Programme Support Officer

Defra is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.

Digital, Data, Technology and Security (DDTS) is the trusted team for digital across the entire Defra Group.

We have around 1000 colleagues across DDTS and our ambition is to make it easier and faster than ever for people to interact with Defra. If you are ready to drive innovation and push boundaries, we want to hear from you. Join us and together we will create a great place for living, and a green and healthy future for all.

Find out more about DDTS:

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The Programme Support Officer role sits within the Digital Delivery PMO team within Defra's Digital, Data, Technology and Security Function (DDTS).

Responsibilities:

• Taking responsibility for the provision of project support services to varying scale portfolios, programmes or projects where required, including as part of the portfolio-wide service set delivered by the team, but also as a chargeable service embedded within specific Delivery Groups.
• Setting up, maintaining and providing detailed guidance on project management software, procedures, processes, tools and techniques.
• Supporting a portfolio/ programme / project by providing information, data and/or reporting on risk, change, quality, finance, benefits or configuration management.
• Supporting portfolio, programme and project boards, as-well as project assurance teams and quality review meetings where required.
• Providing support with requisitioning, receipting, invoicing & tracking Purchase Orders.
• Providing transactional level support with the licensing and tooling services administered by the PMO.

The impact and value add of this role means that Digital Delivery, as part of the broader DDTS function, are able improve, track and maintain delivery support services to a high standard, ensuring the PMO and its stakeholder groups are working with the latest and best quality data using appropriate tooling and feeding various business management and decision making processes in and beyond DDTS.

This role supports our team to continue operating as a multi-disciplinary PMO providing maximum output in all areas we support, with the post-holder expected and required to build a broad skill-set and knowledge base allowing them to successfully provide service excellence across a multitude of related disciplines.

This is a skilled role and vital to supporting quality delivery across some of Digital Delivery's most visible, novel, complex, contentious, and valuable projects. The role is also key to our stakeholder engagement, working with and across many different processes and areas including Commercial, Finance, our Major Programmes and the projects that sit within them, as well as the supporting and working alongside the wider teams and functions we partner with.

Skills and Experience:

• A Portfolio/Programme/Project management qualification at either foundation or practitioner level OR equivalent experience and commitment to work towards appropriate professional qualification(s).
• Experience of governing or managing projects and programmes and the use of programme or portfolio management as a tool for managing organisational change.
• Excellent people skills with an ability to work in a dispersed environment and build effective working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders.
• A good understanding of organisational budgeting approaches on medium to high complex programmes.
• Highly organised, pays attention to detail.
• Self-led and disciplined, able to work on own initiative.
• Experience of organisational RAID management/processes at a portfolio, programme or project level.

Selection process

The Civil Service marks each element of the selection process on a merit basis. You can visit the gov.uk website for further information on the Civil Service rating scale.

Ensure you have tailored your CV and Personal Statement to the 'skills and experience' section of the job advert by providing examples on how you are suitable for the role using the STAR method.

Please ensure you demonstrate clearly, within your personal statement, how you meet these requirements, as the information you provide will form a key part when the panel is scoring your application.

For further information on STAR, you can check out our Hints and Tips document.

Application process

As part of the application process, you will be assessed on your experience. This will be evaluated by looking at your CV and personal statement, so please provide the following and ensure your experience is clearly demonstrated:

A CV

A 500 word Personal Statement: Referring to the 'skills and experience' sections of the job advert, please demonstrate how you are suitable for the role by providing relevant examples.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Sift

Sift will begin shortly after the advert closes.

Should there be a large number of applications, an initial sift will be conducted using your personal statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment or interview.

Interview

If successful at sift, you will be invited to an interview where you will be assessed on the Behaviours listed below, as well as Strengths.

Interview dates are to be confirmed. Please note that these may be subject to change.

Interviews will be held virtually on Microsoft Teams.

For further information on Success Profiles, you can visit the links below and watch our videos on DefraJobs.

Behaviours

Experience

Strengths