CSM - Head of Governance

Are you ready to support one of the most ambitious transformation programmes in Defence? Corporate Services underpin the daily operations of 250,000 people across Defence. From payroll to procurement, these services are critical to mission success. MOD is modernising HR, Finance, and Commercial services through policy, process, organisational, data, and systems transformation, aligned with the Government Shared Services Strategy. More information on the Shared Services agenda can be found through this link: A Shared Services Strategy for Government - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Our ambition is to:

• Enhance user experience through simplified processes, intuitive systems, and responsive support.
• Enable data-driven decision-making using Oracle ERP, HCM, and EPM technologies, integrated analytics, and AI.
• Improve productivity and efficiency by automating transactions, optimising shared service centres, and reducing costs for reinvestment into frontline Defence.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is seeking a proactive and detail-oriented Head of Governance to support the Corporate Services Modernisation (CSM) Programme, a top strategic priority for Defence.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Due to the nature of the role, part time and job share arrangements may be considered, subject to the requirement that full-time hours are fully covered (or business needs are met).

The Head of Governance builds, owns and continuously improves the governance management framework for the Corporate Services Modernisation programme. The role designs the framework through which CSM is governed, brings the programme into a single coherent governance model, owns the governance audit function, and manages governance integration with the wider Defence and government landscape.

The role reports to the Head of Governance, Assurance and PMO and line manages the Secretariat and Board Manager. It assures the secretariat function but does not run the secretariat itself: that delivery sits with the SEO.

Key responsibilities:

Governance management framework

• Build, develop, implement and maintain the CSM governance management framework, ensuring it is fit for purpose and evolves with the programme's needs and stages. (Governance and Reporting Manager 4; GovS 002 section 4.1)
• Bring the CSM programme into a single coherent governance model, developing governance arrangements for CSM Programme Board and Sponsor Group. (Governance and Reporting Manager 4)
• Manage board operating rhythms, terms of reference, decision rights, escalation routes and forward planning across all CSM governance fora. (Governance and Reporting Manager 4; GovS 002 section 5.2)
• Understand and communicate the organisation's governance pathways, driving appropriate use of boards and building governance into the programme lifecycle. (Governance and Reporting Manager 4)

Governance audit and assurance of the secretariat

• Manage the governance audit function, ensuring governance arrangements are operating as intended and meeting MOD, Cabinet Office and government standards. (GovS 002 section 4.1)
• Assure the secretariat function delivered by the Secretariat and Board Manager, ensuring the audit trail of actions and decisions is sound. (GovS 002 section 4.3)
• Ensure internal and external reviews, audits and compliance checks are escalated and signed off appropriately through boards. (GovS 002 section 4.2)

Wider integration

• Manage governance integration with other PMOs across wider Defence and cross-government governance structures, ensuring CSM governance aligns with the wider landscape. (Portfolio Manager 2)
• Engage senior stakeholders across Defence, wider government and delivery partners to ensure governance arrangements are understood and embedded. (Portfolio Manager 2)

Risk and issues in governance

• Ensure risks and issues are an integral part of the governance cycle and that boards give adequate time to key risks and issues. (Governance and Reporting Manager 4)

Knowledge and information management

• Set knowledge and information processes for governance that conform to organisational standards, quality assure adherence and disseminate lessons learned. (Governance and Reporting Manager 4; GovS 002 section 8.10)

Continuous improvement

• Regularly review and improve governance processes, drawing on feedback, audit findings and best practice, and foster a culture of transparency and accountability. (Governance and Reporting Manager 4)

Line management

• Line manage and develop the Secretariat and Board Manager, providing coaching, support and professional development. (Portfolio Manager 2)

Boundaries

The role owns the governance framework but does not own the following:

• Secretariat delivery: agendas, paper commissioning, minute drafting and action logging are run by the Secretariat and Board Manager. This role assures that function and approves its outputs.
• Assurance function and reporting regime: owned by the Assurance Manager and the Head of Governance, Assurance and PMO. This role ensures governance and assurance interlock.
• Business case, finance and benefits: owned by the Deputy Director and the finance and benefits functions.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and technical competencies from the Project Delivery Capability Framework; Project delivery capability framework - Government Project Delivery to assess your Behaviours and Experience during sift and interview.

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability. (750 Word count)

At sift, Candidates will be assessed against their CV, Statement of suitability and the following:

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving

Applications will be sifted on all Success Profile elements, but in the event of a high number of applications, the sift will be conducted on your Leadership, Making Effective Decisions and CV only.

At interview, Candidates will be assessed against the following:

Behaviours:

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving

Further information:

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.

There may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all DCS candidates that meet the minimum criteria for the job. For example, in certain recruitment situations such as a high volume of applications, seasonal demand, or peak periods, the employer may wish to limit the overall number of interviews offered to both DCS and non-DCS applicants.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category, and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

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