Job description
Join us and shape the Future: SDA Project Professional Apprenticeship Scheme
Are you ready for an exciting journey with the Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA), an executive agency of the Ministry of Defence that plays a pivotal role in securing the UK's continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent? If you are a talented and motivated individual, we invite you to be part of our Project Professional Apprenticeship Scheme, where you can become a key player in the most technically complex programmes in Defence.
Here at SDA, we don't just value diversity; we thrive on it. We believe that a diverse and inclusive team fosters creativity, develops talent, and propels us towards excellence. We're on a mission to build the project professionals of the future.
Why choose SDA's Project Professional Apprenticeship Scheme?
* Unparalleled Impact: Contribute to the security of the UK's continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent and work on projects of strategic importance, nationally and internationally.
* Meaningful Impact: Be part of an organisation that protects and supports the UK Armed Forces, bringing real meaning and impact to everything you do.
* Structured Placements: Undertake project placements across a variety of programmes and projects within the SDA establishments gaining hands-on experience of sub function specialisms and project competencies. Undergo a comprehensive Apprenticeship with an external provider, Realise, gaining technical and leadership skills while working towards the level 4 Associate Project Manager qualification. This two-year scheme, (24-months, including End Point Assessment), will develop your knowledge and understanding of how our projects are delivered, gaining an insight into project management and project control tools and techniques including scheduling and risk management.
* Career Progression: This is a two year scheme on a Fixed Term Appointment (FAT) and upon successful completion of the Gateway Review and End Point Assessment (EPA), you will regrade into the business into a permanent STSII role in Project Delivery. The focus on your career progressions doesn't finish at the end of the scheme, our career and talent management team will continue to provide support after you move into your permanent role.
* SDA Project Delivery Apprenticeship qualification: Associate Project Manager Level 4.
* Development Opportunities: Access extensive talent, career, and personal development opportunities to fuel your growth.
* Supportive Environment: Throughout the scheme, you will be supported by the dedicated Project Delivery Early Talent Scheme Team and a placement manager within the project team who will guide you through your journey and ensure you get access to the right training. You will be provided with a buddy in your team.
* Inclusive Environment: Join an organisation where colleagues of every background are included, encouraged, and supported to be their very best.
* Empowerment: Bring a fresh perspective, ask questions, and put positive change in motion.
* Networking: Build a network of internal business contacts and peers, sharing knowledge and identifying opportunities to learn and develop. There is also the opportunity to join dedicated networks to support you in your journey.
* Mentoring Opportunities: Receive support through mentoring, outreach activities, and engagement with seniors.
* Work Location: You will primarily be based in Abbey Wood Bristol or HMNB Devonport. There may be some overseas travel depending on your placement, further information on this will be shared if you are successful. There may be a requirement to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD establishments. We cover the costs of accommodation, travel, and subsistence for detached duty away from your permanent duty station. The post does not offer relocation expenses.
* Flexible Working: Hybrid and flexible working can be considered for this scheme. Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. Defence Business Services (DBS) and Vacancy holder is unable respond to any questions about working arrangements. After completion of security checks, working arrangements can be discussed with the Vacancy holder.
Responsibilities
Our Project Delivery Apprentices are at the heart of our delivery. You will experience career development across the business assisting with project activities and developing yourself. To support your Apprenticeship portfolio, below are some of the things you may be involved with:
* Governance and Leadership - Governance, Sustainability, Project Environment, Leadership. Developing and documenting components of projects as required by the Project Team.
* Project Initiation Lifecyle, Stakeholder Engagement, Business Cases. Compiling data to support business cases, and customer presentations.
* Project Planning - Managing Scope, Scheduling, Risk and Issues, Procurement.
* Project Monitoring - Integrated Planning, Budgets and Cost, Quality Management. Monitoring progress and reporting.
* Networking - Building and maintaining a network of internal business contacts and peers to share and gain knowledge and identify opportunities to learn and develop.
If you would like to find out more about the kind of work you might be involved with, please refer to the Project Delivery Capability Framework.
You will be contracted for 37 hours per week.
If you are invited for Assessment and Interview you will be asked to attend an Assessment centre in Abbey Wood Bristol, in January/ February 2026.
Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office may be required. 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.
Person specification
For this role, we are seeking the following:
We are looking for driven and dynamic professionals with a strong commitment to the Project Delivery profession. The ideal candidate will be a collaborative team player who brings passion, positivity, and a proactive approach to their work. They should champion inclusivity, demonstrate exceptional leadership qualities, and exhibit excellent written and verbal communication skills. We value individuals who consistently display positive and inclusive behaviours, including adaptability, resilience, and a willingness to embrace challenges. A commitment to continuous improvement, a solution-focused mindset, and the ability to inspire and motivate others while fostering an inclusive and supportive environment are also key attributes we seek.
Contract- Fixed Term Appointment:
This is a Fixed-Term Appointment (FTA) as a Project Delivery Apprentice in the Project Delivery profession. The reason why you are appointed for a fixed period is due to the requirement for you to successfully complete the two year Apprenticeship scheme before a permanent job offer can be made. You should be aware that when your FTA comes to an end, arrangements will be made in line with the FTA policy.
If you are a permanent MoD civil servant and are found successful for an advertised FTA you should move into the post under a Temporary Transfer (for up to a maximum of 23 months). At the end of the posting if unsuccessful at regrade you will return to your previous MoD Business area. If this posting is at a higher grade, your promotion will be temporary, and you will return to your substantive grade at the end of the Temporary Transfer. If a Temporary Transfer cannot be agreed between all parties then a transfer on an FTA contract is possible, read the FTA and Change of Work Location in the UK policy for further information.
If you are transferring to MoD from another government department (OGD) you should join the MoD on an inward loan. At the end of the loan you will return to your home (OGD) department. If a loan cannot be agreed between all parties then a transfer on an FTA contract is possible, read the FTA policy for further information.
External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.
In Scheme Regrade Assessment Process:
As you will join on a Fixed Term Appointment (FTA) following the successful completion of the two-year scheme including Gateway Review and End Point Assessment (EPA). If successful you will regrade into a suitable permanent position and allocated a role in the SDA. You will have the opportunity to re-sit the End Point Assessment in the event they fail the first attempt.
Please be aware that you are required to hold the qualifications stated as required and that unless otherwise stated in the advert a higher-level qualification cannot be accepted in lieu of the lower (E.G. and English Language A Level cannot replace the GCSE if the GCSE is not at the required grade).
Please see the guide for acceptable equivalents What qualification levels mean: England, Wales and Northern Ireland - GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-level) and (https://scqf.org.uk/media/e5pjypw4/qccb-web-oct-2019.pdf) for Scotland.
Evidence of the above qualifications will be required as part of your pre-employment checks before a formal offer can be made.
Qualifications
5 GCSEs at grade 9 to 4 (or equivalent). English and maths remain mandatory for apprentices starting before their 19th birthday (DfE funds up to Level 2). As previously announced, for those over 19, it is now an optional part of the programme if the employer agrees, with DfE funding available.
Or
A or AS levels equivalent to 48 UCAS points, or predicted grades that you will achieve before October 2025.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Working Together
* Communicating and Influencing
* Changing and Improving
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
* Working Together
* Communicating and Influencing
Benefits
Alongside your salary of 27,500, Ministry of Defence contributes 7,966 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Benefits of joining SDA:
* 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%
Discover My Benefits
Please follow the link to visit the Discover My Benefits site which showcases the benefits and discounts offered when working as a civilian for the MOD.
https://discovermybenefits.mod.gov.uk/civilian/
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 ofall tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment. The policy is WholeForce 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.
An opportunity to be considered for Reward and Recognition - 250-5000 per year
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.
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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
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.
At sift,you will be assessed against the following;
Experience
* Personal Statement - This should be a maximum of 1000 words that sets out your motivation for applying and shows how your skills and experience meet the essential and desirable requirements for the role.
Behaviours- Please use the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) when providing your examples.
* Working Together (CSBC2)
* Communicating and Influencing (CSBC2)
If you are invited for assessment and interview you will be asked to attend an assessment centre in Abbey Wood Bristol, in January/February 2026. Unfortunately travel costs to attend the assessment centre/interview will not be reimbursed by SDA.
Assessment Day (made up of two parts)
The Assessment day is an in person only event, there will be no options to undertake any part of this assessment virtually. It will be broken into two parts, Assessment and Interview, and will be held at Abbey Wood Bristol.
Part one - Assessment Activity (Jan 26/Feb 26) approximately one hour duration
This will involve group activity work to demonstrates these behaviours. This will contribute to 50% of your overall score.
You will be assessed on the following:
Behaviours:
* Working Together (CSBC2)
* Communicating and Influencing (CSBC2)
* Changing and Improving (CSBC2)
Part two - Interview (Jan 26/Feb 26) approximately one hour duration
This will on the same day as the assessment and will last for one hour, you will be assessed against the following competencies below, and will need to provide examples using the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result). This will contribute to 50% of your overall score.
* Working Together (CSBC2)
* Communicating and Influencing (CSBC2)
* Changing and Improving (CSBC2)
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an assessment day.
Please contact SDA-PD-EarlyTalent@mod.gov.uk mailbox for any questions regarding this vacancy.
Essential qualifications required to apply
Please add all qualifications (GCSE) - failure to do this will cause your application to be rejected.
English and Maths Support: English and Maths remain mandatory for Apprentices starting before their 19th birthday (DfE funds up to Level 2). As previously announced, for those over 19, it is now an optional part of the programme if the employer agrees, with DfE funding available.
* Five GCSEs at grade 4-9 or A or AS level equivalent to 48 UCAS points, or predicted grades that you will achieve before October 2026.
* Formal certificates must be provided within three months of signing the contract. Failure to provide this will result in your contract being withdrawn.Evidence of the above qualifications will be required as part of your pre-employment checks before a formal offer can be made.
Please see the guide for acceptable equivalents for Qualifications.
Because of the classification of much of the role, all posts will be open to UK Nationals only. Further information on Nationality Requirements is attached below.
Nationality Requirements - Further Information for Candidates
1. This post is classed as Reserved as per Civil Service Nationality Rules Section 3. In accordance with these rules, only UK nationals may be employed in reserved posts in the Civil Service1 (Paragraph. 3.1).
UK National Definition
1. The definition of a UK National can be found at Paragraphs. 1.4-1.8 of the Civil Service Nationality Rules .
Dual Nationals
1. As per Paragraph. 1.41 of the Civil Service Nationality Rules :
1. Candidates with dual nationality are in principle eligible for employment in the Civil Service provided that they meet the requirements in relation to one of their nationalities [i.e. UK National]. They may not be eligible, however, for employment in certain reserved posts where additional nationality requirements are imposed.
Additional Restrictions for Reserved Posts
1. As per Paragraphs. 3.10-3.11 of the Civil Service Nationality Rules :
1. departments and agencies are entitled to impose additional requirements in reserved posts if this is considered necessary. This could include, for example, requirements as to the residency of the applicant or the nationality of one or both parents of the applicant.
1. If you are a Dual National who possesses UK Nationality and wish to check your eligibility for the post, please contact our recruiting team at the details below. Please be advised that we will not be able to provide a justification for our decision for security reasons.
1.Irish nationals and Commonwealth citizens are also eligible for employment in reserved posts if they were in the Civil Service at 31 May 1996 or before, or were appointed from a recruitment scheme with a closing date for receipt of applications before 1 June 1996. (Paragraph. 3.1)
No application can be accepted after the closing date.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Please note offers of employment are subject to achieving satisfactory pre-employment and security checks. These include an Occupational Health Assessment and a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). As part of this you will need to confirm your identity, employment/education history, nationality and any criminal record (unspent convictions only).
The level of security needed is Security Check (SC ) and you should usually have been continuously resident in the UK for 5 years immediately before clearance action commences. If you have lived overseas or travelled extensively during this period, it may affect the length of time to obtain full security clearance and this may affect your offer of employment. It is essential that ALL requests for information are completed fully and timely, as incomplete information may result in significant delays. Offers of employment are also subject to candidates achieving acceptable grades where predicted.
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
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 the Civil 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 : Karen Carlisle
* Email : SDA-PD-Earlytalent@mod.gov.uk
Recruitment team
* Email : DBSCivPers-AMO@mod.gov.uk
Further information
Please see Further Information attached
Attachments 20250616-SDA_PD_Apprentice_Success_Profile_DRAFT_Version 1-O Opens in new window (docx, 48kB) CS_Behaviours_2018-DES-branded-v6 Opens in new window (pdf, 10MB) PMPC Technical Competence Framework July 2020 Final Opens in new window (pdf, 209kB)