Programme Delivery Manager

Filton
11 months ago
Applications closed

Related Jobs

View all jobs

Water Quality Placement Student (Data Science)

Data Scientist

Geospatial Data Scientist

Data Scientist Tesco Mobile

Senior Data Scientist

Technical Program Manager - Machine Learning - New York

Location
Abbey Wood, Stoke Gifford, Bristol, BS34 8JH and MOD Corsham, Westwells Road, Corsham, SN13 9NR (Please note that there will be regular travel to MOD Main Building, London, MOD Corsham and Abbey Wood).
About the job
Programme Delivery Manager Job summary
Defence Digital ensures our Armed Forces remain among the most technologically advanced in the world. We do this by putting innovative and effective technology into the hands of over 200,000 users, from the boardroom to the front line.
We lead on cutting-edge data science, automation, and cybersecurity at scale. Our mission goes beyond the battlefield by leading humanitarian efforts and driving digital innovation that impacts lives across the globe.
Defence Digital forms part of Strategic Command which manages the MOD’s joint capabilities for the Army, RAF, and Royal Navy.
Passionate about using your skills to make a critical difference? Your next career move could be here!
Programme Delivery Manager Job description
As a Programme Manager, you play a crucial role in ensuring the integrated and assured delivery of a complex and regulated portfolio of projects and programmes. You will be responsible for delivering complex products and services within a portfolio that delivers predictive technologies, AI, and software products. These will be managed by multiple teams, often involving high technical or political risk. We seek motivated Programme Managers who thrive in fast-paced environments and possess in-depth knowledge of Agile and other methodologies.
You should possess a strategic understanding of schedule changes, conflicts, and risks affecting portfolio performance, cost, and time constraints, as well as operational delivery. You will oversee program-level schedule analysis to escalate, report, and communicate schedule changes to key stakeholders.
Programme Delivery Manager Responsibilities:

  • Manage dependencies of varying complexity, potentially planning, and feeding into larger programmes and portfolios.
  • Responsible for understanding, managing, and communicating to complex stakeholder groups, balancing priorities.
  • Monitor, manage and report on programme budget, understanding and supporting the financial planning cycle where required.
  • Responsible for managing project budget and keeping within delegated limits.
  • Responsible for timely and accurate financial reporting for team including forecasts of out-turn, risk, and input to annual financial planning as required.
  • Remove blockers and manage risks, commercials, budgets, and people and be an initial escalation point for the programme.
    Person specification
    We are dedicated to fostering a collaborative and supportive work environment where every team member can contribute, grow, and excel together. We are looking for ambitious, motivated, and confident individuals with exceptional communication skills. Effective stakeholder and relationship management are essential as you will build a highly engaged team with a clear vision for the future.
    You will cultivate strong, supportive relationships with colleagues in Defence Digital and other government departments, driving suppliers to achieve exceptional performance levels. As a skilled servant leader, you will proactively solve problems while maintaining a big-picture perspective that you can effectively communicate to the team and broader stakeholder community to help focus and motivate. You will confidently manage staff and provide direction for Crown Servants and suppliers, balancing objectives and redeploying people and resources as priorities change.
    When submitting your CV, please highlight your career history and experience relevant to this role. Additionally, refer to the "Things You Need to Know" section of the advert and provide a personal statement (max. 1250 words) demonstrating the essential criteria listed below:
  • Describe how you have managed competing demands and helped the stakeholders and suppliers collaborate to agree on mutual success and a positive outcome.
  • Describe your experience of overseeing suppliers and what actions you have taken to ensure they are delivering well and achieving desired outcomes.
    Hybrid Working
    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 employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity. 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). The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time. This post is working 37 hours per week. Please note that there will be regular travel to the Bristol, London and Corsham sites.
    Things you need to know:
    We’ll assess you against these Behaviours and Technical Skills during the interview process:
    Behaviours:
  • Leadership
  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Seeing the Bigger Picture
    Technical Skills:
  • Communicating between Technical and Non-Technical
  • Agile and Lean Practices
    In addition to the interview, you will be required to present for 5 minutes on a topic related to the role. The topic of the presentation will be sent to you at least 24 hours before the interview.
    Please note, that if you are selected for an interview, it will be via Teams and we will try and offer as much flexibility as we can, but it may not be possible to offer alternative dates for interviews or assessments.
    AI Usage in Job Applications
    We encourage the use of technology to streamline the job application process. Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be helpful in generating ideas, improving writing style, and increasing efficiency. However, it is essential that any content submitted as part of a job application is truthful, accurate, and a genuine reflection of the applicant’s qualifications and experiences. Any use of AI should be supplementary to your own knowledge and abilities. Ultimately, the application should demonstrate your unique skills and suitability for the role.
    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).
    People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard 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
    Working for the Civil Service
    The Civil Service Code 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.
    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

Subscribe to Future Tech Insights for the latest jobs & insights, direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.

Industry Insights

Discover insightful articles, industry insights, expert tips, and curated resources.

The Skills Gap in AI Jobs: What Universities Aren’t Teaching

Artificial intelligence is no longer a future concept. It is already reshaping how businesses operate, how decisions are made, and how entire industries compete. From finance and healthcare to retail, manufacturing, defence, and climate science, AI is embedded in critical systems across the UK economy. Yet despite unprecedented demand for AI talent, employers continue to report severe recruitment challenges. Vacancies remain open for months. Salaries rise year on year. Candidates with impressive academic credentials often fail technical interviews. At the heart of this disconnect lies a growing and uncomfortable truth: Universities are not fully preparing graduates for real-world AI jobs. This article explores the AI skills gap in depth—what is missing from many university programmes, why the gap persists, what employers actually want, and how jobseekers can bridge the divide to build a successful career in artificial intelligence.

AI Jobs for Career Switchers in Their 30s, 40s & 50s (UK Reality Check)

Changing career into artificial intelligence in your 30s, 40s or 50s is no longer unusual in the UK. It is happening quietly every day across fintech, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, government & professional services. But it is also surrounded by hype, fear & misinformation. This article is a realistic, UK-specific guide for career switchers who want the truth about AI jobs: what roles genuinely exist, what skills employers actually hire for, how long retraining really takes & whether age is a barrier (spoiler: not in the way people think). If you are considering a move into AI but want facts rather than Silicon Valley fantasy, this is for you.

How to Write an AI Job Ad That Attracts the Right People

Artificial intelligence is now embedded across almost every sector of the UK economy. From fintech and healthcare to retail, defence and climate tech, organisations are competing for AI talent at an unprecedented pace. Yet despite the volume of AI job adverts online, many employers struggle to attract the right candidates. Roles are flooded with unsuitable applications, while highly capable AI professionals scroll past adverts that feel vague, inflated or disconnected from reality. In most cases, the issue isn’t a shortage of AI talent — it’s the quality of the job advert. Writing an effective AI job ad requires more care than traditional tech hiring. AI professionals are analytical, sceptical of hype and highly selective about where they apply. A poorly written advert doesn’t just fail to convert — it actively damages your credibility. This guide explains how to write an AI job ad that attracts the right people, filters out mismatches and positions your organisation as a serious employer in the AI space.