Innovation Strategy and Policy Deputy Head

UK Ministry of Defence; London; On-site; GBP 71,000; Full time

Job summary

The UK Ministry of Defence is seeking a Deputy Head for the Defence Innovation Unit to set the direction for innovation within the department. This high-profile role requires strategic oversight, strong communication skills, and the ability to influence across various stakeholders to break down barriers to innovation in Defence.

Benefits

Civil Service pension with employer contribution of 28.97%

Learning and development tailored to your role

Flexible working options

Culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

Qualifications

• A proven track record of establishing strong working relationships.
• Ability to influence strategic change and lead a high-performing team.
• Adaptable and resilient to change.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the strategy for UKDI.
• Oversee capability investments, engaging with NATO Innovation Fund.
• Ensure international innovation requirements are met.

Skills

Strategic Thinking

Influencing

Communication

Job description

London

Job Summary

The aim of the Defence Innovation Unit (DIU) is to drive innovation in Defence and ensure the UK Armed Forces has access to the military capability that it needs now and in the future.

In line with Defence Reform, the DIU will shortly transition into the new UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) organisation. This will include a team of policy, strategy, technology, innovation and service delivery experts who will work collaboratively at the interface of MOD, government, and industry.

The DIU leads on co-ordinating innovation activities across the Department, engaging the Department’s senior leaders and connecting across Government and with key international partners and allies. The DIU leads by example, by pushing the boundaries, identifying and exploiting opportunities and engaging with our wide and diverse networks to drive innovation in Defence.

This is a high-profile and exciting opportunity. The Strategy and Policy team are focused on breaking down barriers to innovation in Defence particularly through understanding, challenging and influencing wider Defence policy and strategy to ensure innovation is embedded at the heart of all that we do. As Deputy Head within the DIU, you will lead on Innovation Strategy for MOD, setting the direction for innovation in the department.

Job Description

Current priorities for the role are broadly:

• UKDI – the postholder will develop and implement the strategy for UKDI to ensure that capability gets into the hands of the warfighter faster. The postholder will need to liaise across commands and the innovation system to ensure alignment on direction. The postholder is also the owner of the Innovation Policy and holds the training needs requirements for the new Innovation School
• Capability Investments – the postholder oversees our strategy for leveraging private capital into capability. This team leads on relationships with the NATO Innovation Fund, engagement with NSSIF, support to the AUKUS Defence Investors Network (ensuring industry have clear demand signals) and on a number of trusted capital initiatives working across MOD and with HMT.
• International – The UK is the lead for innovation for AUKUS trilaterally, co-chair of the NATO Rapid Adoption Agile Adaptation sub group and Limited Partner to the NATO Innovation Fund. The postholder will need to oversee these engagements to ensure we are meeting our international requirements and influencing across our alliances.
  
  

The responsibilities will ebb and flow depending on departmental priorities. The successful candidate will need to be adaptable, comfortable with uncertainty and resilient to change.

Current Priorities For The Role Are Broadly

• UKDI – the postholder will develop and implement the strategy for UKDI to ensure that capability gets into the hands of the warfighter faster. The postholder will need to liaise across commands and the innovation system to ensure alignment on direction. The postholder is also the owner of the Innovation Policy and holds the training needs requirements for the new Innovation School
• Capability Investments – the postholder oversees our strategy for leveraging private capital into capability. This team leads on relationships with the NATO Innovation Fund, engagement with NSSIF, support to the AUKUS Defence Investors Network (ensuring industry have clear demand signals) and on a number of trusted capital initiatives working across MOD and with HMT.
• International – The UK is the lead for innovation for AUKUS trilaterally, co-chair of the NATO Rapid Adoption Agile Adaptation sub group and Limited Partner to the NATO Innovation Fund. The postholder will need to oversee these engagements to ensure we are meeting our international requirements and influencing across our alliances.
  
  

The responsibilities will ebb and flow depending on departmental priorities. The successful candidate will need to be adaptable, comfortable with uncertainty and resilient to change.

Person specification

The Successful Candidate Will Have

• A good understanding of the political and wider strategic context
• A proven track record of establishing strong working relationships with the ability to influence and challenge across a wide range of stakeholders, both internally and externally, including on technical issues (although you don’t need a technical background to do this)
• A proven track record of influencing strategic change.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to lead a high performing team
• The leadership skills required to deliver profound, long-term change across organisations
• The ability to work together across organisational boundaries and with different specialisms to bring people together to deliver tangible results to deadline
• International acumen to ensure we deliver on international requirements and maintain international influence
• Desirable:
• Knowledge of innovation best practice
• Knowledge of change management
  
  

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
  
  

Alongside your salary of £70,540, Ministry of Defence contributes £20,435 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. 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.

Please Note: 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.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

At application stage, you will be assessed against the following:

• Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history and previous skills and experience.
• Personal Statement - In no more than 750 words, please provide information of how you meet the criteria set out in the job description. You may wish to further include examples of how you have tackled similar tasks or demonstrated the skills outlined in the job advert.
  
  

Behaviours Assessed

• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
  
  

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: [e-mail] .

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.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

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 developed vetting (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.

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 developed vetting (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

Open to UK nationals only.

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.

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).

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 : Natasha Fox
• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Recruitment team

• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

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: [e-mail].