Programme Director - Shared Rural Network

Job content

Location

London, Manchester

Summary

About the job

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) is at the heart of the government’s economic and social agendas. A quarter of UK businesses are in our sectors and are among the most exciting and fastest growing of the whole economy. They provide 5.2 million jobs and deliver £38bn worth of exports. Our mission is to drive growth, enrich lives and promote Britain to the world.

Our work, over more than 25 years, has become woven into the fabric of the nation - its great sporting triumphs, moments of national remembrance and celebration and unforgettable arts and media events. We provide the infrastructure, like superfast broadband and 5G, that boost economies and increases competitiveness. We connect individuals and communities to each other and support them to play their part in strengthening communities, through our work to combat loneliness and boost civil society.

Working in conjunction with our 45 Arms Length Bodies we strive to create the conditions for everyone to enjoy our national culture, play sport, make the most of new technologies and have access to effective communications. Our sectors are critical to ensuring we have a strong place in the world - creating a global UK whose cultural, technological, creative, community and sporting assets mark us out as an essential partner for trade and investment. And making places that people want to live in, work in, invest in and visit.

Our strategic objectives set out how we deliver our vision of driving growth, enriching lives and promoting Britain to the world.

We are a Department that values its staff. In a recent People Survey we achieved 69% staff engagement score making us one of the top performing Government Departments. Our ambition is to be the most diverse and inclusive department in the UK Government by 2025. We work hard to create an environment in which people enjoy working. We encourage people to collaborate, as well as having the space and time to reflect, through the physical layout of our workspace and the culture we promote. Our values and behaviours keep DCMS a great place to work, attracting the best people.

Job Description

This is an exciting role which will have overall responsibility for leading the transition of the Shared Rural Network from the early stages of the programme setup to full operational delivery. The post holder will lead on the day to day strategy and policy decisions in the Shared Rural Network (SRN) Programme and be accountable for driving successful delivery of the SRN coverage outcomes. They will need to manage internal and external stakeholders, including working with the Home Office, mobile operators, DMSL (a mobile operator JV) and HMT.

The Successful Candidate Will Be Expected To

• Be a member of the BDUK Senior Leadership Team, playing an active part in the leadership of our programmes and contributing to wider decision-making
• Oversee the delivery of the £510m capital and operation funding over 20 years of the Shared Rural Network (SRN) that will deliver widespread 4G mobile coverage across the UK to ensure programme objectives are met and public funds are spent in accordance with value for money principles.
• Establish and maintain productive relationships with key stakeholders including the Home Office, Ofcom, and industry partners to facilitate successful delivery of the programme.
• Provide a strategic delivery link to the DCMS Digital Infrastructure policy team, in collaboration with the BDUK Strategy Director, to support resolution of any policy related issues impacting delivery of programme objectives.
• Drive a communications strategy to ensure messaging around the programme remains positive and portrays the public value being delivered by the programme.
• Chair the Shared Rural Network Oversight Board and report on delivery progress to the BDUK Board.
  

The responsibilities pertaining to the role are likely to extend to other elements within BDUK’s portfolio of major programmes over time.

ResponsibilitiesPerson Specification

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate success in the following areas:

Essential Requirements

• Leadership Capability: You will have experience of managing and leading teams and an ability to inspire teams and stakeholders to engage with the aims of the delivery programme, and long term vision. A proven track record of engaging at senior levels to influence strategy, direction and culture. Experience of building and managing diverse teams, and a genuine, authentic commitment to the diversity and inclusion agenda.
• Stakeholder Management: Able to bring stakeholders together to secure mutually beneficial outcomes. Evidence of dealing effectively with tough negotiations and challenges with conviction and clarity, whilst taking account of individual needs.
• Collaboration and influencing: Experience of building a team culture that considers different perspectives and different needs. Able to build strong stakeholder networks, and to obtain (and act on) stakeholder feedback.
• Programme Management: Experience of delivering multi-million £ programmes essential, plus a proven track record of delivering strategic projects, programmes or pieces of work on time, within budget and with allocated resources. Able to keep abreast of overall delivery and identify where risks and issues are arising and ensure the necessary action is taken.
• You will need to be able to show that you have the experience and skills to manage a complex programme with strong commercial elements which is largely delivered through other partners.
• You will need to be able to report clearly on programme delivery and provide confidence that the programme is on track, with effective and clear communication.
• You will be able to make things happen, working through others both internally and externally. You will have experience of closely working with Ministers to support delivery.
  

Desirable Requirements

• Experience of senior leadership of large-scale programmes. Project Management experience with relevant qualification desirable - expectation that you will pass the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) Major Projects Leadership Academy (MPLA) Programme.
  

Benefits

Benefits:

Whatever your role, we take your career and development seriously, and want to enable you to build a really successful career with the Department and wider Civil Service. It is crucial that our employees have the right skills to develop their careers and meet the challenges ahead, and you’ll benefit from regular performance and development reviews to ensure this development is ongoing. As a Civil Service employee, you’ll be entitled to a large range of benefits.

This Includes

• 26.5 days annual leave on entry increasing to 31.5 days after 5 years’ service. This is in addition to 8 public holidays, complemented by one further day paid privilege entitlement to mark the Queen’s Birthday.
• A competitive contributory pension scheme that you can enter as soon as you join where we will make a significant contribution to your pension; where your contributions come out of your salary before any tax is taken; and where your pension will continue to provide valuable benefits for you and your family if you are too ill to continue to work or die before you retire. For more information please visit http://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/.
• Flexible working patterns including part- time and access to flexible working schemes allowing you to vary your working day as long as you work your total hours.
• Generous paid maternity, adoption and shared parental leave which is notably more than the statutory minimum offered by many other employers.
• Childcare benefits (a policy for new employees as of 5 April 2018): The government has introduced the Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) scheme. Working parents can open an online childcare account and for every £8 they pay in, the government adds £2, up to a maximum of £2000 a year for each child or £4000 for a disabled child. Parents then use the funds to pay for registered childcare. Existing employees may be able to continue to claim childcare vouchers, so please check how the policy would work for you here.
• Interest-free loans allowing you to spread the cost of an annual travel season ticket or a new bicycle.
• The opportunity to use onsite facilities including fitness centres and staff canteens (where applicable).
• Occupational sick pay.
  

Things you need to know

Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check . See our vetting charter .

People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

Selection process details

Application Process

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 and inside the candidate pack.

Your CV should set out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements.

Part of the application process will require you to complete a diversity questionnaire. You will have the option to select ‘prefer not to say’ but this information is very important to the Civil Service.

Sift/Interview

Please note; the below dates are indicative and subject to change.

We aim to sift applications w/c 9th August.

Interview dates will be conducted w/c 6th September.

Interviews will either be held face to face or remotely via MS Teams or Google Meet.

If selected for the final shortlist you will be asked to complete a psychometric leadership assessment: this is a combination of personality and professional styles assessments followed by a conversation with an occupational psychologist. This assessment will not result in a “pass” or “fail” decision. Rather, it is designed to support the panel’s decision making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview.

During the interview process, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of their experience. Interviews may also include an additional assessment or presentation exercise. The interview will be a blended assessment consisting of a series of questions against the Civil Service Success Profiles Behaviours.

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 dcmsrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 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.

Further Information

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

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 circumstances 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 Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Candidates should have, or expect to undergo CTC level security clearance to take up this post. Further information about security vetting can be found in the candidate pack.

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.

Any move to DCMS 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 expectation within DCMS is that staff will normally remain in post for a minimum of 12 months for band C, 18 months for band B and 24 months for band A/AU and will not apply for DCMS roles on level transfer during that time.

DCMS has a London and a National pay scale. For more information on this, including the circumstances in which each pay scale will apply, please see the candidate information pack.

This role will be based in any one of DCMS’s regional hubs. Hubs are currently in London and Manchester, with further regional hubs set to be established in the near future. More information is available in the candidate information pack.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ’Contact point for applicants’ section.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

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)
• 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

Further information on nationality requirements

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s recruitment principles .

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.