring timely and compliant delivery of supportability documentation and analysis.
• Chair and/or participate in ILS review meetings, design reviews, and support working groups.

Assuring a Coherent Support Solution

• Ensure that all logistic support elements (e.g., maintenance planning, supportability analysis, LORA, support equipment etc) are delivered in an integrated and coherent manner. Work with Spares and Tech Info leads to ensure the combined workscopes align to deliver a coherent support solution for Dreadnought.
• Validate that the combined support solution will deliver the required submarine availability targets and underpin CASD.
• Provide leadership to Engineering, Safety, Training, Digital and Data, Supply Chain, and Support Delivery teams to deliver end-to-end supportability.
• Conduct ILS risk identification, tracking, and mitigation to safeguard programme outcomes.

Cross-Functional Integration

• Collaborate closely with the Spares/Logistics Lead to ensure that provisioning, inventory planning, and support chain readiness align with supportability analysis and maintenance concepts.
• Coordinate with the Tech Info Lead to ensure publications, S1000D data, and technical documentation are coherent with the wider support solution.
• Ensure alignment across all ILS disciplines and verify that all outputs integrate into a complete, compliant support package.

Assurance, Governance & Reporting

• Provide assurance that all ILS deliverables meet the mandated DEFSTAN 00 600 requirements and lead corrective actions.
• Prepare and deliver reports, dashboards, and updates to senior leadership and stakeholders.
• Support programme governance boards, user working groups, and MoD assurance activities.
• Maintain clear audit trails, compliance evidence, and configuration control.
• Maintain the Support Solution Delivery Tool (SSDT) and engage with Defence Support to ensure acceptable 3LoD support assurance.

If you need to contact Defence Business Services (DBS) regarding this vacancy, please indicate that your vacancy is being handled by the SDA Recruitment Team. If you experience any technical difficulties with the CS Jobs system, please contact the Support Team at candidate@support.oleeo.com

Person specification

To be successful with your application you must demonstrate that you meet the following Essential Criteria:

• Proven experience delivering ILS or supportability programmes in accordance with DEFSTAN 00-600/601, ASD 1000-5000 and Through Life Support.(or equivalent standards).
• Understanding of Support Analysis in accordance with ASD S Series S3000L.
• Understanding of Maintenance Planning in accordance with ASD Series S4000P.
• Experience in Support Contracting arrangements, Milestone management, Cost, Performance and Industrial Partner management to achieve Programme Outcomes.
• Strong understanding of submarine or complex defence systems support solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to lead supplier-facing programmes and manage contract deliverables.
• Experience integrating multiple ILS disciplines into a cohesive support solution.
• Excellent stakeholder management, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Ability to interpret technical information and influence engineering and logistic decision-making.

Behaviours

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Changing and Improving
• Leadership

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

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

• Develop and Implement a Support Solutions - Expert
• Continuous Improvement to Optimise Support - Expert
• Review, Validate and Assure Support Solutions – Expert

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £61,100, Ministry of Defence contributes £17,700 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%

Discover My Benefits: Please follow the link to visit the Discover My Benefits site which showcases the benefits and discounts offered when working as a civilian for the MOD: https://discovermybenefits.mod.gov.uk/civilian/

This post does not offer any assistance with Relocation Allowances.

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

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, Experience and Technical skills.

At the Sift Stage, Applications will be assessed against the following.

Experience:

• Candidates will be required to provide job history and qualification details.
• Personal Statement - This should be a maximum of 1000 words that sets out your motivation for applying and shows how your skills and experience meet the essential and desirable requirements for the role.

Behaviours:

• Managing a Quality Service - CSBC4
• Communicating and Influencing - CSBC4
• Delivering at Pace - CSBC4

Technical Competencies:

• Develop and Implement a Support Solution - Expert
• Continuous Improvement to Optimise Support - Expert
• Review, Validate and Assure Support Solutions - Expert

At the Interview Stage,Candidates will be assessed against the following.

Experience:

Personal Statement/ Experience - The panel will ask questions about your personal statement. Exploring your Past Experiences, Key Achievements or Qualifications.

Behaviours:

• Making Effective Decisions - CSBC4
• Changing And Improving - CSBC4
• Leadership - CSBC4

Technical Competencies:

• Develop and Implement a Support Solution - Expert
• Continuous Improvement to Optimise Support - Expert

Please refer to the Technical Skills Framework and Behaviour document attached.

The sift will be completed within 10 working days of the vacancy closing date. Interviews will be held on a date to be confirmed.

Requests to work flexibly and/or part time will be considered, taking into account business needs. Please note the salary will be pro-rata where part time hours are undertaken.

All employees joining Ministry of Defence who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a 6-month probation period (unless otherwise advised) effective from the employment start date.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.

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.

This post does not offer any assistance with relocation allowances.

This vacancy is part of the A Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative. Making the Civil Service a Great Place to Work for Veterans - GOV.UK

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 DBSFPCP-SRMResourcingSDA@mod.gov.uk

SDA Reward Offer - Working for SDA - Submarine Delivery Agency - GOV.UK

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.

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. 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.

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 : Gordon Mailer
• Email : Gordon.Mailer268@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSFPCP-SRMResourcingSDA@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please see Further Information document.

Attachments

20240927-Through Life Support Pl_SDA_Success_Profiles-FINAL-O Opens in new window (pdf, 141kB)20250718-Operational Delivery Technical Competences FY22-23 (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 539kB)Defence Civil Service Offer (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)20241009 - Further Information - External Opens in new window (docx, 38kB)