Reference number
274332
Salary
ÂŁ49,403 – ÂŁ55,823
Job grade
Grade 7
PB7
Contract type
Permanent
Type of role
Science
Working pattern
Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time
Number of jobs available
2
Location
Lowestoft, Weymouth
About the job
Job summary
The role of the Programme Manager is to lead and manage delivery of the most complex and highest risk programmes within Cefas. A key part of the advertised role is responsibility for successful programme delivery of the required outcomes, including the establishment of appropriate governance and assurance, monitoring progress, managing risks and issues and ensuring we deliver organisational impact.
The Centre for Environment, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) is an agency of Defra and world leading experts in marine and freshwater science. At Cefas, we are motivated by our vision of a sustainable future for rivers, seas and the ocean. We work with our partners to deliver innovative and world leading science which anticipates future challenges and leads the response to meet them. Our vision is underpinned by our mission to apply our unique scientific expertise to achieve healthy and productive marine and freshwater ecosystems by providing evidence and advice to UK Government and our overseas partners.
Our work contributes to the efforts of the UK Government in addressing serious global problems of climate change, biodiversity loss and food security, in support of national and international commitments to promote a sustainable and resilient global recovery.
In Cefas, our people are our biggest asset. We continue to invest in our people as we deliver our targets and build our capability for the future. To thrive at work, we believe people must be safe, have clear targets and career development opportunities, while being supported with the right tools and infrastructure. We enable our people to work flexibly and support their wider responsibilities through every stage of their life and careers at Cefas. To support this ambition, we provide our people with rewarding professional development opportunities throughout their careers with us, bringing together our talents to facilitate and deliver excellent science. We are a diverse and inclusive organisation where difference is truly valued.
Cefas is proud of a diverse and inclusive work environment, committed to fairness and the promotion of equality of opportunity for all. We know that having a range of experiences, backgrounds, ways of working and thinking, makes us a stronger organisation, better at reflecting the communities we serve. We embrace different views and experiences and value the fresh perspective that people from a variety of circumstances bring to the work we do. We welcome applications from candidates who have not previously worked for the Civil Service, mid- and late-career changers with transferrable skills, people from all backgrounds and circumstances regardless of disability, gender, age, ethnicity, LGBT+ identity and socio-economic status.
Job description
Your main duties and responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
The Programme Manager will orchestrate delivery of large-scale programmes by applying advanced project and programme management values and techniques.
The Programme Manager will play a crucial leadership role in large high profile, cross-government, multi-million-pound programmes which are delivered across our Portfolios. This covers the management, planning and coordination of delivery, reporting, and negotiations through delivery teams and partners. This is to ensure successful delivery of these very high impact, high risk programmes to key strategic partners.
Key to successful programme delivery is leading on the effective engagement of all external senior stakeholders and extensive subcontractors. This also includes leading on Cefas representation at external senior level boards where required.
The key responsibilities of the Programme Manager are:
- Overall responsibility for successful programme management and delivery to meet all partner objectives and outcomes, whilst managing significant levels of uncertainty and risk.
- Establishing the required multi-party MOUs, milestone plans and their project control frameworks, and data agreements with all partners.
- Engaging, influencing, and negotiating with a range of senior stakeholders to help deliver their desired outcomes.
- Programme planning, monitoring, and reporting. Manage cross programme/portfolio dependencies across all workstreams and across the larger government programmes to both senior internal and external boards.
- Reforecasting significant finances and resources and managing the complex networks of subcontracting partners.
- Effective management of risks, issues, and mitigations, whilst inputting to the wider programme cross-government boards.
- Frequently liaising with Sponsors(SRO), Portfolio Leads, Science Theme Leads, Programme Directors, senior Cefas Principal Investigator’s, and workstream leads, to effectively manage programme milestones and set strategic direction.
- Lead a team, including training and mentoring. Defining project goals and objectives, outlining scope and resource requirements, resolving conflicts within and between projects.
In addition, Cefas reserves the right to ask staff to take on additional duties and responsibilities which are commensurate with their grade.
Person specification
The following are essential criteria required for this role and you must be able to demonstrate your skills and experience in the following areas:
- Excellent understanding of cross department working and in managing large scale (ÂŁm+) consortium programmes, with a demonstrable track record of leading high impact and very high-risk delivery programmes.
- Track record of developing a clear vison, strategy and plan for the delivery of large-scale programmes (including partner/subcontractor workstreams), and the ability to negotiate and influence their future expansions/extensions. You will have significant experience of senior stakeholder management (including negotiations and influencing) across government, academic institutes, and subcontractors.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, written and verbal, for both internal and external audiences, up to CEO/Board level.
- Ability to work at pace whilst managing significant volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. Solutions to emerging problems must be agreed upon calmly, quickly and effectively – with appropriate change controls and mitigations applied to ensure solutions are practical and quickly embedded within programmes.
- An ability to maintain oversight of delivery, risks, and spend across the numerous workstreams, with a track record of reporting into internal and external senior level boards.
- Demonstrate having highly effective teamworking and networking skills.
- An advanced degree and/or significant relevant experience in a related area of work.
Qualifications
APM Project Management Qualification (APM PMQ) or equivalent.
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
- Making Effective Decisions
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Leadership
Technical skills
We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Advanced project/programme management skills. This includes requirements management, planning, scheduling, resource management, budget and cost management, risk and issues management, frameworks and methodologies, stakeholder engagement, assurance an
Benefits
- Generous annual leave entitlement – Cefas offers 25 days’ annual leave on entry (rising to 30 days over first 5yrs) for full-time new entrants to the Civil Service. Employees receive 8 public holidays a year, plus an additional day to mark the King’s birthday
- Access to learning and development tailored to your role
- A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options
- A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
- Eligible to join the Civil Service Pension scheme – more information can be found on the CSP website http://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/
- Staff recognition vouchers
- In-year award scheme
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.
Application Process
As part of the application process you are asked to provide a CV (job history, qualifications, past skills and experience), a 750-word personal statement on how you meet the essential criteria as stated in the person specification section, a 250-word statement on how you meet the advertised lead behaviour, Leadership and a 250-word statement on how you meet the advertised technical skills.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Sift
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, Leadership. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Sift and interview dates are to be confirmed. The interview schedule will be confirmed following sift results.
Interview
If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on your previous experience, behaviours, technical skills and strengths.
You may also be required to give a presentation. If this is the case, you will receive further information with your invitation.
If scores are equal following interview, an assessment of the lead behaviour, leadership will be used by the panel.
The interview will be undertaken remotely via Teams.
Location
Please be aware that this role is based at Lowestoft laboratory or Weymouth laboratory.
Blended Working
Using a blended working framework, we can have some choice over when, where and how we work to deliver our outcomes to meet customer and business needs. For many people, this will mean working some of the time in a Cefas workplace, fieldwork, and some from home where this is possible to do so.
In summary, we encourage colleagues to work face-to-face (office, laboratory, vessel, field, etc.) at least 40% of Cefas work time, and the expectation is for everyone to spend a minimum average of one day per usual working week at one of our sites.
The remainder of the working week may be located by personal choice to best meet Cefas business need: at home, another Cefas base, field work, vessel, visiting a Defra site or other customer base.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Salary
New entrants are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.
Visa Sponsorship Statement
Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.
Reasonable Adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
- Contact Government Recruitment Service via defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
- Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
Accessibility
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.
Criminal Record Check
If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check may be carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
Internal Fraud Database Check
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offenses. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
Childcare Vouchers
Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
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 Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
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.
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
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 :Cefas Resourcing
- Email :resourcing@cefas.co.uk
Recruitment team :
- Email :defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission:
Click here to visit Civil Service Commission
