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The UK’s independent nuclear deterrent is essential to our nation’s security, safeguarding our values and way of life for more than 70 years. Day in, day out, right across the country and beyond, thousands of people are working together to achieve a shared mission: to deliver capabilities, deter the threat and protect the nation. To deliver that mission the DNO has undergone significant transformation over the last three years. Wide-ranging action to enable and strengthen delivery across the DNE has been taken but there is more to do. With 8 GMPP programmes within the DNE (many that are interdependent) and bespoke financial arrangements, we are tackling a hugely exciting and challenging portfolio.

At the heart of the DNE, the DNO is responsible for provision of the nuclear deterrent (our submarines and nuclear warheads) as well as advising on UK nuclear policy, planning and international co-operation on nuclear matters. As an organisation of 700+ we are a multidisciplinary team with skills spanning science, engineering, finance, policy, programme delivery and more. We work in partnership with the Royal Navy, and sponsor the Submarine Delivery Agency and Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) delivering some of the more complex projects and programmes imaginable.

Job description

The post-holder will be a central leadership figure in the DNO and wider DNE. As DG Strategy you will be accountable for delivering the strategic intent of the DNO as an organisation and for establishing the conditions for strategic success in the wider DNE. That will be done through a combination of ownership of the corporate functions, the cross-cutting perspective gained in the role to identify risk and opportunities and the financial levers to put in place courses of action to mitigate or exploit those. All that you do will require an understanding of the complexity and nuance of the DNE and the levers available to implement the DNE Strategic Plan.

The post-holder will have to oversee the bespoke financial arrangements that exist for the DNE and provide advice to CDN on how best to use those levers. This includes a ringfenced budget, a delegation to CDN of £1bn and certain budget flexibilities to allow for changes in-year and across years. The DG Strategy will be responsible for the overall operation and management of that budget and for ensuring that CDN’s accountabilities as Additional Accounting Officer are being discharged in accordance with her delegation.

You will be accountable for the smooth functioning of the DNO and will manage a team of c500 FTE across five Directorates. You will be responsible for Strategic Workforce Planning and designing the future size and shape of the DNO to ensure it is best placed to deliver its objectives.

Key responsibilities

Driving implementation of the DNE Strategic Plan and subsequent Area Plans through the Strategy and Enterprise Portfolio Directors
Strategic Finance across the DNE (with the finance teams of the DNO and SDG reporting into the new DG). Driving continued improvement in our financial and commercial management to drive efficiencies and cost control across DNE.
Investment approvals: driving best practice across risk, financial and commercial aspects of our investments across the DNE. This will include chairing the Defence Nuclear Investment Committee.
Oversight of our sponsorship model for AWE (c£2bn per annum budget) and SFIL (managing a c£1bn capex programme).
Risk management: working with the Enterprise Portfolio Director and Safety and Security Director, continue to drive our focus on understanding and mitigating portfolio risk across the integrated business that is the DNE.
Operations: own the DNO HR function with responsibility for workforce planning and our nuclear skills team. Develop and drive the culture plan to continue to drive the right high performing, inclusive teams and supportive environment. Drive closer integration of DNO and SDG corporate operations functions as appropriate.
Safety and security: oversight of the safety and security posture for the DNE.

Person specification

To help you succeed in this role, you will likely have:

Senior leadership of a high performing corporate function in a complex organisation, and demonstrate evidence of driving a collaborative and inclusive culture
Professional evidence in delivering change, with an ability to prioritise the work of a function, considering present and future goals of the organisation and take responsibility for outcomes and results
Expert strategic finance understanding, with the ability to oversee day to day whilst setting and delivering against bigger organisational goals
Experience of leading a complex business-as-usual agenda, alongside a programme of change, with a proven track record of implementing significant successful programmes to drive a cultural or organisational change
Exposure to major programme delivery and understanding of programme management through a risk lens
Experience in and confidence to represent the functional agendas of the DG Strategy portfolio with other senior leaders
Politically astute, with an ability and understanding of when to take a broader strategic perspective and when to get ‘into the detail’ to really understand a situation or problem.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £135,000, Ministry of Defence contributes £39,109 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

Civil Service recruitment processes at Director General level are regulated by the Civil Service Commission, and we follow clear guidelines to ensure that our recruitment is fair and open. We also design our recruitment processes to reflect our values-based approach to HR (using staff engagement panels, for example) and to ensure that shortlisted candidates have the opportunity to meet key stakeholders for the role, before they join us.

We expect the process for this role to be as follows:

The closing date for applications will be 23:55 on 24 July 2026
A shortlist of the applications is planned for w/c 27 July
Shortlisted candidates will then:
Undergo an Individual Leadership Assessment (ILA)
Inputs from all of those steps will then form the basis of a panel interview, chaired by Chris Pilgrim from the Civil Service Commission on w/c 7 September.

Panel members at the interview will include but may not be limited to Madeline McTernan, Chief of Defence Nuclear, MoD Permanent Secretary, Jeremy Pocklington, and Aneen Blackmore, Director General Finance.

Full details will be provided to shortlisted candidates and recognising that there are a number of steps in the process, we will do our best to arrange the sessions in a way that works for you. We hope that this process will be conducted in face-to-face sessions, but if you need any adjustments do let us know.

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 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.

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

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Contact point for applicants

Salary range

£135,000 per year