HMNB Devonport, Plymouth, PL2 2BG or HMS Excellent, Whale Island, Portsmouth PO2 8BY Job Summary The Submarine Directorate in Navy Command is responsible for generating the UK’s submarines, so that they are available and capable for operations, including the Continuous At Sea Deterrent. Our portfolio is high profile, vast and complex – it ranges from in-service capability management, generating submarines ready for operations, day to day running of the Naval Bases, to decades long major infrastructure programmes. The facilities at Devonport represent a UK strategic asset and are critical to enabling Defence outputs. His Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Devonport and the Babcock owned Devonport Dockyard site together have a key role as an operating base and centre of maintenance for surface ships, submarines, and Royal Marines. In this capacity Devonport is unique in providing a direct contribution to the Royal Navy’s primary operational tasks; CASD, Homeland Protection, Euro-Atlantic and Arctic war fight and global engagement. Maintaining a primary focus on submarine deep maintenance, it is also the only site able to defuel decommissioned submarines. To meet these developing requirements and the needs of new classes of submarine, significant investment is required in new and refurbished facilities. A multi billion-pound investment is required over the next 30 years to recapitalise facilities and services throughout Devonport to ensure the site is ready for Dreadnought, SSNR AUKUS (nuclear powered fleet submarine) and other future platforms. The Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) has the responsibility to lead this portfolio and this post is part of Major Infra Portfolio Office. The portfolio has c. 100 Cat A – C projects and programmes in the pipeline including projects that are part of Government Major Programmes & Projects group and is considered a top 100 government programme. This is an exciting time to join the team, the delivery environment is both challenging and rewarding. Job Description You will be responsible for: Leading the planning, development and drafting, and oversight of the production of business cases for projects in the endorsed portfolio pipeline. You will be prepared to challenge expert input and will be responsible for ensuring the business complies with organisational and Treasury requirements. You will use lessons learned from similar projects to inform business case preparation. Provision of guidance and advice to project teams on the requirements and development of business cases, using organisational templates and HMT 5 case model. You will lead the development of enterprise level functional procedures that will standardise the project environment and deliver compliance, best practice, and consistent adoption across the project delivery organisations. Developing, planning, and delivering activities to assure the SRO of the quality and compliance to business procedures across the enterprise and work with project teams to remedy non-conformances. Developing and maintaining strategic relationships with the approval’s community and business case stakeholders and lead communications on behalf of the SRO including the approvals pipeline. Leadership Manage and provide leadership support for team members to support delivery of outputs. Ensure performance is managed consistently and fairly, including Diversity and Inclusion principles and provide regular feedback. Identify and develop capability needs, ensuring robust Development Plans are in place for yourself and your team. Ensure own and team’s compliance with mandatory requirements e.g. H&S training. Inspire, motivate, and engage with the Portfolio Management Office and with other teams across the HMNB Devonport enterprise, by providing positive working environment and empowering the teams at all levels. Provide support to Line Manager and SRO to deliver departmental outputs with minimal supervision. Responsible for Leading Business Case activity ensuring its delivery and alignment to organisation’s standards, processes, and objectives. Lead on Business Case planning and oversight maintaining a forward pipeline of cases. Develop and maintain the Business Case Tracker, monitor, and report on all forecast business case submissions for internal and external senior stakeholders. Delivery of support and training to staff to build knowledge, capability and skills in business case writing using government best practise. Provide support to Business Case Advisors, Project SROs/ Sponsors, and project/programme teams on investment case development and approvals. Provide advice on business case management and approval process including timings, submission and approvals process, content, structure, scrutiny requirements, evidence, supporting documentation and any other necessary detail. Review draft business cases, managing their development and release for endorsement or approval. Support the Approvals Lead to develop the Scrutiny Report and coordinate internal scrutiny of draft business cases through planned progressive assurance reviews. Support the project team to address any highlighted issue in the Scrutiny Report. Develop and implement a Devonport infrastructure assurance review (DIAR) and project assurance groups (PAG), using Subject Matter Experts ahead of formal sign off by the SRO to progressively assure the Business Case. Ensure the quality of all business cases submitted for internal and external scrutiny and approval, liaising with the Approvals Authority and monitoring progress through scrutiny. Coordinate and provide regular liaison with desk level, the wider scrutiny and stakeholder community and Project/Programme teams to improve the quality and standard of business cases and achieve a high success rate for business case approvals. Maintain and develop Business Case guidance documentation and a universal enterprise business case procedure that is aligned with MOD delivery agents and Suppliers through a community of practice. Produce a quarterly Learning from Experience report and monthly fact sheet on business cases. Ensure that business case learning from experience is incorporated back into business cases development. Share learning, knowledge and experience with the stakeholder community and delivery teams, uphold learning from experience and communicate through planned assurance forums. Stakeholder Engagement Work as the point of contact for all Business Case and Approvals in the Devonport Major Infra Portfolio Office, actively work with Senior Stakeholders to align changes with strategic developments to ensure consistence across business cases. Act as the senior point of contact for business case and approval escalations throughout the project approvals process. Providing support to the business case advisor, approvals lead, project teams, working to develop mitigation measures and resolutions to approval challenges. This position is advertised at 37 hours per week. You Will Be Responsible For Leading the planning, development and drafting, and oversight of the production of business cases for projects in the endorsed portfolio pipeline. You will be prepared to challenge expert input and will be responsible for ensuring the business complies with organisational and Treasury requirements. You will use lessons learned from similar projects to inform business case preparation. Provision of guidance and advice to project teams on the requirements and development of business cases, using organisational templates and HMT 5 case model. You will lead the development of enterprise level functional procedures that will standardise the project environment and deliver compliance, best practice, and consistent adoption across the project delivery organisations. Developing, planning, and delivering activities to assure the SRO of the quality and compliance to business procedures across the enterprise and work with project teams to remedy non-conformances. Developing and maintaining strategic relationships with the approval’s community and business case stakeholders and lead communications on behalf of the SRO including the approvals pipeline. Leadership Manage and provide leadership support for team members to support delivery of outputs. Ensure performance is managed consistently and fairly, including Diversity and Inclusion principles and provide regular feedback. Identify and develop capability needs, ensuring robust Development Plans are in place for yourself and your team. Ensure own and team’s compliance with mandatory requirements e.g. H&S training. Inspire, motivate, and engage with the Portfolio Management Office and with other teams across the HMNB Devonport enterprise, by providing positive working environment and empowering the teams at all levels. Provide support to Line Manager and SRO to deliver departmental outputs with minimal supervision. Responsible for Leading Business Case activity ensuring its delivery and alignment to organisation’s standards, processes, and objectives. Lead on Business Case planning and oversight maintaining a forward pipeline of cases. Develop and maintain the Business Case Tracker, monitor, and report on all forecast business case submissions for internal and external senior stakeholders. Delivery of support and training to staff to build knowledge, capability and skills in business case writing using government best practise. Provide support to Business Case Advisors, Project SROs/ Sponsors, and project/programme teams on investment case development and approvals. Provide advice on business case management and approval process including timings, submission and approvals process, content, structure, scrutiny requirements, evidence, supporting documentation and any other necessary detail. Review draft business cases, managing their development and release for endorsement or approval. Support the Approvals Lead to develop the Scrutiny Report and coordinate internal scrutiny of draft business cases through planned progressive assurance reviews. Support the project team to address any highlighted issue in the Scrutiny Report. Develop and implement a Devonport infrastructure assurance review (DIAR) and project assurance groups (PAG), using Subject Matter Experts ahead of formal sign off by the SRO to progressively assure the Business Case. Ensure the quality of all business cases submitted for internal and external scrutiny and approval, liaising with the Approvals Authority and monitoring progress through scrutiny. Coordinate and provide regular liaison with desk level, the wider scrutiny and stakeholder community and Project/Programme teams to improve the quality and standard of business cases and achieve a high success rate for business case approvals. Maintain and develop Business Case guidance documentation and a universal enterprise business case procedure that is aligned with MOD delivery agents and Suppliers through a community of practice. Produce a quarterly Learning from Experience report and monthly fact sheet on business cases. Ensure that business case learning from experience is incorporated back into business cases development. Share learning, knowledge and experience with the stakeholder community and delivery teams, uphold learning from experience and communicate through planned assurance forums. Stakeholder Engagement Work as the point of contact for all Business Case and Approvals in the Devonport Major Infra Portfolio Office, actively work with Senior Stakeholders to align changes with strategic developments to ensure consistence across business cases. Act as the senior point of contact for business case and approval escalations throughout the project approvals process. Providing support to the business case advisor, approvals lead, project teams, working to develop mitigation measures and resolutions to approval challenges. This position is advertised at 37 hours per week. Person specification The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate their experience and skills against the following essential criteria: Experience working as a member of a large or medium complexity project team or as a specialist or work stream lead for a small, low complexity project. Experience of leading a virtual ‘team’ assigned to work from across functional, organisational, or geographic boundaries to deliver high quality outputs. Experience in preparation, approval, refining and update of business cases that justify initiation, investment and/or continuation of change initiatives or projects in terms of benefits, costs, and risks. This is a 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 you will provide support to the teams delivering the projects. 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. The post will be based in HMNB Devonport or NCHQ Portsmouth with potential occasional travel to other defence locations including Clyde, London Main Building and other MOD or Suppler sites. The Portfolio Office and Project Teams are based in Devonport and so frequent travel to and working from this site is required. In accordance with MOD guidance the post holder is expected to be in the office circa 60% of the time. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Leadership Managing a Quality Service Seeing the Big Picture Communicating and Influencing We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form: Leadership Managing a Quality Service Technical skills We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process: P3M24 Business Case – Practitioner P3M27 Benefits Management – Practitioner P3M21 Reviews – Practitioner We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form: P3M24 Business Case – Practitioner Alongside your salary of £61,630, Ministry of Defence contributes £17,854 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% 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. Selection process details This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills. Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience. Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability. (500 Words) You will be assessed against your CV and Statement of suitability and the following: Behaviours Leadership (Application and Interview) Managing a Quality Service (Application and Interview) Seeing the Bigger Picture (Interview) Communicating and Influencing (Interview) Technical Project, Programme And Portfolio (P3) Competencies P3M24 Business Case – Practitioner (Application and Interview) P3M27 Benefits Management – Practitioner (Interview) P3M21 Reviews – Practitioner (Interview) When choosing your Behaviour examples, please make sure you use real life scenarios that relate to your own experiences. Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application being rejected. Candidate applications will be assessed across both the essential criteria and the behaviours referenced above. If a large number of applications are received applicants will be assessed for interview against the Leadership behaviour and P3M24 Business Case. Sift and interview dates TBC. 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 Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills. 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. 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. 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 the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window). 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 : Emily Simmons Email : emily.simmons366@mod.gov.uk Recruitment team Email : DBSCivPers-ResourcingTeam3@mod.gov.uk 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.