project manager Swindon, Wiltshire, South West England, England
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About the job
Job summary
Background: The UK Space Agency
The UK Space Agency (UKSA) is an executive agency of the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) and provides technical advice on the government’s space strategy, supporting the UK space sector to deliver the government’s vision.
Space is a part of everyday life. Satellites underpin our national economy, from agriculture and banking to aviation and shipping, and support our national security. Space science provides critical data to understand and address global challenges such as climate change, while missions to explore our solar system unite nations and advance humanity’s horizons.
We support a thriving space sector in the UK, which generates an annual income of £16.5 billion and employs 47,000 people across the country.
Through our portfolio of programmes and projects, we encourage the development of national space capabilities and are an early-stage investor in space research and development. We also promote the UK space sector’s interests and achievements; make connections to join up industry and academia; and represent the UK in international space programmes.
We have a powerful global voice, partnering with institutions across the world, including the European Space Agency.
More information about the Agency is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-space-agency
To discover more please watch this film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbZZ-o0IkVU
Our Inclusive Environment
We have an inclusive culture to make UKSA a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.
We offer first-class flexible working benefits, excellent employee well-being support and a great pension. We are fortunate to have a range of excellent staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We will support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive.
We actively welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion.
Job description
The Exploration Team
The Exploration Team is a part of the UK Space Agency Missions and Capabilities Directorate. It oversees the UK’s activities in areas in space where humans do, or may one day, live and work: Low Earth Orbit, the Moon and Mars. These activities are associated with, or align to, the European Space Agency’s Exploration Programme, of which the UK is a member state.
The Exploration Team funds a variety of different projects through the national programme, including technology development projects, experiments for the International Space Station and other microgravity platforms and scientific instruments that will fly on spacecraft to the Moon and Mars.
The Exploration Project Manager is responsible for leading the overall management, oversight and delivery of these projects throughout their lifecycle on a day to day basis. The Exploration Project Manager will lead the Project Delivery function within the Project Team on a day to day basis.
The role holder will have a good understanding of managing complex space technology projects and will be able to manage and oversee the Agency’s investments in a diverse and complex portfolio of space projects each presenting its own unique challenges and risks.
To deliver this portfolio, the role holder will be expected to implement a robust project management and performance framework to provide assurance to the Head of Exploration regarding the delivery to cost and schedule. The Exploration Project Manager is responsible for driving and overseeing the delivery of the project to ensure that the objectives are clearly defined and achieved within the agreed time, cost and quality constraints.
The Project Manager has a key role in project governance and working with stakeholders, to ensure the agreed project outputs are delivered to enable benefits to be realised
The role holder will also be responsible for maintaining high level links within the areas of responsibility between the Agency and key partners across government (including multi-lateral organisations such as the European Space Agency (ESA) and bi-laterally with European and global space agencies) as well as UK industry and academic research base.
Key responsibilities
- Overall responsibility for the of delivery of Exploration Hardware projects, including science experiments and instruments, which will be delivered into international or national missions, and exploration technology projects. This includes project governance, monitoring and oversight of budgets, schedules, risk and anomalies, in accordance with government and space standards and best practice, taking action to ensure these are followed, and to ensure the agreed project outputs are delivered to enable benefits to be realised. Specifically:
- Identify and monitor project risks and issues. Develop mitigating actions and escalate as appropriate. Identify and work with related projects to manage interdependencies.
- Implement effective assurance reviews, governance and decision making. Provide reporting and engage in mechanisms that hold delivery to account.
- Ensure appropriate Benefits Realisation Strategy is in place for all projects, and monitor longer term delivery of benefits against the Business Case.
- Engage with assurance reviews and support action on recommendations.
- Day to day Budget management for Exploration Projects, including developing budget forecasts and tracking actual spend.
- Commissioning and overseeing delivery mechanisms for the management of Exploration projects as well as maintaining effective oversight of joint delivery mechanisms with partner organizations.
- Represent UKSA at Programme Boards, and various national and international fora. It will also be important to develop and maintain less-formal contacts to influence key external stakeholders.
- Present and provide briefs to senior staff in UKSA and DSIT, explaining the work of the Agency and its relevance to a broad range of people, support outreach and media events.
- Line management of a small team with broad reach, with day to day supervision, ensuring learning and development opportunities are identified in order to build the capability of the team.
- Work with the Project Management Centre of Excellence to apply and share best practices for programme and project management.
- Support advisory boards for within the Exploration national programme.
Person specification
Essential skills, knowledge and experience
- Project/programme delivery qualifications: APM PMQ or MSP Practitioner.
- Capable of overseeing the development of projects, reporting on risks and devising mitigation strategies to manage the projects.
- Previous experience in managing space hardware delivery projects, including familiarity with the particular management and technical aspects of space projects and technology.
- Previous experience of working with and applying space industry project review standards and cycles, ECSS standards.
- Previous experience in complex programme or project delivery environments with multiple delivery partners and stakeholders.
- Excellent written/verbal communication skills and presentation skills.
- Experience in interpreting and translating complex advice into key recommendations to support senior approval processes, briefings and reports.
- Ability to make autonomous decisions, knowing when to seek advice from senior management.
- Ability to develop and maintain strong collaborative working relationships with stakeholders.
- Demonstrable leadership and management skills acquired through experience.
- Ability to work in demanding circumstances and situations and to tight deadlines.
- Experience and awareness of commercial and financial requirements to manage public funding effectively.
Highly desirable skills, knowledge and experience
- Knowledge of European Space Agency mission and instrument selection and development processes.
- Experience of leading the development of complex major projects in an academic or industrial environment.
- Experience of working with ESA or international space agencies.
Qualifications
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Working Together
- Managing a Quality Service
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Project Delivery / Risk & issue management
- Project Delivery / Governance
Benefits
UKSA offers a competitive mix of benefits including:
A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
Access to a range of retail, travel, and lifestyle employee discounts.
A generous maternity/paternity and adoption leave package.
This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is an informal, non-contractual and voluntary arrangement, blending a balance of attendance in the workplace (your permanent duty station which is based on business assessment of where the work is best done) and working from home, or elsewhere, as a personal choice (if the role is suitable for this). If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.
The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
UK Space Agency is undergoing a transformation programme which may impact your role, line manager and/or location in the future. We will share more details with you as they become known.
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
The CV is for information and will not be scored.
Please use your personal statement (in no more than 750 words) to explain your motivation for this role, and how your knowledge and professional experience meet the requirements listed in the job description.
The Sift will be assessed on Personal Statement, Behaviours and Technical Skills.
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour Making Effective Decisions and the Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
The Interview will be assessed on Behaviours and Technical Skills
Sift and interview dates
Sift date w/c 31st July 2023
Interview date w/c 14th August 2023
The Interview location will be Swindon.
Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.
Further Information
Reasonable Adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
- Contact Government Recruitment Service via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
- Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe carried out.
The UK Space Agency will not be able fund any travel or subsistence for candidates.
Any move to UK Space Agency 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/
Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing [email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Further information
instance [email protected]. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service
Commission please visit their web pages: Click here to visit Civil Service Commission/Complaints
