Navy Command - Infrastructure Strategic Planning & Governance Lead

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 will be based at HMNB Clyde, home to the UK Submarine Service. It sustains the nation’s continuous at-sea deterrent and supports the Royal Navy’s fleet of nuclear-powered submarines. As a centre of excellence for submarine operations, Clyde plays a critical role in national security and global stability.

This position is a Reserved Post within the Civil Service, for which only sole UK nationals are eligible. Under the Civil Service Nationality Rules, UK nationals include British citizens, British subjects with the right of abode in the United Kingdom, and British Overseas Territories citizens.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Help shape the future of one of the UK’s most important and complex infrastructure estates.

We are looking for an experienced and forward-thinking leader to head our Infrastructure Strategic Planning & Governance team.

This is an opportunity to influence how HM Naval Base Clyde develops over the short, medium, and long term. You will bring together infrastructure strategy, investment planning, estate information and governance to help senior leaders make well-informed decisions about where, when and how we invest.

You do not need to come from a Defence background. What matters is your ability to think strategically, work across organisational boundaries, lead people, and turn complex information into clear plans and priorities.

You will join the Infrastructure Department working with senior leaders, infrastructure specialists, programme and project teams, operational users and external delivery partners.

This is a role where your work will have a lasting impact, helping shape an estate that must continue to support nationally important operations well into the future.

This isn't simply a role managing today's estate.

You'll help determine what the Clyde estate needs to become.

Your work will influence infrastructure priorities, future investment and the development of a nationally significant site. You'll operate at the point where strategy, infrastructure, investment and operational requirements come together, with access to senior decision-makers and the opportunity to make a visible, long-term contribution.

What you will be doing:

As the Infrastructure Strategic Planning & Governance Lead, you will lead the team responsible for translating organisational priorities into a coherent long-term plan for the Clyde estate.

You will provide the strategic link between the organisation's future ambitions and the infrastructure needed to deliver them.

The role currently leads the Infrastructure Strategic Planning & Governance team within the Deputy Head Infrastructure organisation and has responsibility for developing and managing major infrastructure plans, including the Establishment Management Plan, which sets the long-term direction for development of the estate.

• What you'll be doingShape the future of the Clyde estateLead the development of Clyde's infrastructure strategy and long-term estate plans.
• Translate future operational and business requirements into clear infrastructure priorities.
• Ensure short and medium-term investment decisions support the longer-term vision for the Naval Base.
• Maintain a forward-looking view of emerging requirements, risks and opportunities so that plans can adapt as circumstances change.
• Influence investment and decision-makingHelp senior leaders understand where infrastructure investment is most needed and why.
• Bring together evidence on estate requirements, priorities, affordability and future demand to support investment decisions.
• Contribute infrastructure priorities and targets to the Naval Base's wider business planning.
• Provide clear, evidence-based information to senior management and programme boards.
• Turn strategy into deliverable plansOwn and develop the Establishment Management Plan, the long-term plan that describes how the Clyde estate needs to evolve.
• Lead the development of the Estates Plan 2029, bringing together immediate and medium-term priorities while maintaining alignment with longer-term investment.
• Oversee the Strategic Infrastructure Integrated Plan, bringing infrastructure requirements together into a coherent and dependable view of the future programme.
• Make sure infrastructure plans remain aligned with wider Royal Navy and HM Naval Base Clyde priorities.
• Create strong governanceEstablish clear and proportionate governance, so infrastructure decisions are made at the right level, recorded and followed through.
• Oversee formal change control for strategic infrastructure plans.
• Ensure plans and data remain accurate, current, and useful for decision-making.
• Monitor performance against agreed plans and identify where intervention or improvement is required.
• Make the best use of a complex estateOversee strategic space planning and the allocation and siting of facilities across HM Naval Base Clyde.
• Support effective control and management of the estate by ensuring leaders have reliable information on its use, requirements, and future development.
• Balance competing demands and help establish priorities across a large and operationally important estate.
• Lead and build relationshipsLead and develop a multidisciplinary team.
• Build strong relationships with colleagues across infrastructure, operations, finance, programmes and projects.
• Work with senior stakeholders and external delivery organisations to develop shared priorities and resolve complex issues.
• Lead organisational reviews within the Infrastructure Directorate, including workforce planning and engagement with recognised Trade Unions.
• Oversee the provision of business support across senior infrastructure functions.
• Maintain oversight and assuranceProvide senior leaders with clear and timely management information on infrastructure.
• Oversee financial reporting and support the development of robust, evidence-based budget submissions.
• Monitor compliance against strategic infrastructure plans and relevant organisational requirements.
• Oversee reporting associated with the organisation's nuclear-related staffing and organisational assurance requirements.

Open to UK nationals only.

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

As part of Defence Reform, Navy Command continues to review and evolve its Target Operating Model to support more agile ways of working. In this context, the role and responsibilities of this role may develop over time to reflect changing business priorities and opportunities.

At Sift, you will be assessed against the following;

• Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history and qualification details.
• Candidates will be required to provide a personal statement. This should be a maximum of 500 words that sets out your motivation for applying and shows how your skills and experience meet the essential requirements for the role.

Please note feedback will not be provided on your application.

At Interview, you will be assessed against the following behaviours:

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Developing Self and Others

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.

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.

CANDIDATE INFORMATION

Please read this document prior to completing your application.

Please note: internal candidates must include their staff number when prompted during the application process.

Should you have any queries relating to the vacancy information or sift and interview process, please contact the recruiting line manager using the contact details listed on the vacancy. Please do not direct vacancy related queries to the recruitment team as they will be unable to advise.

FURTHER INFORMATION

CV’s

Should the selection process require a CV, you will be prompted to complete the required criteria during the application process. CV’s sent directly to the recruiting line manager will be deleted immediately to maintain anonymity.

Civil Servants (all grades)

Applicants should monitor their Civil Service Jobs application centre regularly for updates.

Some of MoD’s Terms and Conditions of Service (TACOS) changed from 3 February 2014. Those TACOS changes applied to Broader Banded and Skill Zone staff who were new recruits to MoD or who were appointed to a post on substantive promotion, progression or advancement. On the same basis, the TACOS for Departmental Retained Grades changed with effect from 01 September 2014.

Applicants should be aware that any move across the Civil Service on or after 5 October 2018 may have implications on an employee’s ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers.

Please see link below to Civil Service Recruitment Principles http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/RECRUITMENT-PRINCIPLES-April-2018-FINAL-.pdf

Please see the MOD Privacy notice which informs how we will use your personal data, explains your rights and gives you information you are entitled to under Data Protection legislation.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministry-of-defence-privacy-notice/mod-privacy-notice

Non Civil Servants

All employees joining MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a 6-month probation period effective from the employment start date.

COMPLAINTS

Please be aware that the selection and interviewing of applicants is the responsibility of the Recruiting Line Manager (RLM) and not the Defence Business Services (DBS) Resourcing team. DBS does not play any part in the selection and interview process itself.

Therefore, if you wish to discuss your feedback, or you are dissatisfied with your markings, you should in the first instance raise this with the Recruiting Line Manager of the vacancy.

If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint. by writing to DBS at the following address:

Defence Business Services

Scanning Hub

Room 6124

Tomlinson House

Norcross Lane

Blackpool

FY5 3WP

FOR EXTERNAL VACANCIES If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address:

Civil Service commission

Room G/8

1 Horse Guards Road

London

SW1A 2HQ

Or by email: info@csc.gov.uk

Cabinet Office Fraud Checks

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 whose details are found to be held on the IFD will be refused employment

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