Job description for Deca Managed Service Programme Lead

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a dynamic team, drive continuous improvement, and play a key role in delivering critical capabilities that support the nation’s defence, your leadership will be at the heart of delivering critical defence capabilities, ensuring successful acquisition and through-life support of avionics and electronic equipment. In this role, you will work collaboratively with senior military and civilian leaders to deliver projects that meet the needs of Defence Equipment and Support. Your leadership will be instrumental in driving high-performing, multi-disciplinary teams to deliver outcomes that directly support U.K. Defence.

Leading a team of 20+ Engineers and Supply Chain professionals, you will provide strategic direction to deliver a diverse portfolio of projects and requirements. You will be accountable for ensuring these projects are delivered within agreed performance, cost, and time parameters, while meeting the needs of stakeholders and internal customers. You will also oversee the establishment of contracts with Commercial Officers, ensuring industry contributions are secured and contract performance is effectively managed to deliver value and meet commitments.

We champion flexible ways of working. Regular in-person attendance is required (this is expected to be a minimum of 60% of your working week) to promote the benefits of face-to-face collaboration alongside flexibility of hours to support work-life balance and business need. Initially, you may be expected to attend more frequently to familiarise yourselves with the site, the team, and your role. Please note this role will require UK-wide travel to Defence sites dependent on organisational requirements.

Please see at quote from one of our colleagues: “Working at DE&S Deca is both challenging and rewarding. I’ve had the opportunity to work with a supportive team and contribute to meaningful projects that make a real difference. The role offers variety, collaboration with a range of stakeholders, and the chance to develop professionally while supporting defence. It’s a great place to grow and make an impact.”

Interviews will take place face-to-face at MOD Sealand and will commence in the week commencing Monday 28th August 2025 (please note this is subject to change).

We champion flexible ways of working. Regular in-person attendance is required (this is expected to be approximately 60% of your working week) to promote the benefits of face-to-face collaboration alongside flexibility of hours to support work-life balance and business need. Initially, you may be expected to attend more frequently to familiarise yourselves with the site, the team, and your role.

What you’ll be doing

• Accountable for establishing, leading and managing high performing multi-disciplinary teams and setting project, change programme, providing governance and driving performance to deliver agreed outcomes to stakeholders and/or internal customers.
• Responsible for supporting an open, honest, no blame culture. Actively discussing failures and shortfalls positively and drawing through LFE and enacting mitigations and engaging with stakeholders to mitigate wider occurrence.
• Accountable for the delivery of a diverse portfolio of projects and requirements within the performance/cost/time envelope for equipment acquisition and through life support arrangements for a diverse range of avionics and electronic equipment.
• Responsible for embedding and adhering to all governance and policy and enable the required compliance throughout their team, ensure appropriate challenge and gain approval to deviate when necessary.
• Agree requirements (or specifications) with the customer, the objectives and means of acceptance for the acquisition and through-life support of equipment ensuring full consideration of the Defence Lines of Development (DLoD).
• Drive the timely establishment of contracts with Commercial Officers to enable the required contractual contribution from industry. Deliver project requirements, sustain and leverage value through the monitoring and management of contract performance against commitments (product and services) and meet our own obligations under the contract.

Person specification

To be successful with your application, you’ll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

• Any of the following: APM PMQ/MSP/PRINCE2, MAPM ChPP or RPP, relevant Post-Graduate qualification i.e. MSc (Project Management), PLP.
• Significant experience in the management/leadership of teams.
• Experience of leading and managing a project management team delivering complex portfolio projects.
• Experience of stakeholder and relationship management, including working with stakeholders and / or customers to deliver outcomes.

In addition to the responsibilities above, the following technical competences and behaviours will be assessed at interview:

• Core Behaviour 1: Seeing the Big Picture (CSBC 4)
• Core Behaviour 2: Leadership (CSBC 4)
• Technical Competence 1: Setting the Project/Programme Context (Practitioner)
• Technical Competence 2: Stakeholder Management (Practitioner)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,500, Ministry of Defence contributes £16,657 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• 25 days’ annual leave +1 day a year up to 30 days, 8 bank holidays and a day off for the King’s birthday
• Flexible and hybrid working options
• Market-leading average employer pension contribution of 28.97%
• Annual performance-based bonus and recognition awards
• Access to specialist training and funded qualifications
• Support for progression
• Huge range of discounts
• Volunteering days
• Enhanced parental leave schemes

Improving innovation and enriching our culture, diversity of thought is vital to our success. So whether you’re looking for a new opportunity, a next step, or a helping hand as you return from a career break, bring your experiences and help deliver for the defence of tomorrow. Here you’ll find a supportive, family-friendly organisation to be a part of – and if you need any assistance with your application, just let us know.

Further Information

• Civil Service Recruitment Principles: Recruitment Principles – Civil Service Commission
• Candidate Information Pack: https://bit.ly/DES-Candidate-Information-Pack
• Terms and Conditions: https://bit.ly/DES-Terms-and-Conditions
• Civil Service Code: The Code – Civil Service Commission

Any personal data that you provide during the Recruitment process will be treated in accordance with the MOD Privacy Notice which can be accessed here.

Disability Confident:

Please note as a Disability Confident Leader we want to ensure you receive any reasonable adjustments that you need throughout the recruitment process. If you do require any reasonable adjustments, you can let us know on your online application under the section ‘Please indicate and give details of any reasonable adjustments you may require during the recruitment process.’

Conflicts of Interest:

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.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

Your application will go through the following stages of assessment:

1. Pre-sift – We will check that you meet any essential or eligibility criteria that are listed in the Person Specification section of this advert. On your CV, please clearly show how you meet the essential criteria.
2. Sift – Your CV will be assessed against the following categories, using a simple numerical scoring system: Key Achievements; Relevant Experience; Applied Knowledge and Skills. Please follow our guidance on CV writing for best chance of success.
3. Interview – If you’re invited to interview, you’ll be assessed against the Sift categories listed above, as well as the Technical Competences and Behaviours listed in the Person Specification section of this advert.

Please Note: In the event of a tied score at interview, the Order of Merit will be distinguished based on the ranking of the assessed behaviours and competencies below:

• 1st: Core Behaviour 1
• 2nd: Core Behaviour 2
• 3rd: Technical Competencies
• 4th: CV Review

In the event of a further tie using the method above, we reserve the right to utilise the Lead criterion, and/or and additional assessment.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

If you feel that 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 department via email: DESHR-WSC-PMOCOMPLAINTS@mod.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Recruitment Complaints – Civil Service Commission

Offering at a lower level

If you’re not successful at interview, we may offer you a role at a lower level if this is a match for your skills and experience. If this applies to your application, you’ll be scored against criteria for the lower-level role and offers will be made in merit order. If you accept this position, you’ll be able to take advantage of opportunities to develop your career as part of our team.

feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.