Director of Strategy and Transformation- The Marine Management Organisation (MMO)

Job summary

MMO has embarked upon an ambitious transformation that will realise our ambition to become a service organisation, reorienting the MMO to the delivery of end-to-end services, where the whole organisation collaborates to deliver shared outcomes. Building capability that supports cross functional service teams that are empowered deliver and change services. Leading and supporting the organisational design and enablement through expert support functions of project, service design and product owners.

The main objectives of the role will be to lead and oversee the Transformation Programme, creating a unified function of experts, who can collaborate within multi disciplined teams, that think and act as one, creating a culture of high performance, innovation and growth.

Overseeing the MMO programme to deliver Secretary of State regulatory reform priorities, including as senior representative at Defra Programme Boards and Committees

Lead on Organisational Design in collaboration with lead Directors for the services transformation, which will describe the delivery structure for the relevant service in an Operating Model, aligned to the needs of MMO in the future is able to flex as needs change. Our structure and approach will be sustainable, with a clear focus for investment in our people.

Provide strategic, visible leadership and direction to transformation, as well as having a proven strengths in communication and engagement with internal and external stakeholders.

Shape and lead strategic change and make a significant and lasting difference through their work and ability to influence others. To achieve this they will need vision, drive, and creativity. They will foster ongoing service flexibility, future proof business services in line with the MMO approach to Service Transformation and use creative solutions to sustain best practice in close collaboration with other ELT Directors and Defra Group partners.

Job description

The role holder will provide strategic visible leadership and direction to transformation, as well as having a proven strengths in communication and engagement with internal and external stakeholders.

This will include the Programme of change to deliver the Transformation programme, and use their delivery expertise to drive effective delivery, overcome barriers and engage stakeholders and staff. They will also provide professional support, persuasive argument and challenge to both the programme team but also the ELT (SCS) sponsors tasked with leading elements of the transformation. This role is critical to driving the delivery of far-reaching change, fundamentally reshaping how the MMO operates.
The post holder will shape and lead strategic change and make a significant and lasting difference through their work and ability to influence others. To achieve this they will need vision, drive, and creativity. They will foster ongoing service flexibility, future proof business services in line with the MMO approach to Service Transformation and use creative solutions to sustain best practice in close collaboration with other ELT Directors and Defra Group partners. They will be a champion and figurehead across the team.

The role will directly lead a small Programme team responsible for the effective delivery and/or co-ordination of key elements of the transformation of the function. The post holder will be responsible for leading with and through others, including the relevant ELT Director in their role as SRO, Leadership Team, the Function’s leadership team colleagues, and MMO through the successfully managed transformation to the new technologies, structures and ways of working. They will use their professional expertise to build in the right level of controls, sequencing and planning.
The post holder will also lead on business planning and workforce planning for the Directorate and work with colleagues to ensure our strong management control and milestone delivery across the wider function. To achieve this, they will combine knowledge of the strategic direction of MMO and align this with the corporate direction. The post holder will be accountable for the development people framework to keep developing their skills and capability, improve our use of data and information, streamline process and organisational structures, and give our people the technology and digital tools they need to succeed.
Director of Strategy and Transformation role will lead the strategic planning and delivery of transformation programmes across the organisation, ensuring modern, efficient, and citizen-focused public services. This role is pivotal in driving cultural, digital, and organisational change aligned with government priorities.

Director of Strategy and Transformation holds a critical leadership role within MMO, directly accountable for the success, integrity, and impact of strategic change initiatives. This post carries significant responsibility for decision-making, resource stewardship, and organisational outcomes, with a high degree of autonomy and visibility across the executive landscape:

• Overseeing large-scale transformation initiatives that align with business goals and future growth.
• Final say on the design, delivery, and evaluation of transformation programmes, ensuring alignment with MMO’s strategic objectives and future growth.
• Accountable for translating executive vision into actionable change, the Director leads cross-functional initiatives that reshape how MMO operates and delivers public value.
• Defining success metrics, tracking progress, and ensuring transformation efforts deliver tangible results.
• Directly answerable for the outcomes of transformation efforts, including delivery against success metrics, stakeholder satisfaction, and long-term organisational impact.
• Leads performance management across transformation teams, ensuring that delivery milestones are met and that corrective action is taken when needed.
• Exercises broad discretion in determining how transformation is approached, prioritised, and implemented, within the bounds of MMO policy, government legislation, and public sector governance.
• Makes independent decisions on programme scope, delivery models, and stakeholder engagement strategies, often in complex or politically sensitive environments.
• While reporting to the CEO, the Director is expected to operate with a high level of autonomy and strategic judgment.
• Creating a mindset shift, encouraging collaboration, and fostering an innovation-driven culture.
• Plays a key role in corporate decision-making, shaping MMO’s strategic direction, operating model, and investment priorities through transformation leadership.
• Ensuring transformation projects deliver return on investment and adhere to budget constraints.
• Accountable for the effective use of public funds allocated to transformation programmes, ensuring value for money, transparency, and measurable return on investment.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Strategic Transformation Leadership: Proven track record of leading and delivering complex, large-scale organisational transformation and service design, with the vision to translate strategy into sustainable, end-to-end operational change.
• Senior Stakeholder & Collaborative Influence: Exceptional diplomatic and communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to navigate ambiguity, influence senior leadership teams and Boards, and build trusted partnerships across complex organisational boundaries.
• Empowering & Inclusive People Leadership: Strong track record as an empathetic, visible leader who drives a high-performance culture, builds cross-functional capability, and inspires multidisciplinary teams through major change.
• Public Sector Na