DIO-Planning Manager

Join the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and have a future that matters: Be proud; Be challenged; Be unique.

Job Summary

About DIO Major Programmes and Projects

Major Programme & Project Delivery (MPP) is accountable and responsible for the delivery of infrastructure capital projects (excluding Minor New Works) to support the Front Line Commands (FLCs) in the UK and overseas. MPP provides infrastructure project delivery and expert input to the early development of programmes and projects across the FLCs. MPP has adopted the principles of Portfolio, Programme and Project Management (P3M) and champions them across DIO. MPP also directs and advises DE&S on all infrastructure aspects of hybrid projects, including nuclear.

About DIO MPP – Nuclear Infrastructure

As the MOD’s infrastructure expert DIO has a significant role to provide defence-wide advice, guidance and delivery of strategic estates management, strategic asset management, disposals and acquisitions and major programme and project delivery as well as the management and leadership of the supply chain.

The continuous at sea deterrent is strategically critical output for UK Defence and the infrastructure that supports the current capability, and wider submarine operations, in preparation for future capability requires significant investment.

DIO Nuclear Directorate provides a mission aligned infrastructure service to the CASD, providing major capital programme delivery, estates and infrastructure services to our Front-Line Commands and Agencies. The directorate is responsible for the delivery of the existing demand, the development of the next demand and the planning of future demands alongside our Royal Navy, Submarine Delivery Agency and Defence Nuclear Organisation sponsors.

The portfolio of work comprises a number of complex estates and infrastructure projects including:

• The Clyde Infrastructure Programme; a £1.8B programme of work of new build facilities and refurbishment to support current and future operations on HMNB Clyde.
• Programme Euston: a complex engineering and construction project to ensure readiness for the Submarine Flotilla’s newest addition, Dreadnought class submarines.
• Future Programme Development: to determine the future investment strategy to ensure the infrastructure across our estate meets the MOD’s nuclear infrastructure demand.

Job Description

The Planner operates as part of the Portfolio Management Office, for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation Nuclear Infrastructure Directorate, leading on development of future projects planning and in portfolio level planning. In this role the Planner will be expected to provide SME input at Programme and Project delivery level including actively supporting and driving the Portfolio management office and project delivery teams on the mitigations and opportunity realisation activities. The post includes an assurance role and some audit.

Responsibilities include:

• Produce all outputs of the schedule and capacity planning management.
• Responsible for developing and maintaining the portfolio 10 year plan.
• Responsibility for capacity planning services across the portfolio.
• Apply expert knowledge of the future pipeline of work to inform decision making.
• Engage with relevant base authorities to understand interdependencies across the estates and customers.
• Produce and help with developing the programme schedules to capture the capacity planning outputs.
• Support a capacity planning approach confirming resource needs, liaising with Strategic Management Workforce Planning Lead on a regular basis.
• Action ad-hoc capacity planning requests from delivery teams.
• Collate, aggregate and report against dependency issues and escalations.
• Ongoing monitoring and assurance of scheduling and capacity planning across the programme.
• Implement Planning management standards.
• Ensure quality review activities and associated time have been allocated realistically.
• Define and manage time-recording processes; use systems/tools to capture actual progress data.
• Provide a view of resource commitments that will impact the ability of the portfolio to deliver.
• Provide a resource capacity tracking service across the Programmes of Work.
• Link into the nuclear infrastructure and Defence Nuclear Enterprise governance to ensure risks and issues on resource capacity are captured.
• Advise on the Programme approach to scheduling and capacity planning, including provision of a portfolio pipeline and resourced schedule.
• Promote a proactive capacity management approach, involving programme/project resource reviews, ongoing capacity and capability reviews, evolving demands (CIDP) and change management.
• Capture and maintain benchmark resource capacity requirements of the programmes.
• Create and deliver a portfolio level projects and programmes plan.
• In consultation with resource owners, decide on the best source and service for the required planning activities and outputs, depending on the long-term requirement for a particular capability and its likely availability.
• Ensure all product-based plans include activities, time and resource estimates for risk.
• Assist with forecasting future resource needs, based on programme/project plans, close liaison with the relevant delivery leads and the Resource, Recruitment and Training Manager.
• Advise senior stakeholders on the best ways in which the schedule can prioritise programmes and projects, particularly those flagged as high risk or with registered issues.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Person specification

Essential:

• Experience of planning and scheduling tools and the implementation and use of them in a Portfolio, Programme or Project environment.
• Awareness and knowledge of most other aspects of P3M e.g. Risk/Issue/Opportunity Management, Stakeholder Management, Benefit Management, Governance, Requirements etc.

Desirable:

• Experience in infrastructure Portfolio, Programme and Project assurance.
• Experience of working in the Ministry of Defence and/or other Government Departments or Public Sector organisations.
• Experience of infrastructure delivery.
• Agile Project Management Foundation.
• PRINCE2 Practitioner.
• Agile Project Management Practitioner.
• APM Project Management Fundamentals.
• APM Project Management Qualification.
• APMG International Project Planning and Control Foundation.
• PRINCE2 Foundation.
• PMI Certificate in Associate Project Management.
• Or equivalent.

Behaviours

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service
• Seeing the Big Picture

Technical skills

We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Project Planning
• Project performance and Controls

Alongside your salary of £44,590, Ministry of Defence contributes £12,917 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%.

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.

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.

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.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity.

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

Contact point for applicants:

Job contact: Joe Timmons, Email: Joe.Timmons102@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team: Email: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk