Programme Delivery Manager

• Apply before 11:55 pm on Friday 8th May 2026
• Location: Columbus, Ohio, USA
• Salary: £61,630
• Reference number: 459232

Job description

We’re offering an exciting opportunity to join our team in a pivotal role where you'll lead the delivery of complex programmes. You’ll bring together technical strategy and Agile methodologies to drive impactful outcomes.

You'll be at the forefront of ensuring successful outcomes by:

• Manage complex dependencies, with the ability to plan effectively and contribute to broader programmes and portfolios.
• Oversee programme expenditure by contributing to budget planning, forecasting, tracking actual spend, and supporting the development of business cases.
• Establish and maintain governance frameworks that align with both programme objectives and organisational requirements.
• Provide upward support and reporting to the programme lead, while effectively managing a diverse team of contractors, suppliers, and Crown Servants.
• Effectively balance competing objectives and reallocate people and resources in response to shifting priorities.
• Act as a key escalation point for the programme, working collaboratively with colleagues to resolve issues effectively.

Beyond that, you'll support and coach Delivery Managers and programme colleagues, helping them develop strategic awareness, navigate the bigger picture, remove blockers, and effectively manage risks, commercials, budgets, and teams.

For further information on the role and duties, please refer to the Government, Digital and Data Capability Framework: Programme delivery manager - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework.

If you need to contact Defence Business Services (DBS) regarding this vacancy, please indicate that your vacancy is being handled by Resourcing Team 1. If you experience any technical difficulties with the CS Jobs system, please contact the Support Team at candidate@support.oleeo.com

Person specification

We're looking for a confident and capable leader who thrives on autonomy, motivates teams, and ensures seamless coordination across a dynamic portfolio, with proven knowledge of Agile, other delivery methodologies, and product and service life cycles.

This is a highly complex and technically demanding programme, set within a challenging approvals process and a diverse stakeholder landscape.

Success in this role requires a strong problem-solver with deep expertise in digital delivery and has the confidence to lead through uncertainty. You’ll operate across both Government and Defence, engaging with stakeholders at all levels in a strategic, fast-paced environment. The ideal candidate will demonstrate strategic thinking, communicate with confidence, drive delivery forward, and effectively manage relationships with senior stakeholders.

When submitting your CV, please highlight your career history and experience relevant to this role. Additionally, refer to the "Things You Need to Know" section of the advert and provide a personal statement (max. 1250 words) demonstrating the essential criteria listed below:

• Proven experience leading complex projects or programmes using Agile and Waterfall approaches, with strong governance, risk management throughout the delivery life cycle.
• Proven ability to build and manage senior stakeholder relationships through clear communication and expectation management across the delivery life cycle.
• Proven experience in managing programme or portfolio-level finances, ensuring accurate planning, forecasting, and spend tracking.

Do you want to hear more about this role? Join us at our candidate brief! Learn more about this role by joining members of the team at our upcoming brief, being held on 28/04/26 at 5pm. To confirm your attendance, please email us at ukstratcomdd-hr-talentacqdel@mod.gov.uk with the CSJ reference number, your name and email address. We will then forward you a Teams invite to be able to join on the day.

Please note:

• This role is only eligible for UK sole nationals.
• Due to the nature of the role, it is required to be worked on a full-time basis and is not suitable for job sharing or part-time working arrangements.
• Where a candidate is unmarried but has dependants, those dependants will not be eligible for a visa, as US visa regulations only allow applications from legally married partners.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working Together
• Leadership

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Life Cycle Management
• Making a Process Work

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £61,630, Ministry of Defence contributes £17,854 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Discover My Benefits:

Please follow the link to visit the Discover My Benefits site which showcases the benefits and discounts offered when working as a civilian for the MOD. https://discovermybenefits.mod.gov.uk/civilian/

• Learning and development tailored to your role with a dedicated minimum of 5 days per year
• 25 days paid annual leave rising (by 1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of five years’ service
• Ability to roll up to 10 days annual leave per year
• In addition to eight public holidays per year, you will also receive leave for HM The King’s birthday
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
• Parental and Adoption Leave
• Discounts on a range of services within and external to the civil service – Defence Discount Service, Civil Service societies for Sports and Leisure, Healthcare, Insurance, Motoring, Company discounts with Virgin, Vodafone, and Microsoft Office.
• In year rewards and ‘thank you’ schemes such as vouchers and gift cards
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• Please see Benefits Leaflet for more detail Discover My Benefits - All Benefits

Learning & Development

In Defence Digital we have a strong learning and development ethos, supporting you to fulfil your potential by providing:

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• Professional and Personal Development of skills
• Access to thousands of training courses through Civil Service Learning, some free or paid by MOD
• Ability to obtain industry recognised qualifications supported by MOD

Equality and Diversity

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. It’s vital that our workforce reflects the diversity of both our audience and the wider society in the UK, so we’re proud to be an equal opportunities employer and we actively seek candidates from diverse backgrounds and communities. We also recognise the importance of a good work life balance, so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including part-time and job shares for all our roles. Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process if this is something you want to explore.

Professional Framework Statement

Defence Digital operates an organisation model in which every individual belongs to a Government Profession. The successful applicant will be posted into one of the defined Government Professions on Standard Terms of Reference for the grade. Defence Digital reserves the right to move individuals between roles, within their allocated profession, to meet the needs of the business and in support of agile resourcing. Within Defence Digital each profession is led by a Professional Head of Community who will lead professional development and support the Continuous Professional Development path for their group.

Defence is going through a significant transformation programme which aims to improve the way it conducts its business and delivers for Defence and the nation. As a consequence of this, all posts are/will be subject to review and potential changes, as we continuously improve across the period of the transformation programme. These changes may be minor or could be more substantive and will generate new opportunities. Throughout the transformation programme, Defence is committed to following the MOD’s framework on managing and supporting people through the change process and places an emphasis on early and open consultation and engagement with personnel and Trade Unions.

This post offers full relocation allowances subject to availability. Cost of Living Overseas Allowances is payable based on personal circumstances and marital status.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

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