Navy Command, Strategic Planning Lead

Job summary

At Navy Command, we lead, support, and sustain the Royal Navy across every theatre of operations. We coordinate the people, platforms, and missions that keep the Fleet ready for today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities. Together, we uphold centuries of naval tradition while driving innovation that ensures the Royal Navy’s readiness to protect our nation and secure our future.

As the authority for the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarine capability, the Submarine Directorate oversees one of the most complex and critical elements of UK defence. Covering everything from in‑service management to long‑term fleet modernisation, the directorate ensures the Submarine Flotilla remains safe, reliable, and ready to meet national security requirements.

You'll be based at HMNB Devonport, the largest naval base in Western Europe and a powerhouse of Royal Navy capability. It is home to amphibious ships, survey squadrons, submarines, and two-thirds of the frigate force. With its unique nuclear refitting facility, Devonport ensures the Fleet remains ready to support operations worldwide.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

Do you enjoy turning complex information into clear plans, bringing people together, and helping big decisions happen with confidence? If so, this could be the role for you. As Strategy and Planning Group Lead, you’ll be at the heart of one of the UK’s most important defence environments — helping to shape priorities, make sense of competing demands, and support the governance that ensures Devonport is positioned for the future. This is a brilliant opportunity for someone who enjoys strategy, problem-solving, stakeholder engagement and making a real difference in a busy, high-profile setting.

What you will do:

• Analyse portfolio data to identify and formalise strategic issues, trends, risks and opportunities that could affect delivery of strategic outputs.
• Work with stakeholders to develop practical solutions that support effective planning, prioritisation and decision-making.
• Support in maintaining key strategic artefacts, ensuring there is a clear and consistent “single version of the truth”.
• Manage and maintain important planning products.
• Draft proposals, options papers and supporting material to inform senior-level decisions.
• Communicate executive decisions and direction clearly to stakeholders, supporting implementation of agreed proposals or options.
• Identify and record areas of conflict, duplication, opportunity, resource pressure and enterprise support and enabling (e.g. infrastructure) gaps.
• Produce, manage and update Joint Business Procedure improvement proposals.
• Support effective governance by maintaining accurate records, decision logs and audit trails.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with programme teams, business stakeholders, subject matter experts and Industry Partners.

Person specification

To be successful with your application, you will need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

• Experience of analysing complex information, data, risks and requirements to identify trends, issues, opportunities and practical solutions.
• Strong planning, prioritisation and organisational skills, with the ability to support delivery across a busy portfolio or programme environment.
• Experience of engaging with a range of stakeholders.
• The ability to communicate clearly and confidently, including drafting proposals, presenting options and sharing decisions or direction with stakeholders.
• Experience of maintaining accurate records, governance products, decision logs or audit trails to support effective decision-making.
• A good understanding of governance, assurance or business improvement processes, with the ability to identify improvements and support implementation.
• Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across teams and manage competing priorities.

Qualifications

Level 5 in Portfolio, Programme & Project Management, Change Management or a Business-related subject

Membership (or working towards membership) of a professional body (e.g Association for Project Managers, Chartered Management Institute etc).

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £46,040, Ministry of Defence contributes £13,337 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
• Market-leading employer pension contribution of 28.97%
• Personal & professional development
• Alternative working patterns for many roles
• Access to a confidential, professional support service
• Discount schemes
• Bicycle / season-ticket loans
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave
• Special paid leave to volunteer (up to 6 days a year)

In Navy Command we believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference and you will be supported through your learning journey and your career. This can include working towards membership of a professional body and/or undertaking an apprenticeship as part of your role.

You will have access to a variety of qualifications pathways ranging from GCSE/A-Level equivalent all the way up to master’s degree, depending on your role, your previous skills and your experience. Some qualifications even include “on-the-job” training which means minimal disruption to your working day but maximum impact.

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.

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