Senior Project Manager – Privileged Access Management Remediation

Job summary

Defra is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.

Digital, Data, Technology and Security (DDTS) is the trusted team for digital across the entire Defra Group.

We have around 1000 colleagues across DDTS and our ambition is to make it easier and faster than ever for people to interact with Defra. If you are ready to drive innovation and push boundaries, we want to hear from you. Join us and together we will create a great place for living, and a green and healthy future for all.

Find out more about DDTS:

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Job description

Join us as a Senior Project Manager – Shape the Future of Defra’s underpinning Technology!

We’re looking for someone who thrives on variety, enjoys solving complex problems, and wants to make a real difference in how people work across the Defra Group.

Our Digital, Data, Technology and Security (DDTS) function is at the heart of delivering smarter, more connected workplaces across the Defra Group.

We’re looking for a Senior Project Manager to join our dynamic GIO Delivery Portfolio Team and drive innovation in a fast-paced, high-profile portfolio.

Person specification

Responsibilities:

The proposed resource will operate in a Project Manager capacity, providing end to end accountability for delivery, managing interdependencies, proactively addressing risks and maintaining alignment across stakeholders and delivery teams. All of this forms part of continuous service lifecycle management within a complex, multi supplier environment.

To deliver success in this role the project manager will need to identify the dependencies across the existing supplier services and work across this complex environment, often with complicated relationships, challenging ownership externally as well as internally to define workable solutions whilst ensuring best value for Defra.

This role will deliver measurable outcomes including reduction of excessive and dormant privileged accounts, implementation of controlled and auditable privileged access processes, removal of unmanaged or insecure access pathways, and establishment of consistent governance over privileged identities across the estate

Delivery & Control:

• Lead delivery of complex IT infrastructure projects across multi-supplier environments
• Manage delivery to agreed tolerances, including formal exception and change control
• Ensure robust planning, scheduling, and critical path management.

Governance & Reporting:

• Establish and lead project governance in line with Defra and Project Delivery Profession standards
• Produce high-quality highlight reports, RAID logs, and financial forecasts
• Chair or support Project Boards and governance forums, ensuring clear decision making and escalation.

Risk, Issues & Dependencies:

• Proactively manage risks and issues using structured approaches (cause → risk → impact → mitigation)
• Identify and actively manage cross-project dependencies within the wider portfolio
• Escalate risks early with clear mitigation strategies.

Commercial & Supplier Management:

• Act as an intelligent client, managing multiple suppliers and delivery partners
• Ensure alignment with contracts, Statements of Work, and change control processes
• Manage commercial risks, including cost pressures and scope changes.

Service Transition & Operational Readiness:

• Ensure effective transition of solutions into live service
• Support operational readiness, service acceptance, and business continuity requirements
• Deliver change into live, business-critical environments with minimal disruption

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Build strong relationships with Domain Leads, Service Owners, Commercial teams, and suppliers
• Maintain clear, consistent communication with stakeholders at all levels.

Leadership and Deputising:

• Act as a deputy to the Portfolio Lead (G6) when required, ensuring continuity of delivery and decision-making
• Provide oversight across multiple projects, supporting prioritisation, risk

Skills and experience:

• CISSP Associate, NCSC Cyber Advisor, NCSC Cyber Essentials Assessor
• 5+ years of experience delivering complex identity, AD, IAM and cybersecurity programmes
• Experience delivering legacy AD remediation across multiple domains
• Identity and Active Directory remediation expertise
• Experience implementing IAM upgrades, JML lifecycle controls and secure identity architectures
• Global senior delivery roles in Active Directory transformation, MFA, Microsoft 365 security and Zero Trust uplift
• Proven leadership in multi-supplier delivery environments (Atos, Capgemini, Eviden, Microsoft)
• Multi-supplier orchestration and contract variation
• Strong technical grounding in AD, Kerberos, MFA, PIM, PAM, domain migrations and cloud security
• Advanced knowledge of privileged access governance
• Secure administrative access pathway design
• Tier 0 / Tier 1 / Tier 2 operating model design
• Kerberos lifecycle and trust management
• Integration of identity controls with SOC, ITSM and monitoring tooling
• Service transition, operational governance and BAU ownership
• Extensive service transition, governance, risk management and stakeholder engagement experience
• Prince2, APM, PMP or relevant project management qualification, or equivalent experience
• Ability to obtain SC clearance and sensitive systems delivery history.

Dependant on the project you are assigned to you must already hold or be willing and eligible to apply for SC security clearance. SC security clearance requires 5 years UK residency immediately prior to application. For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

Selection process

The Civil Service marks each element of the selection process on a merit basis. You can visit the gov.uk website for further information on the Civil Service rating scale.

Ensure you have tailored your CV and Personal Statement to the 'skills and experience' section of the job advert by providing exa