Navy Command - Project Planner (AFTDC)

UK Ministry of Defence; Helensburgh; On-site; GBP 37,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ministry of Defence seeks a Project Planner for a high-profile project at HMNB Clyde. You will manage planning functions to ensure the successful delivery of capabilities for new submarines, utilizing your strong project management background and analytical skills within a complex operational environment.

Benefits

Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension Scheme

Learning and development opportunities

Flexible working options

Inclusion and diversity culture

Qualifications

• Experience in project management (Risk, Issue, Opportunity Management).
• Ability to prioritise workload in a changing environment.
• Proficient in MS Office and experience with Primavera P6 is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning activities and ensure delivery of business case benefits.
• Monitor and analyse project performance, reporting progress and risks.
• Develop breakdown structures and establish risk management processes.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Analytical skills

Project Management

Education

Project Management

Tools

MS Office products (Excel, Project)

Primavera P6

Job description

HMNB Clyde - Helensburgh

Job Summary

His Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde (HMNB Clyde) is home to the United Kingdom’s Strategic Nuclear Deterrent, Astute Class Attack Submarines, Mine Hunting and Diving Threat Exploitation Groups and 43 Cdo Royal Marines. It is an operational support and maintenance base, within Navy Command and comprises both Faslane and Coulport sites. HMNB Clyde’s primary purpose is to provide engineering and logistical support to the Royal Navy in maintaining Continuous at Sea Deterrent (CASD). This is achieved by ensuring at least one Vanguard Class submarine is on patrol at sea every day of the year.

In Navy Command, our civil servants work alongside their military colleagues in jobs that matter; jobs which often have a direct impact on the quality of the operational capabilities we deliver. Roles can offer great job satisfaction and there are many opportunities to develop and progress both within the Ministry of Defence and across the wider Civil Service.

Please note the role is marked as Reserved Status which means that only sole UK Citizens are eligible to apply due to the nature of material you will be expected to process.

This post is advertised at 37 hours per week

Job Description

As the Project Planner for our Additional Fleet Time Docking Capability (AFTDC) you will have the opportunity to work in a complex and high-profile project delivery environment in a thriving operational environment that is benefiting from significant investment to transform the naval base and ensure it is ready to accept into service two new classes of submarines and future military capabilities. You will be responsible for leading on the planning function for AFTDC, ensuring capability integration activities are captured and articulated across programme plans and schedules.

The role of the Project Planner is to work with complex stakeholders to ensure all aspects of the project are defined. You will provide clarity on key milestones to define what, when and how activities will be organised to ensure the outcomes of the project can be achieved, with the resources available. You will lead on all aspects of project planning, which will include the development, updating and monitoring of plans and schedules, identification of tasks, activities, interdependencies and outputs for the project and work with the project team to track and monitor progress against the plan throughout the life of the project.

Key Responsibilities:

Delivery and leadership

Lead on planning activity and work with the project to support delivery of the business case benefits and outcomes. Support capability building and the use of best practice in planning and risk and issues. Provide expert advice for team members, stakeholders and the project community.

Project planning

Challenge and test project assumptions to ensure that plans are realistic and achievable. Develop of breakdown structures, quality criteria, product descriptions and monitoring strategy. Support the project to identify options to optimise delivery through resource smoothing, resource levelling and rescheduling of activities.

Identification, analysis, monitoring and reporting of risks and issues

Responsible for facilitating the analysis, monitoring and reporting of Risks and Issues. Produce periodic and ad-hoc Risk and Issues reports to a standard template. Establish and maintain the Risk, Issues and Assumptions database and register.

Stakeholder management

Ensure that stakeholder responsibilities and needs are understood and addressed in reporting arrangements. Develop networks across the department. Develop a programme of regular risk and issue reviews with key stakeholders.

Project performance and controls

Monitor and analyse information, reporting progress, slippage and highlighting areas of risk and opportunity.

Guidance and support

Provide expert advice on planning processes throughout the life cycle of the project.

As the Project Planner for our Additional Fleet Time Docking Capability (AFTDC) you will have the opportunity to work in a complex and high-profile project delivery environment in a thriving operational environment that is benefiting from significant investment to transform the naval base and ensure it is ready to accept into service two new classes of submarines and future military capabilities. You will be responsible for leading on the planning function for AFTDC, ensuring capability integration activities are captured and articulated across programme plans and schedules.

The role of the Project Planner is to work with complex stakeholders to ensure all aspects of the project are defined. You will provide clarity on key milestones to define what, when and how activities will be organised to ensure the outcomes of the project can be achieved, with the resources available. You will lead on all aspects of project planning, which will include the development, updating and monitoring of plans and schedules, identification of tasks, activities, interdependencies and outputs for the project and work with the project team to track and monitor progress against the plan throughout the life of the project.

Key Responsibilities:

Delivery and leadership

Lead on planning activity and work with the project to support delivery of the business case benefits and outcomes. Support capability building and the use of best practice in planning and risk and issues. Provide expert advice for team members, stakeholders and the project community.

Project planning

Challenge and test project assumptions to ensure that plans are realistic and achievable. Develop of breakdown structures, quality criteria, product descriptions and monitoring strategy. Support the project to identify options to optimise delivery through resource smoothing, resource levelling and rescheduling of activities.

Identification, analysis, monitoring and reporting of risks and issues

Responsible for facilitating the analysis, monitoring and reporting of Risks and Issues. Produce periodic and ad-hoc Risk and Issues reports to a standard template. Establish and maintain the Risk, Issues and Assumptions database and register.

Stakeholder management

Ensure that stakeholder responsibilities and needs are understood and addressed in reporting arrangements. Develop networks across the department. Develop a programme of regular risk and issue reviews with key stakeholders.

Project performance and controls

Monitor and analyse information, reporting progress, slippage and highlighting areas of risk and opportunity.

Guidance and support

Provide expert advice on planning processes throughout the life cycle of the project.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

Demonstrable knowledge and/or experience of project management e.g. Risk, Issue, Opportunity Management, Stakeholder Management, Benefit Management and Governance.

Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interact and communicate with a wide variety of stakeholders at all levels.

Ability to work independently with the ability to prioritise workload in a changing and demanding environment.

Ability to analyse complex information and issues, providing recommended solutions to problems.

Proficient in MS Office products including Excel and Project.

Desirable Criteria

Experience as either a project planner, has held a role within a project team with good knowledge of project planning or planning experience in a non-project environment.

Experienced Primavera P6 user.

Desirable Qualifications

• Project Management
• Project Planning
• Risk Management
  
  

Opportunities for Project Management training and formal qualifications will be available to the successful candidate

Behaviours

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

• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
  
  

Alongside your salary of £36,530, Ministry of Defence contributes £10,582 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Alongside your salary of £36,530, Ministry of Defence contributes £10,582 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.

Candidates can apply online via the Civil Service Jobs website by completing the application form before the deadline shown. Apply using the Civil Service Jobs apply button, filling in all required details in all sections. Using the Success Profiles link for information on format and style, ensure you provide evidence for all Behaviours and Experience sections requested in the appropriate competency style.

Sift Stage

CV

Candidates will be required to complete an online CV template to include job history, full details of education and qualifications and previous experiences and skills.

Please include any responsibilities and achievements that are relevant to the advert.

Statement of Suitability

Candidates will be required to complete a Statement of Suitability/Personal Statement of no more 500 words, providing details of their experience that is specifically relevant to the essential and desirable experience outlined in the job advert.

At sift, you will be assessed against your CV and Statement of suitability and the following:

• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating & Influencing
  
  

The requirements for the role have been bench marked and these will be used to sift all candidates, with those meeting the minimum criteria invited to interview.

Feedback will only be provided if you are selected to attend an interview.

It is anticipated the sift for this role will take place approximately 5-10 days after the closing date of the advert with interviews expected to take place face to face at HMNB Clyde in July 2025.

Interview Stage

At interview, you will be assessed against your experience and the following:

• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating & Influencing
  
  

When choosing your Behaviour examples, please make sure you use real life scenarios that relate to your own experiences. Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application being rejected.

Candidates who are found to meet an acceptable standard at interview but are not successful in the advertised posts may be held on a Reserve list for up to 12 months and considered for similar roles within the Business Unit.

The successful candidate will also be expected to achieve Security Check clearance for this role.

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 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 security check (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 security check (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 : Lynsey Fowler
• 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].