Senior Army Innovation Project Manager - Andover Down, United Kingdom - Ministry of Defence

Description

About the job

Job summary

One of two senior staff in a team of six project professionals, and personally responsible for the delivery of novel, fast-paced and exciting projects where the outcomes are measured in weeks and months, not years. Given the reduced scope (performance, cost and time) of projects, our project professionals are hands on. You will have the passion and ability to drive through the complexity of novel technologies and unfamiliar processes, and for mentoring and giving governance oversight to junior project managers. The role will attract some travel within UK to visit technology fairs and demonstrations, and to conduct meetings and engagements with like-minded and project partners

We are passionate about Smarter Working and believe that a combination of flexible working practices, digital technology and modern work spaces will give you the opportunity to enjoy a healthy work-life balance, while ensuing you deliver your outcomes effectively and efficiently we expect you to know where to be to have the most impact, balancing your individual needs with that of your team and the organisation. The Army is operating a hybrid working balance which states 60% (days a week) of time in the Andover office. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this 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.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

As a senior delivery manager for Army Innovation, you will

• Support a multitude of concurrent innovation activities; to enable effective delivery and optimise outcomes at pace, you will be an effective broker with enabling services (including Army Innovation Commercial support) and partners.
• Lead and deliver assigned innovation projects through their lifecycle, applying P3M expertise and methodology to take Ideas to their natural conclusion. This includes contract administration for activities delivered by suppliers.
• Provide a vital contribution to a professional centre of excellence, continuously improving the processes, business capabilities and other aspects of innovation delivery for the Army and Defence.
• Be proficient at, and undertake, all planning, scheduling activities within responsibilities, and report project performance, including financial performance and forecasting. Through this demonstration of best practice, you will guide delivery of Army-funded Innovation projects in the Field Army. Combined, you will confidently and competently intervene to deliver success.
• Lead and line manage the performance and professional development of two HEO Innovation Delivery Managers. In doing, we increase the collegiate proficiency and capacity for project delivery.

The successful candidate will be a problem solver with strong communication skills, someone who is able to negotiate effectively and influence others in an exciting Defence environment. They will bring 3+ years proven experience in (or related) project management and its breadth of functions. Ideally (desirable), they will hold a formal project management qualification and have a working understanding of the MODs acquisition process and knowledge and experience of any Science and Technology field.

Person specification

The successful candidate will be a problem solver with strong communication skills, someone who is able to negotiate effectively and influence others in an exciting Defence environment. They will bring 3+ years proven experience in (or related) project management and its breadth of functions. Ideally (desirable), they will hold a formal project management qualification and have a working understanding of the MODs acquisition process and knowledge and experience of any Science and Technology field.

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

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

• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

Alongside your salary of 43,080, Ministry of Defence contributes 11,631 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 average employer contribution of 27%

Working alongside military and civilian colleagues, you are part of a forward-looking Army organisation with inclusive workplace policies, excellent career prospects and a job that makes a difference.

The Army prides itself on being a supportive employer and where possible encourages flexible working with support available for a range of personal circumstances allowing a positive work/life balance.

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, including the opportunity to further develop Climate Change and Sustainability experience within a project delivery environment.
• A working culture that encourages inclusion and diversity, and a dynamic and innovative working environment that offers alternative working practices.
• 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.
• An excellent range of family-friendly benefits, for example, enhanced parental, and adoption leave.
• 6 days special leave per year which can be used for volunteering activities.
• Ability to roll over up to 10 days leave per year.
• Local site benefits such as free parking, on-site gym facilities, shop, caf and the opportunity to join and use one of the on-site messes.

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. Most of the training will be on-the-job, with the remaining off-the-job training delivered by an external training provider. This means minimal disruption to your work alongside a big developmental opportunity.

Professional qualifications which can be achieved through an apprenticeship range from Level 2 (equivalent to 5 GCSEs/ broadly equivalent to Scottish National 5s(N5s)), Level 3 (equivalent to 2 A Levels//broadly equivalent to Scottish Higher/Advanced Higher (H/AH)), and Levels 4 -7, which can give you a foundation degree, a full Bachelors degree, or a Masters degree. They normally last between 12 months - 3 years, depending on the level of the apprenticeship. Anyone can undertake an Apprenticeship and everyone, regardless of age, can benefit from developing their skills in an accredited way.

Successful candidates can discuss their development options with their manager when in post.

Discover my benefits- outlines the range of benefits available to MOD Civil Servants.

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

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 Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

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 Majestys 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.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

At application will be assessed against the following:

• Behaviours: Making Effective Decisions

CV:

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.

Personal Statement:

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability. (500 words)

Please note that it is important that your personal statement is aligned to provide evidence that you have the knowledge and recent practical experience in (or related) project management.

At interview, you will be assessed against the above along with the following Behaviours:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

Face to Face interviews will take place at Army Headquarters, Marlborough Lines, Andover SP11 8HJ between Monday 3rd June and Tuesday 4th June 2024. A minimum of 2 full working days notice will be provided for interviews. We endeavour to stick to these dates, but these are subject to change around business needs.

Successful candidates must pass a Disclosure and Barring Security (DBS) check and meet the security requirement, which is Security Check (SC), before they can be appointed.

Where appropriate, Army Innovation will keep a Reserve list for similar roles.

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- .

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.

The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and 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.

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

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

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 : Hannah Early
• Email :

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-

Further information

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. Please refer to the attached Candidate Information guide.