Senior Project Manager

On behalf of the MOD , we are looking for a Senior Project Sponsor (Inside IR35) for a 12 month contract . This is a hybrid working role (three days per week onsite - Davenport, Plymouth).

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is a central government department with a mission to protect our country and provide the ultimate guarantee of its security and independence , as well as helping to protect its values and interests abroad.

The MOD is one of the biggest public procurement organisations in Europe and the single largest customer for UK industry. It currently manages approximately £20 billion of spend on capital investments in equipment and infrastructure every year. Over the next decade the MOD is committed to spending over £190 billion on equipment and support. The MOD’s customers include both the armed forces and national security agencies, and it has a diverse range of requirements, including military fighting vehicles, education services, nuclear submarines and facilities management .

The MOD’s aim is to provide its armed forces with the best capabilities to enable them to protect the UK’s security and advance national interests, both now and in the long term.

To do this the MOD has an annual budget of almost £53 billion and a workforce comprising 197,000 people. of which 54,000 are civilians working for the UK MOD.

The work really matters; the MOD offers a range of engaging roles which have a direct impact on the quality of services they provide, in many locations across the UK. We support teams working in HR, Primary Health Care, Corporate Services, and many others.

Job Purpose:

As a G7 Project Sponsor, you will be part of a newly formed and growing team and at the centre of the Royal Navy’s Submarine Directorate, Devonport Major Infrastructure.

You will work alongside the Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA), Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and Industry Partners such as Babcock International to lead the delivery of major infrastructure projects.

Under delegation from the Project Sponsor Team Lead , you will be accountable for imposing a Systems approach to Infrastructure delivery, enabling effective realisation of the required outcome, mapped against the approved performance, cost and time (PCT) envelop.

You will be responsible for identifying project purpose and objectives and setting the requirements ensuring alignment to Navy Commands objectives and direction, developing the business case, delivering benefits, capability integration, transition of the new asset into Business as Usual (BAU) and stakeholder management .

This is a challenging and rewarding role that requires drive, energy, and initiative plus the ability to communicate and collaborate effectively across various military ranks and civilian grades.

You will be an integral member of the Devonport Major Infrastructure team and the temporary integrated team delivering the project.

You will need to develop and maintain effective working relationships with other team members and stakeholders across the Ministry of Defence and our Industry Partners.

SC Clearance is an essential requirement for this role, as a minimum you must be willing & eligible to undergo checks. Please note, due to the exceptional requirements of this position (short-term nature of this role and speed at which we require a postholder in situ) preference may be given to candidates who meet all of the essential criteria and hold active security clearance.

As a Senior Project Sponsor , your main responsibilities will be:

- Project objective setting and Requirements Management : Ownership of requirements throughout the project life cycle, Developing Infrastructure Requirements, functional requirements, success criteria. – 40%
- Stakeholder Management : identifying, analysing , communicating, and engaging with external and internal stakeholders. Ensuring stakeholder support and commitment to the project success. Ensuring functional managers and subject matter experts relevant to the project are identified, engaged with and their requirements are captured. – 30%
- Thought Leadership : Champions the approach of the project and protects the benefits. Critical Friend to the Project Manager / Project through appropriate motivation, support and challenge through understanding of project integrity and performance. Ensures the project is set up for success and enables the MoD to be an intelligent client. Ensures the project team has the resources it needs to deliver and keep the project in control . – 20%
- Applies governance to the project: develops and applies effective governance to the project and provides timely decision making. – 10%

Essential:

- Product delivery in a complex environment.
- Organisational Design development.
- Working with and managing approvals authorities and other government departments e.g. Cabinet Office and HMT.
- Stakeholder management in a complex environment with competing stakeholder interests. Able to achieve stakeholder alignment and agreement.
- Building relationships and networks that support business objectives .
- Understanding strategy and business objectives and aligning them to a requirement and justification for a project.
- Developing and applying governance to a project or change initiative .
- Experience in reviewing performance and reporting of performance to management teams for test, challenge and support.

Desirable:

- Experience of infrastructure or equipment project delivery.
- Experience operating working with a mixed workforce (civilian, military or operational, contractors) and in an integrated project team.
- Proficient with M365 Office tools.
- Association of Project Management (APM) qualification e.g. APMQ.
- Membership of INCOSE.
- Project Leadership Programme (PLP).

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Disability Confident

As a Disability Confident employer, the MOD encourage applications from disabled and neurodivergent candidates . Applications from candidates who identify as having a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role will be prioritised for review. Where application volumes are high, additional role-specific and desirable criteria may be applied as part of the shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

Armed Forces Covenant

As a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, the MOD welcome applications from veterans, service leavers, reservists and military spouses or partners. Applications from eligible candidates who meet the essential criteria for the role will be prioritised for review. Where application volumes are high, additional role-specific and desirable criteria may be applied as part of the shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following “this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different.