Business Case Approvals Manager

Job summary

The Corporate Services Modernisation (CSM) Programme requires a Business Case Approvals Manager to support the planning, development and progression of business cases through Ministry of Defence governance and investment approval routes.

The role will work across the programme to ensure business cases and approval documents are coherent, evidence-based and aligned to departmental approval requirements and HM Treasury Green Book principles.

This role is suited to someone who can bring structure, clarity and pace to business case approvals activity. You will coordinate inputs from multiple stakeholders, manage approval conditions and supporting evidence, advise colleagues on investment approvals and help ensure the programme is positioned for successful decisions at the right time.

CSM is a high priority for the Ministry of Defence and offers substantial exposure to senior level decision-making and therefore offers opportunities for further career development.

The CSM portfolio is recruiting to two-year FTAs, with the possibility of extension subject to business requirements and approvals.

If you are a permanent MOD civil servant and are successful in securing an advertised Fixed-Term Appointment (FTA), it may be possible to agree a Temporary Transfer, subject to the agreement of your current MOD business area. Where a Temporary Transfer is agreed and the post is at a higher grade, any promotion will be temporary, and you will return to your substantive grade at the end of the Temporary Transfer.

Existing Civil Servants from outside MOD and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply but will only be considered on a loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant, including arrangements regarding grade on return.

The role is advertised as 37 hours per week. Part-time and Job share may be considered providing that full time hours are covered.

Job description

Business case development and approvals

• Coordinate the planning, development and production of CSM business cases, including drafting discrete sections and collating specialist input.

• Ensure business cases and supporting material are progressed in line with governance and approvals processes, HM Treasury Green Book principles and the Five Case Model.

• Support the completion of business case approval conditions, working across programme workstreams to secure evidence and close actions.

• Support the drafting, review and submission of business cases to set the programme up for successful approval outcomes.

• Prepare, maintain and coordinate approvals documentation and other supporting artefacts.

Governance and investment approval routes

• Map and manage business case governance routes, ensuring approval steps, decision points, actions and owners are clear.

• Prepare supporting papers and evidence packs for submission to approving authorities and formal governance boards.

• Support programme colleagues to present business cases through applicable approvals processes where required.

• Facilitate key programme approvals meetings, acting as secretariat or leading and owning meetings where appropriate.

• Maintain accurate records of decisions, conditions, actions and approvals evidence.

Stakeholder engagement and advisory support

• Act as an advisory point of contact for stakeholders on investment approvals and business case requirements.

• Work closely with commercial, finance, programme and workstream colleagues to align approval activity with the ask, programme commitments and critical path.

• Coordinate stakeholder engagement to ensure business case information, requirements, benefits and evidence are gathered and tested.

• Support engagement across CSM to ensure needs are understood, managed, and met effectively.

Programme oversight, risk and integration

• Sustain oversight of programme functions, milestones and status to support integration and feed relevant approval insights into governance structures.

• Support the evaluation and planning of future approvals, including forward look activity and sequencing of approval requirements.

• Identify and manage approval-related risks, issues, dependencies and blockers, escalating where appropriate.

• Contribute to programme strategic decisions and development where approvals insight is required.

Information management and continuous improvement

• Administer, file and maintain business case documentation, supporting data and evidence on approved management systems.

• Share information, lessons learned and good practice across the team and wider programme.

• Work flexibly across programme workstreams where business case and approvals support is required.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Experience supporting the development, coordination or review of business cases, approval papers or investment decision material.

• Experience working in a project, programme, portfolio, governance, PMO, commercial, finance or strategy environment.

• Understanding of business case principles and the ability to apply structured approaches such as the Five Case Model.

• Strong planning and coordination skills, with the ability to bring together inputs from multiple stakeholders and manage deadlines.

• Ability to produce clear, concise and evidence-based written material for governance boards and approving authorities.

• Good stakeholder engagement skills, with the confidence to provide advice, challenge constructively, and resolve gaps or inconsistencies.

• Ability to identify and escalate risks, issues, dependencies, and approval blockers.

• Good information management discipline, including maintaining records, evidence, and audit trails.

Desirable Criteria

• Knowledge of Ministry of Defence investment approvals processes, and/or departmental governance routes.

• Knowledge of HM Treasury Green Book appraisal and evaluation guidance.

• Experience preparing or supporting IAAPs (Integrated Assurance and Approvals Plan), PEATs (Programme Evidence and Assurance Tailoring Tool), RCAs (Risk and Complexity Assessment), Information Notes or equivalent approvals documentation.

• Experience working in a complex transformation programme or multi-workstream delivery environment.

• APMG Better Business Cases Foundation or Practitioner, PRINCE2, Managing Successful Programmes or equivalent project delivery qualification.

PDCF competency

Recommended level

How it appears in this advert

Business case development

Working

Development, drafting, review and coordination of business cases and approval material.

Governance

Working

Mapping approval routes, preparing papers, supporting boards and tracking actions.

Stakeholder engagement

Working

Managing interactions with programme, commercial, finance and governance stakeholders.

Benefits management

Working

Coordinating engagement to