DIO - Assistant Head of Delivery

Job summary

As the MOD’s infrastructure expert DIO has a significant role to provide defence-wide, advice, guidance and delivery of strategic estates management, strategic asset management, disposals, acquisitions and major programme and project delivery as well as the management and leadership of the supply chain.

The Continuous at Sea Deterrent (CASD) is strategically critical output for UK Defence and the infrastructure that supports the current capability, and wider submarine operations, in preparation for future capability requires significant investment.

DIO Nuclear Infrastructure Directorate (NID) provides a mission aligned infrastructure service to CASD, providing major capital programme delivery, estates and infrastructure services to our Front-Line Commands and Agencies. The directorate is responsible for the delivery of the existing demand, the development of the next demand and the planning of future demands alongside our Royal Navy, Submarine Delivery Agency and Defence Nuclear Organisation sponsors.

The scope of the infrastructure delivery across HMNB Clyde comprises of multiple major programmes with a current annual spend of C£350M expected to increase in the region of £600M-£750M in the coming years. Programmes include:

• Programme Euston (additional submarine out of water engineering capability), delivery of marine infrastructure, shoreside services and site utilities.
• Programme Integrated Weapons Complex (IWC) – delivery of facilities to maintain amuntioning of submarines.
• Clyde Infrastructure Programme (CIP) – critical nuclear infrastructure asset replacements, accommodation and training facilities.
• Future berthing capability – Marine berthing and docking.
• Site-wide utilities programme – power distribution network, wastewater and effluent.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

About this role

The Assistant Head Delivery within the DIO Nuclear Infrastructure Directorate (NID) plays a critical role in enabling and leading infrastructure delivery across the Clyde. They will ensure that technical aspects of these infrastructure programmes are being addressed in line with relevant processes and standards. This role will work across several projects, providing support to project teams, taking the leads on technical matters and enabling delivery by proactively addressing risks and issues. The candidate will be expected to bring their skills and experience to drive efficacies and implement improvements in delivery where possible.

This role will act as an interface between the delivery teams and technical services, design authorities and regulators. This will involve proactive engagement with a variety of stakeholder groups to ensure alignment and that issues are being addressed. The post holder will be responsible for ensuring that the projects and programmes they are assigned to maintain strong technical reputation, delivers engineering excellence, that they are compliant, safe and secure.

This role is expected to have a sound knowledge and experience across several technical areas (for example, safety, security, engineering, nuclear, quality, etc) but does not have to be a subject matter expert on all aspects. Where gaps in knowledge and skills exist the post holder is expected to work with a network of SMEs across the Defence Infrastructure Organisation and Defence Nuclear Enterprise to cover these areas. Where feasible training and development opportunities to address skill gaps will be supported.

Leadership

• Provide leadership across assigned infrastructure projects and programmes.
• Developing of members within the Delivery Team and assist line manager in delivering departmental goals.
• Provide direction and leadership to the team to deliver DIO outputs within minimal supervision.
• Role model effective Civil Service behaviour and challenge inappropriate behaviour.
• Manage good and poor performance consistently and fairly, integrating Diversity and Inclusion principles and giving regular feedback.
• Promote effective individual and team performance.

Programme and Technical Service Delivery

• Provide advice and support to programmes to achieve technical and safety excellence.
• Advising and assisting with the overall technical governance strategy, which is proportionate and aligned to the environment (nuclear vs non-nuclear).
• Provide technical advice and support the development of project artifacts and submissions to support the delivery of nuclear infrastructure.
• Review and support project to be compliant with customer, statutory and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure where relevant, DIO Capital Works Process and Project Delivery Framework are applied in alignment to site Safety Management Arrangements and Protocols.
• Provide appropriate reports to the NID Senior Leadership Team, highlighting key technical risks and opportunities to support programme delivery or the NID’s strategic aims.
• Review contractor deliverables to ensure quality.
• Drive value for money in projects through effective and proportionate delivery.
• Provide support and assistants to Project Managers and team members to enable effective delivery.

Customer and Stakeholder Engagement

• Build strong relationships with key stakeholders including Design Authority, Safety Case and Dep Head Infra, contributing to and influencing ways of working, processes and decision making.
• Provide technical expertise during customer engagements, ensuring that their requirements are understood and captured.
• Proactively engaging with team members, assurance and approval teams to ensure project artifacts of a technical nature are developed to the relevant standards and to quality.
• Work with site staff to ensure their process are being followed to ensure customer acceptance.
• Provide guidance and advise to key stakeholders to help inform decision making.

Wider DIO Business and improvements

• Share best practice amongst peers and undertake lessons learned exercises to ensure effective and efficient development of the estate.
• Support wider Government initiatives as directed by the Deputy Head, Programme Lead or Deputy Director.
• Prepare briefs and papers as required and input to draft policy papers.
• Embed a continuous improvement culture, maximise learning from experience to drive improvement activities and support knowledge share across the department.

Person specification

Essential Experience

• Demonstrable history of Technical Leadership within the Defence Nuclear Enterprise, civil nuclear sector, construction or other highly regulated industry.
• Stakeholder and communication management.
• Experience in project or programme delivery.

Desirable Experience

• Experience of working within NEC4.
• Knowledge and experience working on large scale construction projects.
• Knowledge and experience working within the Defence Nuclear Enterprise or Civil Nuclear.
• Formal project or programme management qualifications.

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level in a relevant discipline (e.g. Engineering/Science)
• Nuclear Introductory Course, Nuclear Weapon Foundation Course and Nuclear Site Safety Justification Course (can be gained in post).
• Formal Project Delivery Qualifications (e.g AMP PMQ, PRINCE II, MSP, etc)

Memberships

• Chartered status with a relevant professional body (Engineering/Nuclear/Construction