
Army – Project Delivery Professionals (SEO)
Job summary
The Ministry of Defence employs over 50,000 Civil Servants. Within that, the Army Top Level Budget (TLB) employs around 7,000 MOD Civil Servants located at over 300 locations. Ours is a diverse workforce, with roles ranging from trainers, human resources, teachers, and psychologists to storekeepers, financiers, project and programme managers, and policy secretariat staff. There are many different functions and professions delivering key outputs for the Army. As such using data to aid understanding of our workforce is vital.
The Army’s Programmes Directorate brings together our key change programmes to ensure they are delivered to performance, cost and time. We are committed to Project, Programme & Portfolio Management (P3M) and delivery. From every item of basic equipment to the most ground-breaking technology imaginable, every new project brings outstanding possibilities and challenges, and we’ll ensure you’re equipped to succeed, with extensive training and development opportunities.
You will be working alongside a diverse team as our Directorate consists of Civil Servants, military colleagues and contractors, working closely to deliver the Army’s Modernisation Agenda ensuring the successful delivery of the programme through each of its critical stages.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.
Job description
This is an exciting time to join the Directorate as we seek to employ Project Delivery professionals to enhance our Project Delivery teams. We're looking for organised, motivated and dynamic individuals to support the delivery of our pivotal Programmes. You’ll be working alongside experienced colleagues making a significant contribution to Defence and the Nation.
In return, we offer the opportunity to further professionalise your experience through relevant training and/or accreditation.
This campaign has been designed to attract candidates who hold Portfolio, Programme & Project Management (P3M) experience, and are looking to further develop their skills and competence in this area. If you meet the following criteria, we would like to hear from you;
- Experience of working in a Project/Programme team, and have knowledge of project management practices, methodologies, tools, and techniques including planning, risk management, governance, frameworks, stakeholder management, change control and assurance.
- Role model behaviour; inspiring and leading team members effectively.
- Ability to clearly communicate messages to colleagues and stakeholders, overcoming barriers and taking into consideration diversity of interest.
- Establish and develop productive relationships, bringing people together to benefit the project.
- Ability to interpret and analyse data to inform decision making.
- Application of new ideas and ways of working, encourage and support innovations from others and follow ideas through to implementation.
- Well organised and able to adapt to changing circumstances and adversity whilst remaining calm, reassuring others, and maintaining performance.
- Problem-solver, adapting the best solutions and present findings convincingly.
We will be looking to utilise a reserve list from this campaign. This means that high-calibre candidates will be contacted after the interview process to discuss similar opportunities in Army Programmes without the need to re-interview.
The Army Programmes Directorate is adopting a flexible approach to our workforce to ensure that project delivery priorities are met whilst maximising opportunities in support of skills development and wider career pathways. This means that successful candidates may be allocated flexibly across the Directorate aligning to priorities.
Person specification
The roles within this campaign provide input to our most critical Programmes, some of the main responsibilities include:
Project Management
- Lead the project and the associated team on a day-to-day basis.
- Responsible for driving and overseeing the delivery of the project, ensuring that objectives are clearly defined and achieved within the agreed time, cost and quality constraints.
- Pivotal in project governance and working with stakeholders, to ensure the agreed project outputs are delivered to enable benefits to be realised.
Planning
- Work with stakeholders to ensure all aspects of the project are defined.
- Provide clarity on key milestones to define what, when and how activities will be organised to ensure the outcomes of a project can be achieved, with the resources available.
- Lead on all planning aspects, including the development, updating and monitoring of plans and schedules.
- Identify tasks, activities, interdependencies and outputs, working with the wider team to track and monitor progress against the plan throughout the life of the project.
Governance & Reporting
- Manage and control governance activities to enable effective management and decision-making.
- Ensure timely, consistent, and accurate data collection, analysis and reporting on progress and delivery confidence.
Risk, Assurance, Issues, Dependencies, Opportunities (RAIDO)
- Proactively manage risks and issues facing the Project/Programme by co-ordinating the consistent identification, documentation, monitoring and reporting of risks and issues.
- Support the relevant risk or issue owners to identify and develop appropriate mitigation plans and escalate to the next level of management where appropriate.
Benefits
- Proactively identify, quantify, and track the realisation of benefits used to justify investment in the Project/Programme.
- Ensure that a ‘fit for purpose’ approach to benefits measurement and realisation is used to provide assurance that the benefits identified can be achieved.
Programme / Project Support Officer
- Responsible for covering a diverse range of activities to support the delivery of the Project/Programme objectives.
- Enable the smooth running of the Project/Programme by supporting and leading the team through the operation of project management processes, and the co-ordination of business management actions and activities on their behalf.
Portfolio Analyst
- Responsible for the oversight of a collection of Programmes/Projects that contribute to the delivery of departmental or business area objectives.
- Focus primarily on providing insight, information and support that strengthens portfolio governance to enable prioritisation decisions and effective allocation of resources across the portfolio.
- Ensure optimal delivery of departmental/business strategic objectives in line with government priorities through the analysis of a range of information sources and engagement with programme and project stakeholders and converting this into informed insights using appropriate reporting and visualisation methods.
Successful candidates are required to hold one or more of the following qualifications listed below at Practitioner level:
- APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ)
- Prince 2 Practitioner
- Management of Portfolios
- Managing Successful Programmes
- PMI Project Management Professional
- Agile Project Manager Practitioner
- Or equivalent qualifications
To carry out the entirety of this role you must be able to achieve full Security Clearance (SC without any caveats). For further information about security vetting please search UKSV on GOV.UK
Qualifications
Successful candidates are required to hold one or more of the following qualifications listed below at Practitioner level:•APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ)
•Prince 2 Practitioner
•Management of Portfolios
•Managing Successful Programmes
•PMI Project Management Professional
•Agile Project Manager Practitioner
Please ensure you hold the certificates relevant to one of the above prior to applying. Candidates invited to interview will be asked for evidence of this.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Changing and Improving
- Leadership
- Communicating and Influencing
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Working-level evidence of understanding and experience in one of the following competencies as listed in the Project Delivery Capability Framework; •4: Planning •5: Scheduling •8: Risk & Issue management •11: Governance
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £46,040, Ministry of Defence contributes £13,337 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).The Army prides itself on being a supportive employer and where possible encourages flexible working, helping you to maintain a great work/life balance.
Other benefits for Army civil servants include:
- 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
- Highly competitive pension scheme
- Personal and professional development of skills
- Alternative working patterns for many roles
- Access to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), a free service that assists you with achieving a productive, healthy environment that is conducive to a healthy lifestyle.
- Enhanced parental and adoption leave
- 6 days special leave per year which can be used for volunteering activities
- Learning and Development
We believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference and you will be supported to help you learn and advance in your career. This includes working towards membership of a professional body and/or undertaking a modern apprenticeship as part of your role.
A modern apprenticeship is a combined package of work and training. Through the schemes available you will gain a professional qualification, practical experience, and the broader skills required to develop in your current role and pave the way for your future career.
Discover my benefits- outlines the range of benefits available to MOD Civil Servants.
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. Flexible working is encouraged with support available for a range of personal circumstances allowing a positive work/life balance.
A Great Place for Veterans to Work scheme which was introduced by the Government in 2020 under the Veterans Strategy Action Plan which included the commitment of making the Civil Service a great Place to Work for Veterans. To be eligible for this scheme in the Civil Service, candidates must meet the minimum standard for the role being applied for and:
- have served for at least one year in His Majesty’s Armed Forces (as a Regular or Reserve); this includes time spent training
- be in transition from, or ceased to be a member of, HM Armed Forces
- not already be a civil servant, or be employed by a Civil Service Commission accredited public body
- There is no maximum time limit from when you left HM Armed Forces to be eligible for this initiative.
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, Experience and Technical skills.At application you will be assessed against the following:
Experience:
- Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history and qualification details
- Personal Statement: In no more than 500 words, please demonstrate the following Essential criteria within your Personal Statement:
- Experience of working in a Project / Programme team, knowledge of project management practices, methodologies, tools, and techniques to contribute to successful project delivery including planning, scheduling, risk management, governance, frameworks, stakeholder management, change control and assurance.
- Ability to inspire and lead team members effectively. Able to set clear direction and able to motivate others to work towards a common goal.
- Strong stakeholder management skills: ability to establish and develop productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders, bringing people together to benefit the project.
- Strong organisational skills supported by robust planning and prioritisation. Can adapt to changing circumstances and adverse situations whilst remaining calm, reassuring others, and maintaining performance.
At interview you will be assessed against the following:
Behaviours:
- Changing & Improving
- Leadership
- Communicating & influencing
Technical:
At interview you will be asked to provide working-level evidence of understanding and experience in one of the following competencies as listed in the Project Delivery Capability Framework; Project delivery capability framework - Government Project Delivery
4: Planning 5: Scheduling 8: Risk & Issue management 11: Governance
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.
There may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all DCS candidates that meet the minimum criteria for the job. For example, in certain recruitment situations such as a high volume of applications, seasonal demand, or peak periods, the employer may wish to limit the overall number of interviews offered to both DCS and non-DCS applicants.
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.
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.
This campaign also requires successful completion of an online judgment & verbal test.
Should you be invited to complete the online tests, please allow sufficient time to complete the tests and the remainder of the full application form; only candidates who are successful at the test stage will be invited to complete the remainder of the application by clicking ‘Submit Application’.
Your application must be completed by 23:55 on the closing date of the vacancy. Late submissions cannot be accepted. The tests are not timed, as they work by giving you harder questions if you answer the previous question correctly, and easier if you get it wrong. You should allow up to an hour for each test, and each test must be completed before you will be invited to complete the second part of your application. Internet access will be required for the duration of the test. Please refer to the attached Candidate Guidance for further information.
Candidates that reach the minimum required pass mark will have their results saved as a banked score against the following tests:
- New Civil Service Verbal Test
- Civil Service Judgement Test
When a candidate has a banked score they’re not asked to re-take the same test providing it is set at the same level. Scores will be banked for a 6 month period from the date of test completion. If a candidate is invited to take the same test against multiple vacancies, the banked score will be recognised against all vacancies and all active applications will progress.
If you require any particular arrangements (for example due to a disability or health problem) to be made in order for you to complete the online test you MUST contact the DBS Enquiry Centre on 0800 345 7772 BEFORE accessing the online test.
Opening times Mon -Friday 0800- 1600 hrs.
Application sifting will take place one week following the closure of the advert.
A minimum of 2 full working days’ notice will be provided for interviews.
We endeavour to keep within these timeframes, however they are subject to change around business needs.
CANDIDATE INFORMATION
Please read this document prior to completing your application.
Please note: internal candidates must include their staff number when prompted during the application process.
Should you have any queries relating to the vacancy information or sift and interview process, please contact the recruiting line manager using the contact details listed on the vacancy. Please do not direct vacancy related queries to the recruitment team as they will be unable to advise.
FURTHER INFORMATION
CV’s
Should the selection process require a CV, you will be prompted to complete the required criteria during the application process. CV’s sent directly to the recruiting line manager will be deleted immediately to maintain anonymity.
Civil Servants (all grades)
Applicants should monitor their Civil Service Jobs application centre regularly for updates.
Some of MoD’s Terms and Conditions of Service (TACOS) changed from 3 February 2014. Those TACOS changes applied to Broader Banded and Skill Zone staff who were new recruits to MoD or who were appointed to a post on substantive promotion, progression or advancement. On the same basis, the TACOS for Departmental Retained Grades changed with effect from 01 September 2014.
Applicants should be aware that any move across the Civil Service on or after 5 October 2018 may have implications on an employee’s ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers.
Please see link below to Civil Service Recruitment Principles http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/201…
Please see the MOD Privacy notice which informs how we will use your personal data, explains your rights and gives you information you are entitled to under Data Protection legislation.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministry-of-defence-privacy-…
Non Civil Servants
All employees joining MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a 6-month probation period effective from the employment start date.
COMPLAINTS
Please be aware that the selection and interviewing of applicants is the responsibility of the Recruiting Line Manager (RLM) and not the Defence Business Services (DBS) Resourcing team. DBS does not play any part in the selection and interview process itself.
Therefore, if you wish to discuss your feedback, or you are dissatisfied with your markings, you should in the first instance raise this with the Recruiting Line Manager of the vacancy.
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
FOR EXTERNAL VACANCIES 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
Cabinet Office Fraud Checks
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant whose details are found to be held on the IFD will be refused employment.
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
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
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 :
Recruitment team
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
Salary range
- £46,040 per year












