Project Manager at Ministry of Defence, Bristol, to end of March 2027, £Contract Rate

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is a central government department with a mission to protect our country and provide the ultimate guarantee of its security and independence, as well as helping to protect its values and interests abroad.

The Project Manager will support the Lead Project Manager (PM) within the WH2 team and will work across multiple projects undergoing approval, assurance and contractual activity. 

The post holder will help coordinate the acquisition phase, support development of the Project Management Plan, maintain project controls, manage delivery activity and produce or contribute to key approval and contract artefacts. 

The role will provide input into Outline Business Cases, Full Business Cases, Invitations to Negotiate, procurement strategies, commercial strategies, management strategies, requirements documentation, cost evidence, risk material, stakeholder products and governance submissions required for Category A approval.

The Project Manager will work closely with the Lead Project Manager (PM), Delivery Managers, commercial, finance, approvals, assurance, engineering, safety, logistics, project controls, Navy Command and industry stakeholders to maintain pace, coherence and auditability across WH2 delivery.

SC Clearance is an essential requirement for this role, Please note, due to the exceptional requirements of this position (short-term nature of this role and speed at which we require a postholder in situ) preference may be given to candidates who meet all of the essential criteria and hold active security clearance.

As a Project Manager, your main responsibilities will be:

• Support the Lead Project Manager (PM) in coordinating project activity across multiple WH2 workstreams, including approvals, contract development, requirements, commercial activity, evidence gathering and assurance.
• Lead or support the preparation, coordination and submission of Outline Business Cases and Full Business Cases, ensuring compliance with MOD governance, assurance and approvals requirements.
• Oversee or support the preparation of tender documentation, including Statements of Requirement, evaluation criteria, supplier instructions, evidence requirements and supporting ITN material.
• Support the tendering process, including supplier engagement, clarification activity, bid evaluation, negotiation preparation, evaluation evidence and contract award readiness.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to coordinate complex delivery activity across multiple projects, stakeholders, approvals and contractual workstreams.
• Good understanding of MOD approvals, governance and assurance activity, including Category A approval expectations, OBC and FBC development, scrutiny and evidence requirements.
• Good understanding of acquisition, procurement and contract management principles in a defence or similarly regulated environment.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to work across Navy Command, National Armaments Directorate Group, TMS, commercial, finance, approvals, assurance, safety, engineering, logistics and supplier teams.

Essential Skills

• Experience of project management in a defence, public-sector, engineering, acquisition, support or similarly complex delivery environment.
• Experience supporting or managing approval, assurance, governance, business case or investment decision activity.
• Experience contributing to OBCs, FBCs, ITNs, procurement strategies, Statements of Requirement, requirements documents, project plans or strategy documents.
• Experience managing project schedules, risks, issues, assumptions, dependencies, actions, decisions, budgets, milestones and reporting products.
• Experience working with commercial, finance, approvals, project controls, engineering, safety, logistics, assurance or supplier stakeholders.
• Experience supporting procurement, tendering, supplier engagement, bid evaluation, contract negotiation or contract award readiness activity.
• Experience preparing reports, briefings, presentations, decision papers or management information for senior stakeholders or governance boards.
• Ability to operate in accordance with MOD or equivalent public-sector governance, security, safety, quality and information-management expectations.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Disability Confident 

As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, the MOD guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group.

This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

Armed Forces Covenant

The MOD guarantees to interview veterans or spouses / partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of ex-military candidates / military spouses or partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following "this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different.