Leadership and Management (30%) Lead the Programme Management Cell (PMC): Set the strategic direction for the PMC, driving programme oversight, governance, and delivery assurance. Oversee the continuous improvement of programme management frameworks, tools, and reporting disciplines to ensure alignment with directorate and organisational objectives. Chair the Business Improvement Delivery Meeting: Lead regular Business Improvement Delivery meetings to monitor progress, resolve delivery challenges, and drive accountability across the portfolio. Utilise Power BI dashboards via POL to visually present performance data, risks, and financials in real-time to facilitate data-driven decision-making. Team Leadership and Capability Building: Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team, embedding succession planning and continuous learning. Ensure team members have the skills and development opportunities to provide effective programme management and governance support. Strategic Support: Provide direct support and advice to the Grade 6 Head of Strategic Delivery, Operations and Performance, ensuring delivery insights, programme data, and performance assurance are readily available. Work collaboratively to strengthen service delivery and organisational performance. Programme Governance and Reporting (25%) Governance Leadership: Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of governance structures to ensure appropriate oversight of Business Improvement initiatives. Ensure governance arrangements remain compliant with DIO, MOD, and cross-government standards. KPI Development and Performance Assurance: Lead the development of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)across several service areas within the Business Improvement function. Provide the SMT and Grade 6 Head with assurance that services are progressing in the right direction and are meeting agreed performance standards. Data-Driven Reporting and Decision Support: Enhance the directorates reporting capability using Power BI within POLto enable dynamic, real-time portfolio tracking and actionable reporting. Ensure reporting outputs are customer-focused, concise, and drive strategic and operational decision-making. Pipeline Prioritisation and Demand Management: Support pipeline prioritisation meetings, providing leadership and oversight to ensure that new requirements entering the directorate are properly assessed for alignment, feasibility, and priority. Ensure the team effectively manages the flow of requirements, balancing capacity, resources, and delivery risk. Deep Dive Assurance: Undertake, with support from subject matter experts, deep dive assurance reviewsinto key areas of delivery, governance, and performance, as directed by the Grade 6 Head. Produce assurance reports with clear findings, risks, and improvement recommendations to inform senior decision-making. Financial and Commercial Management (10%) Programme Financial Oversight: Provide leadership for financial planning, in-year budget management, and financial reporting across Business Improvement activities Ensure financial tracking is aligned with governance reporting and risk assessments Commercial Engagement and Resource Planning: Assess demand across the Business Improvement portfolio to proactively identify resource gaps and workload pressures Where appropriate, lead engagement with Commercial teams to draw down on call-off contracts or external support to optimise in-year funding utilisation and ensure effective programme delivery Business Case and Value Management: Oversee the development and submission of business cases via the business case tracker tool, ensuring alignment with commercial policy and securing value for money Risk Management Leadership (10%) Strategic Risk Oversight: Lead the strategic approach to risk management, ensuring risk identification, mitigation, and escalation processes are robust and fully embedded Enable the risk professionals within Business Improvement to provide detailed risk reporting to the Grade 6 Head, SMT, and wider governance boards Work closely with DIO Corporate Risk and Assurance to ensure alignment with the wider organisational risk framework Stakeholder Engagement and Customer Focus (10%) Senior Stakeholder Management: Build and maintain trusted relationships with Business Improvement Partners, IDA, Change teams, project sponsors, and key internal stakeholders Act as a key liaison with cross-MOD and wider civil service networks to share best practice, align service delivery, and enhance the organisations service provision Customer-Focused Delivery: Ensure the Strategic Business Office provides responsive, high-quality services that meet the evolving needs of customers and delivery teams Proactively engage with customers to gather feedback and refine service offerings Cross-Government Collaboration: Actively engage in MOD and wider civil service working groups to continuously improve service models, governance practices, and reporting standards Business Management and Continuous Improvement (15%) Digital Transformation: Lead the enhancement of digital capability within the directorate, ensuring systems and tools evolve to support agile programme management, robust reporting, and operational efficiency Promote and embed digital solutions that streamline portfolio management and performance tracking Continuous Improvement and Service Excellence: Lead continuous improvement initiatives to drive efficiency, consistency, and service quality across the SBO and wider Business Improvement directorate Conduct service reviews, process optimisation exercises, and lessons learned analysis to enhance delivery maturity Benefits Management: In conjunction with the benefits manager lead the benefits realisation approach, ensuring benefits are clearly articulated, measurable, and tracked through the full lifecycle of Business Improvement activities Communications and Engagement: Develop and oversee targeted communication strategies that support stakeholder engagement, internal communications, and change management Person specification Were looking for a highly organised, Ops Delivery candidate with proven project management experience to lead the Strategic Business Office within Business Improvement. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Leadership Changing and Improving Managing a Quality Service Seeing the Big Picture Delivering at Pace Communicating and Influencing We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form: Leadership Benefits Alongside your salary of 59,690, Ministry of Defence contributes 17,292 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% Please note: Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. 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. 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. 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. 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. Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience. Candidates will also be required to provide a statement of suitability. (500 Word count) At sift, candidates will be assessed on their CV, statement of suitability and the following Behaviour: Leadership At interview, candidates will be assessed against the following Behaviours: Leadership Changing and improving Managing a quality service Seeing the big picture Delivering at pace Communicating and influencing Further information: The sift will be undertaken the week commencing 28th July 2025.We aim to undertake the interviews week commencing 4th August 2025.Should we receive a high number of applications we reserve the right to extend the interview time-frame. 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 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. 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-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk. As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to 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. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It 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 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 : ben.allport100@mod.gov.uk Email : ben.allport100@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. Attachments Candidate Information Opens in new window (docx, 31kB) DIO Candidate pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1963kB) Defence Civil Servant Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)